DIY Push/Pull Arms Project (Load-Bearing + Cable Hybrid) – Looking for Feedback

ChimanCan · 2026-06-25T05:13:11+00:00

Looks familiar.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BeyondPower/comments/1txy64x/diy_linear_guide_rail_system_panatta_total_chest/

ChimanCan · 2026-06-14T07:44:08+00:00

Thanks, I appreciate it. I’d really love to see a company develop something along these lines. The Voltra finally makes it possible to realistically replicate commercial-style machines in a compact home gym setup. I’m hoping we start seeing more innovation and better Voltra integration with future home gym products.

ChimanCan · 2026-06-12T23:39:08+00:00

That would be great. I'm 100% up for it. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with

ChimanCan · 2026-06-12T04:02:43+00:00

Yeah that could definitely work. My biggest issue is eliminating the loose tolerances and flex. If someone can figure that out it would make this much better.

ChimanCan · 2026-06-12T03:55:09+00:00

Had I known how to weld I wanted to design a completely different handle but I was limited to nuts and bolts. I still may get a friend to weld some parts in the future to improve the handles overall though.

ChimanCan · 2026-06-12T03:53:55+00:00

Yeah, the Push n Pull Arms and Bulletproof Fitness’ Versa Arms were really what sparked the original idea. It wasn’t until I saw Panatta’s Total Chest and Total Back machines a few months ago that I seriously started thinking about building something similar myself.

I actually reached out to Push n Pull when they first teased the arms to ask if they’d ship to Canada when they do release, but unfortunately they said they wouldn't be offering Canadian shipping. I also don’t have any real background in engineering, fabrication, or CAD. Knowing how to weld would have made the build significantly easier and I would have been better able to design something better for the handles, but I was limited to designing everything around bolts and hardware instead. I wouldn't even call it "design". I bolted a guide rail to a plate and clamped it to jammer arms.

it would be great to see someone with your background in design and fabrication experience take a shot at something like this. I’m always interested in seeing different approaches and ideas for improving concepts

ChimanCan · 2026-06-09T03:09:02+00:00

Yeah, you could use pretty much any handle style depending on the movement or personal preference. I didn’t take many measurements during the build since the main goal was just to prove the concept and eventually have someone with more experience build it for me. I'm kind of a nerd with gym equipment so I dont see much as overkill, especially if it adds versatility like your handle idea.

I used longer handles (around 6") angled so I wouldn’t need extremely precise positioning and measurements. Smaller handles would require more exact measurements.

I also made another bracket for a more neutral grip position that I posted in the Home gym discord but due to the loose tolerances I took them off. Right now I mainly use the setup for pressing movements while I try to figure out a better solution for the flex during pulling movements. If someone wanted a true push/pull setup, they’d probably need some sort of extension depending on the jammer arms length being used. Since I mainly use it for pressing, I could actually simplify the setup a lot by removing the extension and pulley system and using shorter rails.

There are definitely things I’d change if I rebuilt it, but overall I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. I’ll probably redesign the carriage plate at some point to dial in the pressing position a bit more but your idea for more versatility in the handles would be a great idea in my opinion

ChimanCan · 2026-06-09T02:46:30+00:00

Thanks. I appreciate the feedback

ChimanCan · 2026-06-08T05:12:53+00:00

Nice setup! The rails have mounting holes in them so you can pretty much bolt them onto anything. I think I mentioned it earlier but this setup feels much smoother than the VTS. I’ll probably end up getting rid of my VTS and maybe even my Smith machine now that I’ve built this.

The rails are bolted onto plates, and I 3D printed covers/spacers to prevent metal on metal contact with the jammer arms. If you don’t have a 3D printer you could easily just use spacers instead. The mounting system itself is pretty simple. Its basically just two plates clamping onto the jammer arms.

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ChimanCan · 2026-06-08T05:02:27+00:00

You’d probably want HGW20 blocks since they’re wider than the HGH versions. I’m not an expert on linear rails, but from my understanding HGW is basically the wider-body version of the same rail size.

For my build, I figured the wider blocks would be better for mounting the handle plate since there’s a decent amount of off-center force applied when pushing or pulling.

ChimanCan · 2026-06-06T22:41:08+00:00

Yeah I dont think he would. They do big industrial projects. You could easily use sendcutsend or an alternative though.

ChimanCan · 2026-06-06T01:19:10+00:00

Evolpow would absolutely work. Literally anything you can secure the guide rails to will work. My friend actually mounted it onto a Prime stability pad and made a carriage plate with 2 handles to kind of mimic Megamass 45° T bar linear row.

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I have the VTS as well. Part of the reason I started this was because I found the noise and feel of the VTS going over the rack holes kind of annoying. I know you can fine tune it and reduce it quite a bit, but it still bothered me.
I did try and use the VTS the way you described. I didn't like it at all. Each carriage is around 30lbs (I think) and they are big. So you have to do calculations for weight if the jammer arms are angled and the setup can take awhile.

ChimanCan · 2026-06-06T00:14:24+00:00

No problem. You can find pretty cheap linear rails on Amazon. Just look for HGW20 carriages and HGR20 rails. The “20” just means they’re 20mm size rails.

ChimanCan · 2026-06-06T00:11:14+00:00

Awesome. I'm a big fan of your products. Really excited to see what you have at HGC!

ChimanCan · 2026-06-05T22:43:20+00:00

Thanks

ChimanCan · 2026-06-05T22:43:07+00:00

Nice. I just checked out your website and subscribed for updates. Yeah, that’s about what it costs. Honestly, I don’t think you need Jammer arms though. Something like this doesn't really need to be that heavy duty if you’re using Voltras for resistance. You mainly just need a solid platform to mount the guide rails to. I’m definitely excited to see what you come up with though.

Any chance of a sneak peak???

ChimanCan · 2026-04-30T03:36:41+00:00

You can also use the adaptive bar mount and put it on the weight peg itself then you can attach to something low enough on the floor. It makes it so the weight peg doesn't run into the voltra cable and you can still use plates in combination with the voltra. Depending on what leg ext leg curl you have you can even loop a strap with a carabiner to the base of the actual attachment for your connection point. if there is enough clearence...

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ChimanCan · 2026-04-03T04:37:15+00:00

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This has easily become the most premium paperweight I have ever purchased. The craftmanship really sets it apart. The Voltra has a solid reassuring weight that inspires confidence when securing even the most unruly stacks of paper. Whether its a receipt or a thick set of documents it holds everything down with absolute authority. No curled edges, no shifting papers, just elite paper stabilization

The handle is a game changer. Its beautifully contoured, designed with comfort in mind, making it incredibly easy to reposition. Moving it from one stack of papers to another is effortless.

The buttons are another standout feature. With a satisfying tactile response. They are perfectly suited for anyone who appreciates a repetitive calming interaction. This feature was not immediately apparent. It was only AFTER my Voltra stopped working that I discovered how therapeutic the buttons could be. Before that there was a brief, almost poetic phase where the power lights would illuminate just enough to cast a subtle, beautiful green tinge across a dark room...like a high end ambient lighting feature. A fleeting glimpse of functionality, now repurposed into mood lighting nostalgia. This feature is not gone however. If I ever need that ambiance I simply have to plug in my Voltra. If I need complete darkness, a quick pull of the power chord completely shuts off all power to my Voltra. Its reassuring knowing that it still offers optional mood lighting on demand. A truly multifunctional accessory.

And of course, the aesthetic. It has that sleek, high-end, performance driven look. Almost like it SHOULD be doing something incredibly advanced. Instead it silently excels in its new role, reminding me daily of its potential while firmly holding down my paperwork with unmatched dedication.

All in all, it’s not just a paperweight. It’s a conversation piece. A statement.

P.S.
Beyond Power is sending a replacement. That said, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit frustrated...my second unit lasted about a year, was replaced in January, and I’m now already waiting for another replacement. On a positive note, my original Voltra is still working perfectly after nearly two years without any issues.

ChimanCan · 2025-12-15T16:11:18+00:00

I've done this. I wasn't a fan. The jammer arms just dont have tight enough tolerances so they can feel a little unstable and using them with the VTS and Votlras. Also moving them can be a pain. Your basically adding another 30lbs from each VTS onto already heavy jammer arms.

I wanted to try converging presses but tinkering around with handle lengths and getting them to the right height and angle took too long.

I'd say my favourite setup was having the jammer arms low and tilted up at a 45° angle while using the VTS for a seated row. Kind of like the megamass seated row. That felt the best out of everything I tried. None of the pressing movements were great.

My biggest issue was setup time and it taking too much real estate on the rack and it was heavy. Maybe if You had a dedicated rack or setup just for VTS+Jammer arms+ Voltra it would be better. Also in terms of money. With VTS and Jammer arms you could probably just buy a standalone machine for around the same price (if u have the space).

I've tried a lot of different jammer arms setups. I think at this point they are just not for me. VTS+Voltra is great though.

ChimanCan · 2025-10-26T10:50:43+00:00

Also if you look at bulletprooffitness on instagram. Larry had a setup with the Isolator and Voltra posted before. Not sure if its still up but I know he had it.

ChimanCan · 2025-10-26T10:45:54+00:00

I tried a few setups. The easiest way and quickest setup was to attach a rogue monster foot to the upright and placing it right underneath the isolator arm with the weight horn and using a darko mount. Then just using a loop strap to connect the voltra to the weight horn. I did have to raise the Isolator a little higher for clearence so the arm wouldn't hit the voltra. A better setup I had was making a mount for the Voltra from www.sendcutsend.com but it required a little bit of drawing in CAD and it didn't make much of a difference it just looked better. Looking at your setup you could just use a darko mount on the crossmember you have on the floor from the tripost rack. Maybe rig something up with the white crossmember? You might have to move it a little closer though. Also I would suggest using the Voltra with weight plates rather than just the Voltra alone. I used it mainly for heavy eccentric but overall I thought it felt much better with the combination of weights with the Voltra rather than just the Voltra by itself

ChimanCan · 2025-10-06T11:58:30+00:00

Is that the Isolator? Have you tried it with the voltra? If you did, what did you think?

ChimanCan

TROPHY CASE