Well I’m not getting any younger, and getting into better shape won’t happen just by reading about it.

So I have decided to get a speed bag setup. I used to be decent and always really enjoyed working the bags. At some point I may invest in a heavy bag as well, but for now I am looking at speed bag platforms. I would like to keep it in the $300 range or less. I would prefer a real wood platform, preferably not particle board. Good swivel. Has to be adjustable for height as the wife will probably use it too.

I have considered building one out of many layers of hardwood plywood and welding together the mount. The adjustability factor is something I am a little apprehensive on building. Plus it needs to be easy-ish to adjust. I don’t want an adjustment to take 10 minutes. Adjustability that doesn’t vibrate is the key.

I want something that won’t vibrate. As far as mounting to the wall, I have that over engineered. I don’t want a setup that vibrates like a 70’s motel bed when you get the punching rhythm going. That’s really annoying and can be a total PITA.

I have looked at a couple by Title and they’re okay. Ones by Balazs look good. I a, leaning that direction, but would love some advice if anyone who boxes or regularly works a speed bag.

Do any of you have a speedbag setup? Do you use it very regularly? What are the recommendations?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Beancooker,

Club I used to be part of years ago had a fixed mount but a couple platforms for the floor to stand on. Definitely get a top notch swivel The kind with the pinned rectangle block and chain link and not a ball type.

So I wanted a speed bag platform. I needed it adjustable so my wife can use it too. I wanted it sturdy and to not have vibration, wiggle, or bounce around.
I looked online at all the platforms available and none that were affordable would be easy enough for my wife to adjust. So I set out to build one myself.

I started off with a piece of butcher block countertop. I cut it in half so I had two pieces that are approx 24”x24”. I predrilled the holes on what would be the top. I drilled the holes large enough in diameter so the threads wouldn’t catch the top board and only the bottom piece. This will suck the two pieces together much tighter, and create a great lamination.
I grabbed an old paintbrush and a bottle of tight bond wood glue, and painted both surfaces with glue. I placed the top on, lined up the edges well, and sunk twelve Spax screws into it, squeezing it really tight.
I threw a few clamps on it just because. I doubt they did much, but it made me feel better.
A few days after this, I whipped out the belt sander and took the edges down so the seam became invisible. (This step is best to do outdoors, as it makes an atrocious mess. My wife is still unhappy about the dust in the garage.)
***Important note here, anywhere you see a knot, put a big dot of tight bond glue over the knot. Poke it into the knot with a needle or something like that. Scrape the excess off and when dry sand it lightly.
Next came some wood stain. I used a foam brush and painted it in. I let it sit for a few minutes and wiped it off with a towel. I let that dry for two days and then decided to coat it with glaze coat. As far as the glaze coat, just follow the instructions to the letter. It’s pretty easy.
Now I have a big blemish on mine, because I didn’t glue the knots and one kept bubbling. I kept hitting it with a torch and ended up scorching the glaze coat, picking off the top layer and adding more. So, if I could go back, I think I could have done it a little better, had I known what I know now.

So now the wood top is done. Next comes the bracket that mounts to the wall. I used some 1.5”x3” tubing for the arms. This was pretty heavy gauge. The walls are about 1/8” thick. The upper supports are 1.5” square tube with a double angles coped on them.
On the wall side the upper tubes mounted to a 3/16” plate that spans between the two. The lower arms have 6”x6” plates to mount it to the wall.
Where the four pieces of support are tied together, we welded them to another 1/4” plate that is 6”x6”.
For adjustment, we used a 1.5” Acme screw. I picked up three large nuts to go with the screw. One of the nuts is welded to the 6x6 plate and another is used as a jam nut. I wanted the nut that supports the weight to be centered on the 6x6 plate. we welded a piece of round rod to the bracket and that’s what the jam nut jams on.
We took a piece of 1/4” plate steel that was 12x16. In the center of that plate, we welded the third nut. This is what attaches the Acme screw to the wooden platform. We used carriage bolts that are countersunk to attach the plate to the wood.
We drilled out some holes in the plates, and through a couple 2x6 boards. With carriage bolts we attached the metal pieces to the 2x6. We then lifted this whole thing to the wall, and attached it to the studs with Ledger Lock bolts. It spans four studs and is attached to all of them.

Plenty of pics below as to each step of the process, and the completed project.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Beancooker,

Seems more like a project than speed bag. Looks like you had fun and that is good on you!

Looks like a piece of furniture. Nicely done!

Very Nice. Looks very sturdy. You may find it vibrating while using it. That will make it unnecessarily loud and difficult to progress. If that is the case try a bag of play sand on the top of the board. About 20-25lbs will do it. The added weight will deaden the vibrations going into the wall keep the swivel on track. You'll be able to drum the bag hard.

It's hard to tell by the pictures, what kind of swivel do you have on it?

-TVz

Yeah, it was a project, but a fun one.

If you bind down the jam nut, then turn the platform 1/8 turn, there is zero vibration. It’s pretty incredible. I was kind of winging it when I designed it, but luck was on my side.

The swivel is a Title Platinum Premier Pro swivel. I wanted to get the Lightning Fast swivel, but they are out of stock fir quite some time on that one.

I’m definitely not as good as I used to be, but it’s coming back quickly.

Seeing yours is making me want to clear out the junk in my garage in front of mine. It's no where as fancy. But I got three different Title bags. All fun. The smallest is the Platinum Atomic xxs. Sounds like popcorn cooking but very hard to keep going.

Thanks for the reminder.

-TVz

Yeah Noah, I have one too hanging in my garage that dates back about 60 years. Used the speed bag for years and years really enjoying it. The bag had been replaced at least once. But these days, age, health and all...it just hangs there.

Like TVzombie I'd be very reluctant to take a picture and post it here given the stuff piled near it.


I don't have your woodworking skills so I really appreciate what you've crafted.:thumbsup: I used lightweight speedbag gloves back in the day as bare knuckled used to chew up my hands. They were much less padded that what you can buy today. More like what you see in boxing hand wraps.

The speed bag and bicycling used to be my preferred forms of exercise.

Okay, dinner was done, and it cooled off to a chilly 95°. So I opened the garage door and spent an hour hitting the bag. It’s been 17 years since I was hitting a speed bag. I’m out of practice. Basically, I suck.
That said, it was a great workout and by the end of the hour, I had a very slow rhythm going.
Shoulders are a little tight. Probably will be sore tomorrow. Anyways, I’m pretty damn stoked. I exercised more this evening than I have in a few years it was fun and enjoyable.
Tomorrow I’ll put on some more time, and hope it cools off a little bit.

If I keep this up for a month, I’ll reward myself with a heavy bag. Damn heavy bags are an energy sponge. Half an hour on one, and it’s time for a nap.