How to Make a Chin Up Bar in Your Basement

Drill three holes into the bottom ends of the 2-by-6 boards in a triangular pattern (two holes a few inches from the bottom and one hole equidistant from the originals).

Measure one or two inches up from the opposite end of the boards you just drilled. Using a pencil, make a mark in the center of the board. This is where you will make a hole for the steel pipe.

Drill holes in each of the boards at the marks you made in the previous step. Use either an auger bit or a flat wood bit. The size will depend on the steel pipe you will be using as the chin-up bar. Drill through the wood slowly, so it does not splinter.

Drill three holes (corresponding to the boards) in the ceiling joists to which you want to attach the chin-up bar. Use a right angle drill to make the holes if there is not enough room between joists to maneuver a standard drill.

Attach the boards to the joists using three carriage bolts through the initial holes you drilled in Step 1.

Slide the pipe through the holes on the opposite ends of the boards. They should jut out slightly through each end. Coat the inside of each end cap with thread locker and screw them on to the extended areas of each pipe. Thread locker can be found at any hardware store. It is used to hold screws in place after their threads have been stripped. This will keep the end caps from falling off.

Wrap the pipe in electrical tape. The chin up bar can get slippery, especially if you are sweating. The electrical tape will provide a better grip as you perform your workout.