Specs for the Secret Weapon

If you are into Grip like we are at Diesel Crew, you know that Joe Kinney, the first man to ever close the IronMind #4 Captains of Crush Gripper based a lot of his success on the secret weapon gripper machine he design to use for extra crush work that he housed in his work shed. I have found the specs for the secret weapon on the Gripboard and will post them here for everyone's access:

"Upper unit: start with square tubing 2/16" thick steel, 1 3/4" square, total length is 30 inches long.

Handle bar is 3/4" for both top handle and bottom - 7 inches from the top is the top handle, 4 1/2" long.

Bottom handle, when parallel with top handle is 13 3/4" long.

Pin to hold the weight on the bottom handle is drilled 4 inches from the end of bottom handle.

Slot dimensions are 3/4" wide, 2 3/16" long starting exactly 8 inches from top of unit.

Top handle is shaved off slightly on the bottom at the end; this simulates a gripper more closely when the bottom handle touches the top which is why this is done. Joe Kinney also has stated that unless this is done it "pinches" although with a very heavy weight I don't see how this is possible.

Bottom base holder is a 2/16" thick, 2 inch square, 4 1/2" long welded to hold the upper unit upright. 1 3/4" square tubing is used, and 16" long measured from the back - at the ends of that front cut and weld at approximaetly 30 degrees forward with the ends of the base extending another 17 1/4".

Bolt to attach bottom handle to upper unit is drilled exactly 8 1/2" from the top. I believe a 2 1/2" long, 5/8" bolt is used but don't quote me on that -- I'll haffta shoot on over to Home Depot to get the proper specs on that.

A 1 inch eyebolt is used to attach the weights to the bottom handle; a thick "S" hook is attached to that.

The only thing (?) I've left off is the marks for the back if you want to mount the upper unit to a wall or something more solid than just using a bottom base. In that case, I have the specs for that too. Drill two holes 4 5/8" and 20 7/8" from the top of the unit -- now you can mount it instead of using a bottom base like Kinney does!!"

In addition, zcor adds:

"An important detail with the top handle, it needs to be set in the tube at 92 degrees before welding.

The top handle is NOT placed straight out from the tube or at perpendicular 90 degrees.

Simply put, angle the top handle down 2 degrees past perpendicular."

For an idea of what it is supposed to look like, here is an image from the Gripboard Gallery.

-NAPALM-

This information comes from a post started on on July 14, 2006.