Step 11 - How to make the Weight Plates

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11. Painting the plates with Concrete epoxy sealer paint -
    This stuff makes the plates SO much easier to hand, no sharp edges, no sand or crumbling; really they are so much better painted. 
    Otherwise will you will be vacuuming up dust every day and cursing the rough surfaces.
    
    I used the Behr 1-part epoxy, (about $30 - $35) for 1 gallon, which was plenty)  but I'm sure any driveway / concrete paint should work as well.  Like this one online.
    
    
    And you will need a cheap nylon paint brush, like this one, available online.

Painting the plates is easy.  I put the 3 ft piece of pipe (the leftover piece) across two stacks of bags of compost outside,(you could use chairs or anything else)  , and slid the plates on to the bar.

Then I painted them.  This allowed me to paint the entire plate at once and easily rotate the plates.  I gave them 2 or 3 coats, to be sure every little hole or pole was sealed.

When the plates are done, they feel smooth!

 

Here's the before and after.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OK, plates are done, let's get the barbell ready!

Next: Making the barbell