Need advice

[EZFrag]

Hi. I’m new and just starting. I really want a wing Chun wooden dummy. There are no reasonably priced ones for sale in my area. I found plans for building one on my own, but I don’t know where I can find an untreated 9 inch diameter wooden pole. Any ideas?

Thanks,
EZ

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I don’t know where I can find an untreated 9 inch diameter wooden pole. Any ideas?

I built my wooden dummy from a fell down abandoned telephone pole.

 

[Dirty Dog]

You know... the interwebs are all over the world. So people might be better able to offer suggestions if they had some idea where you are in that world. I'm just saying...

 

[EZFrag]

You know... the interwebs are all over the world. So people might be better able to offer suggestions if they had some idea where you are in that world. I'm just saying...

Wow….is this dickish response the typical response from a thread requesting help? I don’t need your help sir, or your forum. I’ll just go elsewhere on the interwebs. Just sayin’.

 

[seasoned]

Welcome to MT....Great question. The best advise I can offer is visit some dojo in your area and see what they are using. Keep your eyes open and seek advise where ever you can. Good luck on your search........

 

[Dirty Dog]

Wow….is this dickish response the typical response from a thread requesting help? I don’t need your help sir, or your forum. I’ll just go elsewhere on the interwebs. Just sayin’.

So... you don't think that knowing where you are might make it easier for people to suggest sources?

OK then. You can get a pole at the Lowes down the street from me.

 

[Oily Dragon]

Hi. I’m new and just starting. I really want a wing Chun wooden dummy. There are no reasonably priced ones for sale in my area. I found plans for building one on my own, but I don’t know where I can find an untreated 9 inch diameter wooden pole. Any ideas?

Thanks,
EZ

Go hit a tree, it's basically the same thing.

Best part, it's free.

 

[dvcochran]

Hi. I’m new and just starting. I really want a wing Chun wooden dummy. There are no reasonably priced ones for sale in my area. I found plans for building one on my own, but I don’t know where I can find an untreated 9 inch diameter wooden pole. Any ideas?

Thanks,
EZ

Wondering why it has to be untreated? Burning treated lumber is the biggest danger I am aware of and my family ran cattle for over 100 years. Creating/breathing heavy dust can be hazardous but would have to be done daily to be considered high risk.
Arsenic is literally everywhere; look it up.
If your thoughts on this change go to your local CO-OP. Around here you could go to a saw mill but it would not be kiln dried and would likely twist or warp unless you have time and a place to strap the post down for a while.
To be clear I am talking about CCA wood, not creosote.
This also assumes you would seal the wood with a polyurethane or similar product. I can see where banging on a non-sealed post daily could put you at risk.

 

[AIKIKENJITSU]

I bought one that was just one quarter

Wondering why it has to be untreated? Burning treated lumber is the biggest danger I am aware of and my family ran cattle for over 100 years. Creating/breathing heavy dust can be hazardous but would have to be done daily to be considered high risk.
Arsenic is literally everywhere; look it up.
If your thoughts on this change go to your local CO-OP. Around here you could go to a saw mill but it would not be kiln dried and would likely twist or warp unless you have time and a place to strap the post down for a while.
To be clear I am talking about CCA wood, not creosote.
This also assumes you would seal the wood with a polyurethane or similar product. I can see where banging on a non-sealed post daily could put you at risk.

I have one that is only one quarter size of a standing one. I placed it on the wall. It works fine and I teach my version of American Kenpo on it and some of the kung fu ideas to. I would look for a quarter one or a half one, I don't remember which one. Look for it, you'll find it.
Sifu
Puyallup, WA

 

[frank raud]

So... you don't think that knowing where you are might make it easier for people to suggest sources?

OK then. You can get a pole at the Lowes down the street from me.

Should be relatively easy to find in a place like Washington State, Oregon or British Columbia. Of course the shipping will be outrageous if you live in Europe.

 

[Steve]

I think the OP is long gone now, but in case he swings back through, there are a lot of places to get plans for making a wooden dummy. I don't know anything about what makes a good one or a bad one. But for the wood, unless money is no object, I would hold off until the prices normalize. Right now, wood is like 3 or 4 times what it was pre-pandemic.

Just looking at the wooden dummy plans available on a quick google search, it looks like you'd be working with at least one pretty significant hunk of wood, and some fairly complex joints (complicated because the arms and such need to give, so can't be firmly fixed, etc).

If you're not an experienced woodworker, but you're determined to try this on your own, I would suggest making something out of an inexpensive, readily available softwood, like pine, to build a prototype. That way, if it's not perfect, you'll be able to work things out before you use some premium lumber. Pine won't last forever, but if you do it right, it should hold up. My first project ever in woodworking was a pair of Adirondack chairs. I built them out of pine to practice, and 20 years later, they're still going strong.

Also, you might need to laminate the wood (i.e., build thicker chunks out of glued layers). While some care needs to be taken to do this well, the wood glues nowadays are as strong or stronger than the wood itself. I like Titebond brand, myself.

 

[Oily Dragon]

I wasn't kidding about the tree. Granted you have to accept being stared at for boxing a tree, and you might need some liniment after for bruising, but people really do this.

There's a cool video out there of a Hung Kuen kid tearing up a tree, but I can't find it. Instead I found this video, which isn't all that interesting until the money shot at 5:48.

 

[Oily Dragon]

Here it is. Turns out it's the same dude as in the Hung freestyle video.

 

[Instructor]

OP is probably gone but since it's a good question I'll dip my toe in the water. Depending on your carpentering skills and tools you could build a hollow one out of regular dimension lumber. Just google birds-mouth mast diy and you will see loads of videos and directions.

 

[Instructor]

I think the OP is long gone now, but in case he swings back through, there are a lot of places to get plans for making a wooden dummy. I don't know anything about what makes a good one or a bad one. But for the wood, unless money is no object, I would hold off until the prices normalize. Right now, wood is like 3 or 4 times what it was pre-pandemic.

Just looking at the wooden dummy plans available on a quick google search, it looks like you'd be working with at least one pretty significant hunk of wood, and some fairly complex joints (complicated because the arms and such need to give, so can't be firmly fixed, etc).

If you're not an experienced woodworker, but you're determined to try this on your own, I would suggest making something out of an inexpensive, readily available softwood, like pine, to build a prototype. That way, if it's not perfect, you'll be able to work things out before you use some premium lumber. Pine won't last forever, but if you do it right, it should hold up. My first project ever in woodworking was a pair of Adirondack chairs. I built them out of pine to practice, and 20 years later, they're still going strong.

Also, you might need to laminate the wood (i.e., build thicker chunks out of glued layers). While some care needs to be taken to do this well, the wood glues nowadays are as strong or stronger than the wood itself. I like Titebond brand, myself.

Huge fan of Titebond myself, I think in many applications it beats epoxy which is saying something.

 

[Instructor]

Final thought, reach out to tree cutters in your area and tell them what dimensions you need. They probably have a chunk of raw green timber lying around that would work, A few hours of quality time with a draw knife and you would have what you need. It might take some time to cure though.

 

[Steve]

Should be relatively easy to find in a place like Washington State, Oregon or British Columbia. Of course the shipping will be outrageous if you live in Europe.

You'd be surprised. I mean, you can find it, but it's still crazy expensive. Red cedar is widely available, but pricey. Course, you might just be able to cut down a tree on your property, but most of the time, the trees are so big you'd need to hire someone to do it safely.

OP is probably gone but since it's a good question I'll dip my toe in the water. Depending on your carpentering skills and tools you could build a hollow one out of regular dimension lumber. Just google birds-mouth mast diy and you will see loads of videos and directions.

so cool. Until this thread, I've never thought about it before, but I've never made anything round. At least, not that big. I will definitely tuck that away in the mental rolodex and look for an opportunity to build a hollow pillar of some kind.

 

[Rich Parsons]

Hi. I’m new and just starting. I really want a wing Chun wooden dummy. There are no reasonably priced ones for sale in my area. I found plans for building one on my own, but I don’t know where I can find an untreated 9 inch diameter wooden pole. Any ideas?

Thanks,
EZ

EZFrag,

If you are monitoring or come back through

Here is the Google search I did:

https://www.google.com/search?q=9+inch+diameter+wooden+pole&ei=lg_WYZbeErmiptQPzsWzwAw&oq=9+inch+diamter+wooden+pole&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADIHCCEQChCrAjoECCEQCkoECEEYAUoECEYYAFCsCFjaE2D2J2gBcAB4AIABVogBxwSSAQE3mAEAoAEBwAEB&sclient=gws-wiz

The First link past the ads :

Poles, Pilings, & Posts – Building Products Plus

buildingproductsplus.com

I hope this helps you and others who might be looking for wood.
Note: The people in the business would most likely be the ones to know where to find untreated wood in the size you are looking for.

 

[Steve]

Huge fan of Titebond myself, I think in many applications it beats epoxy which is saying something.

It is crazy what they're doing with laminated timber now. Glu-lam beams have been around for a while, but cross laminated timber (CLT) is being used to construct what I've heard called "plyscrapers". Prettier than concrete and steel, too.

 

[tim po]

A Wing Chun wooden dummy like in PVC – 6DRAGONSKUNGFU.COM

A low-cost wooden dummy substitute in PVC: advantages/disadvantages, who it is for & the substantial differences with the original Wing Chun wooden version.

www.6dragonskungfu.com

not the most attractive thing...but, on a budget....