# Finally making another Dummy



## Pat M (Jun 25, 2016)

After many years of refurbishing peoples dummy's I am finally making one from scratch again.
Have made 4 previously though many years ago.
This one is for a friend.
Having sent 4 1/2 hours on it so far I'm impressed how much easier modern tools make it (I love spade bits)although I guess I'm a little wiser as well. Purchased arms ($250AU) but I now want to buy a second hand lathe so I can make them myself so it is cheaper in future. The hope is to keep the cost to $600AU so it is a cheap as possible for Chris.

Wooden Dummy For Chris Churchmichael Slideshow by pattmckay

I still have to build the frame and leg so will add more photos as I go, really enjoying the exercise.


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## Buka (Jun 25, 2016)

Damn, Pat, that's really neat! You obviously know what you're doing. One heck of a cool slide show, too.

I can't wait to see it all finished.


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## Tames D (Jun 25, 2016)

Very nice


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## Pat M (Jul 2, 2016)

A bit more done. Posts finished for the frame.


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## Flatfish (Jul 3, 2016)

That is some awesome weathered looking timber. I bet it'll look great when it's done.


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## ShawnP (Jul 3, 2016)

Hi PatM, I know nothing about Wing Chun or about this Dummy your making, i have seen videos and movies of people using them and i have a few questions about the "arm" parts. I have noticed when people strike at the "arms" they move a bit and im figuring it has some thing to do with the way the Dummy is made
Are the "arms" supposed to move like that and if so what are the benefits of this if any?
is this a traditional way to make a "dummy"? or are there "Dummies" made in various ways?


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## Pat M (Jul 4, 2016)

ShawnP said:


> Hi PatM, I know nothing about Wing Chun or about this Dummy your making, i have seen videos and movies of people using them and i have a few questions about the "arm" parts. I have noticed when people strike at the "arms" they move a bit and im figuring it has some thing to do with the way the Dummy is made
> Are the "arms" supposed to move like that and if so what are the benefits of this if any?
> is this a traditional way to make a "dummy"? or are there "Dummies" made in various ways?



Hey Shawn,
Yes the arms move "a bit" it is by design.

Regards "benefits" of the arms moving a bit. A little give helps prevent (long term injury), it also helps approximate an opponents arms.

"Is this a traditional way to make a dummy"  Who's tradition are you talking about, thank goodness you didn't say authentic.  

Have a read of these, it will provide a lot of background regards the WC dummy as well as those from other Southern Chinese Kung Fu's:

https://chinesemartialstudies.com/2...al-arts-part-ii-attack-of-the-wooden-dummies/
The Red Boats and the Nautical Origins of the Wooden Dummy
The Story of Ip Man’s Wooden Dummy


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## Gerry Seymour (Jul 4, 2016)

Pat M said:


> After many years of refurbishing peoples dummy's I am finally making one from scratch again.
> Have made 4 previously though many years ago.
> This one is for a friend.
> Having sent 4 1/2 hours on it so far I'm impressed how much easier modern tools make it (I love spade bits)although I guess I'm a little wiser as well. Purchased arms ($250AU) but I now want to buy a second hand lathe so I can make them myself so it is cheaper in future. The hope is to keep the cost to $600AU so it is a cheap as possible for Chris.
> ...



(When I first read this, I thought it said "sideshow", and thought, "Well, he must be more entertaining when turning on a lathe than I am...")

This is a project I've thought about taking on in the past. The wooden dummy isn't part of my style's lineage, but I've found that some of the movements practiced on them fit nicely with how I move, so I've long wanted one of these to bruise myself upon. I need to call my uncle and see if he has a lathe in his shop big enough to do the arms.


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## ShawnP (Jul 4, 2016)

Pat M said:


> Hey Shawn,
> Yes the arms move "a bit" it is by design.
> 
> Regards "benefits" of the arms moving a bit. A little give helps prevent (long term injury), it also helps approximate an opponents arms.
> ...


well, being in the cabinet business and working with wood, i have wanted to make many items over the years, this being one of them since i first saw one being used in a movie (Bruce Lee if im not mistaken) way back when, with the exception that i wanted to make it with more realistic features. i got the idea from my Grand Mother who is a seamstress, and there were lots of manikins laying around the attic where her shop was set up, i used to go up when she saw not working and set them up and beat the crap out of them doing Bruce Lee choreographed fights, plastic nun-chucks and all so what i mean by traditional is that they are all made the same, look the same, out of the same kind of wood etc. BTW thanks for the links, i will read them soon as i get a chance.

as far as the moving arms, i cant see how that would prevent long term injury, are you not hitting through the target when practicing on it? sure i can see when it moves at first contact but after that its going to stop moving and it would still be like hitting a solid object, no? its seems a lot different than hitting a canvas bag.


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## Pat M (Jul 4, 2016)

Hey Shawn,

You are not directly striking the arms more they get in the way of you striking the trunk. Find someone local to you willing to spend some time with yourself and a dummy, I'm thinking until your get a feel for it ......

You can also use the dummy for conditioning and yes I have had my fair share of bruises,  but understand you do not have to smash the crap out of yourself.

The dummy teaches you angles and positioning,  it's like a big protractor.


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## Pat M (Jul 6, 2016)

Frame finished and have done the first test assemble.
Wooden Dummy For Chris Churchmichael Slideshow by pattmckay


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## KPM (Jul 6, 2016)

^^^^ I like the "beefy" arms that are a bit "oversized" compared to a lot of dummies.   Nicely done!


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## Pat M (Jul 6, 2016)

KPM said:


> ^^^^ I like the "beefy" arms that are a bit "oversized" compared to a lot of dummies.   Nicely done!



Yes I agree, when I first saw the arms they looked a little chunky but having played on this one for the first time tonight I like it.
More like real arms.


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## Gerry Seymour (Jul 6, 2016)

Pat M said:


> Frame finished and have done the first test assemble.
> Wooden Dummy For Chris Churchmichael Slideshow by pattmckay
> 
> View attachment 19974


I notice the attachment to the frame is a very loose joining. Is this to absorb some of the energy? How much do those loose areas tend to wear down over time from the movement?


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## Gerry Seymour (Jul 6, 2016)

Pat M said:


> Frame finished and have done the first test assemble.
> Wooden Dummy For Chris Churchmichael Slideshow by pattmckay
> 
> View attachment 19974


Is the dummy actually just supported on two 1"x2" boards, or is the scale of the cross-pieces deceptive?


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## KPM (Jul 6, 2016)

Pat M said:


> Yes I agree, when I first saw the arms they looked a little chunky but having played on this one for the first time tonight I like it.
> More like real arms.



A friend of mine is a woodworker by trade in Brooklyn.  He has started making some dummies to sell and he makes them with the thicker arms like that on purpose.


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## geezer (Jul 6, 2016)

KPM said:


> A friend of mine is a woodworker by trade in Brooklyn.  He has started making some dummies to sell and he makes them with the thicker arms like that on purpose.



When I first saw the photo, I wondered about how thick they were, but I can't see how it would be a problem. I'd like to try some like that myself.


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## Pat M (Jul 6, 2016)

gpseymour said:


> I notice the attachment to the frame is a very loose joining. Is this to absorb some of the energy? How much do those loose areas tend to wear down over time from the movement?



Hey gpseymour, 

The rails are standard size and are bolted to the posts. The strange looking enclosures why the rail goes through the post is for height adjustment so a block can be removed from all four point and the rails bolted back up.

This is so Chris can give shorter kung fu brothers and sisters the opportunity to use his dummy.

The only movement is that of the arms, trunk slide and some rail spring. Take a look at the slide show as there are some close ups.


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## KPM (Jul 6, 2016)

geezer said:


> When I first saw the photo, I wondered about how thick they were, but I can't see how it would be a problem. I'd like to try some like that myself.



VingDragon Club


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## Pat M (Jul 7, 2016)

KPM said:


> VingDragon Club



Yep they are nice and chunky.
Hand shaped as well, not spun.
I have only hand shaped one arm to repair a broken one with an under sized square sharft


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## Pat M (Jul 13, 2016)

Got the leg finished now,  getting close.
Check out the slide show in the first post for photos.


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## Gerry Seymour (Jul 13, 2016)

Pat M said:


> Got the leg finished now,  getting close.
> Check out the slide show in the first post for photos.


Really starting to look like it all belongs together now, Pat! Good work.


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## Buka (Jul 13, 2016)

What a fascinating watch this is.


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## Tames D (Jul 14, 2016)

I love it!


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## Pat M (Jul 14, 2016)

Loving the look of this reclaimed and re-purposed timber.
Wooden Dummy For Chris Churchmichael Slideshow by pattmckay


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## PiedmontChun (Jul 14, 2016)

Pat M said:


> Loving the look of this reclaimed and re-purposed timber.
> Wooden Dummy For Chris Churchmichael Slideshow by pattmckay


For some reason I can't get into the OP slideshow to see it, but the wood in this pic looks nice. What is it? It almost looks like some variety of cherry.
And what type of finish are you using if you don't mind me asking?
I used acrylic lacquer on my homemade dummy, applied by spraying, which is nice because you can build the finish up thru light coats instead of trying to get 1-2 coats heavier coats applied perfectly like with polyurethane. I do woodworking, sometimes with reclaimed wood, and have really loved Birch Casey Tru-Oil more recently for some applications since it can just be wiped on (its sold most commonly for gun stocks). I think it actually catalyzes once it cures so its not a true "oil" finish; it has a pretty durable and nice sheen to it if you buff it out.


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## Pat M (Jul 15, 2016)

Hi PeidmontChun,

This is the stain and satin polyurethane used as a finish. I am unsure of the wood variety as the leg is made from an old flooring joist, the post bases are old step treads.

I like using flooring finish as it is so hard waring. 
Pat


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## Pat M (Jul 15, 2016)

To give you an idea of the wood this was the leg before being cut and shaped:


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## Pat M (Jul 15, 2016)

I'm finally done !!!
Heaps of photos here in the album:   Wooden Dummy For Chris Churchmichael by pattmckay
Or here as a slide show:  Wooden Dummy For Chris Churchmichael Slideshow by pattmckay

Only have to make pegs for the arms and leg and do a few final tweaks.
Quite happy have played on it a few times now and feels nice.


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## Tames D (Jul 16, 2016)

Nice. I really like the finish.


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## Tony Dismukes (Jul 17, 2016)

Thanks for posting this. I'm going to be working with a carpenter friend of mine to build a wooden dummy over the summer and we had planned a support frame pretty much like the one you have. Your pictures should provide some guidance and inspiration as we work.


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## Pat M (Jul 28, 2016)

Just finished the final touches, absolutely love the result of the decals with varnish over the top.
Chris has this tattoo that reads: *Faith | Hope | Love | Brave | Strength*





Have also sorted some nice wooden pegs for the arms and leg.
Appreciate all the comments, its always a journey building a dummy. Always hard to let go in the end.

Wooden Dummy For Chris Churchmichael Story by pattmckay on Photobucket


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