# Making a foam bo



## ArmorOfGod (Dec 2, 2007)

http://www.thecollectorsedge.com/prodinfo.asp?number=CE-3915

Click there to see a really nice foam bo staff.  The picture doesn't do it justice though.  I have the paper catalog and the bo is very nice.

Can anyone suggest a good foam covering to make a similar one using a 6 foot long, 1 inch piece thick rigid pvc pipe?  I have a 5 foot pvc pipe that is the perfect weight and rigidness to show weapon techniques and I woule like to use the same material to make some foam covered ones.

Notice that the grip section of the foam bo is not covered.  If you split the weapon into thirds, the outer thirds are foam covered, but not the inner third.  I like the setup of that one, but want recommendations on types of foam, particularly the types you could buy at a hardware store.

AoG


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## tshadowchaser (Dec 2, 2007)

I have made them out of materials found in Kmart, wall mart, etc. I think the whole thing cost me about $2 plus the cost of the staff which I cut from the woods out back


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## Blindside (Dec 2, 2007)

Try using small, half inch or so, diameter bamboo.  Then do a layer in pipe foam, cover the whole thing in duct tape.  Better than pipe foam is 3/4" close celled foam, but the difference is pretty negligible, and construction is more difficult.  This foam is what is sold as cheap sleeping pads for camping or you could simply go to a foam shop.

I found bamboo to be much more rigid and durable than PVC, especially if you don't just use the staff from the middle.  Wielding the staff from the lower third really flexes the weapon if you don't get the right material.  You also get protection through the whole weapon, again important if you aren't just holding it in the middle.  Bamboo is nice because it is safe when it does break, and gives a low enough weight to length ratio that you really can pop someone with it.

Lamont


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## ArmorOfGod (Dec 2, 2007)

Thanks!

AoG


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## Blindside (Dec 2, 2007)

Your post reminded me that I had to build one for Tuesday, so I figured I'd document it.

I use some dried bamboo, a little over a half inch in diameter, this stuff is probably 20 years old.  Its just what was stuck in a closet somewhere at the studio.  I suspect green bamboo weighs more, but should be more durable.  I clip it at the end of the node that I want, I'm guessing that the node prevents or reduces splintering.

The foam I am using is 3/8 (wrong measurement earlier) inch pipe foam.  I had to cut a strip of the foam off because the interior diameter wasn't matching the diameter of the bamboo.







I then roll small pieces of duct tape so that the sticky side is out, and then place them up and down the piece of bamboo, they get flattened so that there are lots of small stick points for the pipe foam to attach to.  If you don't do this, the bamboo will bounce around inside the "barrel" of pipe foam, it sounds funny and I suspect lowers the life expectancy of the bo.  You could use double sided tape for this as well.

Roll:





flattened:





Place your pipe foam around the bamboo and then cover with a layer of duct tape.  I lay the duct tape parallel to the length of the staff, mostly to save tape, but you will add weight if you spiral wrap it.

I use a small piece of 1/2 inch closed cell foam to cap the ends so that the hard end of the bamboo is covered.  






This winds up looking like:





The end result is a staff that is about 1 and 3/4 inches in diameter, has pretty low flex, and is light enough to whack someone with relative impunity.  These are 5.5 feet, the one on the left is new, the one on the right has seen some use.  Have fun!


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## Big Don (Dec 3, 2007)

Good ideas! When I was in high school we used to buy bamboo shinai, wrap them with duct tape and beat each other black and blue. God, I wish I still healed that fast today...

When I started attending the once a month stick and knife class at my dojo, I bought a pair of rattan escrima, for use in the class. Since I was working in the CATV industry at the time I cut some .875 coax cable to 30" lengths and capped the ends with rubber cable caps. These are just slightly heavier than my rattan sticks and a little more rigid. I also don't worry about hurting them because I know where I can get more for free...

I've thought about using the coax to make a bo, but, it may be just a little too flexible at that length. At 30" it is very stiff, but, in five foot lengths it is bendable, if barely. 

I've also considered using ½inch PVC, wrapping it in pipe insulation or closed cell foam and securing it with heat shrink tubing.


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## Andrew Green (Dec 3, 2007)

Here's how I do them, this is for a shorter stick, but the principle is the same 

http://innovativema.ca/forum/view.php?pg=sparstick

We have tried insulating foam as pictured above, but found it to wear out really quick and not provide much padding.  The floor padding worked a lot better, and gave the stick a better weight.


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## Blindside (Dec 3, 2007)

Andrew Green said:


> We have tried insulating foam as pictured above, but found it to wear out really quick and not provide much padding. The floor padding worked a lot better, and gave the stick a better weight.


 
I agree with that, we've got some shorter sticks where the well worn padding is pretty much just for the psychological benefit of the hittee.   Actually, I don't think that is a bad thing....

Lamont


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## Kreth (Dec 3, 2007)

Well, I don't have pics, but I've made several training hanbo and bo. I would avoid using just PVC, because if it breaks, then the edges can be sharp. A dowel in the PVC also gives a bit of rigidity in case you train locks using the staff. Otherwise it bends too much.
As for the ends, I usually cut the foam so it's about an inch too long on each end. Then you cut the ends into tabs (basically if you look at it from the end, it should look like slicing a pie). Then take each pair of opposing tabs, and fold them down and tape with a long piece of electrical tape. Once the ends are all taped down, you spiral wrap the entire length of the bo.
Some of the members who went to the 2006 M&G saw/got whacked by my training hanbo, and can comment.


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## ArmorOfGod (Dec 3, 2007)

Wow, Blindside.
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply like that.
I am going to make some identical to yours.  They are exactly what I was imagining, only I didn't know about those end caps you used.
Thank you!!!

AoG


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## Blindside (Dec 5, 2007)

Update, since the last time I built I built these, our fighting game has moved to to a much more intense level.  The 20 year old bamboo just couldn't handle it and we wrecked both padded bo's inside of three fights.  The breaks were completely safe, the bamboo splintered lengthwise inside the padding, no exposed edges.

I'll redo these with green bamboo, probably a little thicker, and I'll spiral wrap the bamboo with duct tape before putting the foam over it.

Lamont


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## ArmorOfGod (Dec 6, 2007)

I made a few today.  For $4.99 at Home Depot, I got enough material to make 2 and a half bo's.
I did 3 things differently: I left the middle third unpadded, like the link I gave.  Also, I used electrical wire pvc, which is a bit more rigid.  Finally, I made caps for the end using about a square inch of leftover foam insulation.
They look great too.  The gray duck tape, gray piping, and gray insulation gives it a pretty decent look.
Thanks everyone and I will add pics and training updates to this thread later.

AoG


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## harleyt26 (Dec 6, 2007)

We use rattan bo's for kumite,similar to bamboo but it is a vine that is straightened and dried.It is not hollow between the segments so it won't shatter and splinter like bamboo.It is lighter and mor flexible that a regular bo so it does not hurt as bad but it can still sting a little and will still mash your finger if your not very careful.Practicing with padded weapons can build a false sense of security by enforing bad blocking habits.Why worry about getting hit if you know it won't hurt.Then if and when the real situation arrises it may not turn out like you have been practicing with the padded weapons.I think maybe it is better to learn from a little pain now instead of losing fingers or worse later.Rattan bo's can be purchased rather inexpensively from Shuriedo and I think Century and severa lother suppliers.I have seen them priced from ten to thirty dollars each.


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## Andrew Green (Dec 6, 2007)

Padded sticks can leave some pretty good welts... 

Sparring with unpadded sticks is like sparring with unpadded fists, you're either pulling strikes greatly, imposing rules about allowed targets or are going to come out of it really ugly every class.


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## Blindside (Dec 7, 2007)

harleyt26 said:


> We use rattan bo's for kumite,similar to bamboo but it is a vine that is straightened and dried.It is not hollow between the segments so it won't shatter and splinter like bamboo.It is lighter and mor flexible that a regular bo so it does not hurt as bad but it can still sting a little and will still mash your finger if your not very careful.Practicing with padded weapons can build a false sense of security by enforing bad blocking habits.Why worry about getting hit if you know it won't hurt.Then if and when the real situation arrises it may not turn out like you have been practicing with the padded weapons.I think maybe it is better to learn from a little pain now instead of losing fingers or worse later.Rattan bo's can be purchased rather inexpensively from Shuriedo and I think Century and severa lother suppliers.I have seen them priced from ten to thirty dollars each.


 
What do you mean "don't hurt?"  *Looks at massive bruise on shoulder from Tuesday night.*  Our regular sparring sticks are 3/4 inch nylon rod covered by the same method I posted, they weight about 13 ounces, the padding just means you don't get a stick hickey, every one in our sparring class has gotten at least one TKO through a fencing mask.  

I will take up your suggestion on a rattan bo though, what diameter are they?

Lamont


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## Dave Leverich (Dec 7, 2007)

You can get them in about any size you want.
http://canebasket.com/rattanpole.htm

They're used to working with Escrimadors and have no issues cutting to length. Inexpensive as well, though you'll want to sand the joints.


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## Sanchin-J (Feb 17, 2008)

I was actually at a demonstration recently and the young man had in his possession a bo made completely out of clear fiberglass. During his show, he used the stage lights to really cause some dramatic effects and it was quite an exciting scene to watch. I wonder if that might not be such a bad idea for training bo, you could wrap fiberglass with foam padding and I bet it would take a heck of a beating to break one.


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## Scarey (Mar 21, 2008)

A note on safety: if you use duct tape, make sure your ends are smooth. Some friends and I made padded weapons so we could go at each other at full force (medieval European style, as we've been known to dabble in re-enactment). I caught the rough end of a sword with my eyebrow, which promptly split open (not a difficult thing to do, as some of you might know). I started bleeding all over the place, and got a scar which is still rather a humorous thing to explain. In any case, if you don't want any battle scars like mine, make sure you don't have any not-so-smooth bits of duct tape on the ends of your weapons.


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