A single high pulley with a plate-loaded loading pin — anchored to a power rack or overhead beam for lat pulldowns, pushdowns, face pulls, and curls. Built from hardware-store cable and rigging parts, following Garage Gym Reviews' build.
Play the linked Garage Gym Reviews video end-to-end before buying anything — it walks the whole single-pulley, plate-loaded layout and shows how the cable, chain, and loading pin connect. Pause it at the parts-list shots and match each item to the materials above.
Choose a solid overhead anchor: a power-rack crossmember (cleanest option) or a ceiling joist/beam. The pulley hangs from this point and takes the full loaded weight, so it must be rated framing or steel — never drywall.
Cut the coated cable to length. On each end, fold a loop around a thimble and lock it with a rope clamp, then back it up with a wire rope clip. Tug-test each loop hard — neither should slip.
Clip the pulley to your high anchor with a snap link. Run the cable over the pulley wheel: one looped end gets a quick link for the handle, the other gets a quick link to the chain. Make sure the cable seats in the pulley groove and doesn't rub the frame.
Attach the chain to the loading pin with a quick link, and clip the chain to the cable's lower end. Slide the chain link you clip to up or down to set how high the pin rides — higher for pulldowns, lower for pushdowns and curls.
Start with 10–20 lb on the pin. Do slow pulldowns and pushdowns, watching the anchor, every clamp, and the pulley for any movement or slip. Add weight only after a full inspection.