palecriminal
Posts: 18
Joined: 1/22/2014
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Seems like most DIY spreader bar projects use PVC pipe or wooden dowels. If you like the look of steel and the sound of the clanking metal fetters, here is a DIY project for making a steel spreader bar. I built one of these recently, my very first spreader. It worked quite well and didn't cost very much. I wanted to share the link and offer a few tweaks to the original site's instructions:
* Make sure you get steel tubing suitable for welding, not a plumbing pipe. The latter is heavier and doesn't look as sleek.
* It says to clean the steel bar with a paper towel. You'll really need soap and water. Be sure to dry it immediately since these are not stainless steel so could rust.
* I didn't think polishing it with steel wool really made much of a difference.
* The hardware sticking out the sides adds about 3" on each side, so half a foot extra in total. The link didn't make that clear, and now I'll have to cut mine shorter due the end result being longer than I expected.
* Home Depot sells these metal tubs in 36" pieces. Tractor Supply sells them in larger pieces. Since 36" was too larger for one spreader, I decided on a 48" tube from Tractor Supply so I could get two spreaders out of it in different sizes: one for the legs and a shorter one for the arms. Tractor Supply can't cut them like Home Depot, but I found it really didn't take long for me to cut it with a manual hacksaw and a bench vice.
Not suitable for suspension, but they keep the legs open and make a nice metal fetters clanking noise when the sub tries to walk around. Plus as strong as a wooden dowel might be, there will be no doubt in her mind that she's not getting out of solid steel!
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DIY Steel Spreader Bar - 
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