Creating a Dummy

[Grinding Hands]

I had a dream I found a Dummy in the alley. Some idiot threw it away like old 8-tracks I was so happy. Me and my friend picked it up and headed home. We were 30 feet from my house and I woke up.

Anyways, I built a couple here and there. But I have never made an all wooden dummy.
I made a pvc one. It sucks. I gave it a faux finish. It still sucks.

I was walking through an alley with my dog one day and found a dummy. Sike! Actually it was siamese tree trunks. One was too curved but the other brother was just right.

They have been dead for maybe a year and a half. Can they still be used?

Can someone tell me the exact way to chissel out the holes. No one seems to describe this procedure.

What tools will I need?

Are there any special things i should know to keep the chiseling in a straight path?

I have been restoring furniture for two years. I have made arms and legs before.

I have some buddies that might be able to dry up the log for me.

Im gonna start this pretty soon so any help you guys can give me would be great!

Hopefully if you guys want I can give you weekly progress reports with pictures.

Please dont refer me to any book. That would suck.

Im not asking for your family's "dimensions" just how to make the holes.

I have to make a real dummy atleast once.


Thanks

Joey

[Stevo]

Hi Joey,

Although I've only made a PVC dummy too, I've also got a log ready to make into a dummy and have put a fair bit of thought into how to go about cutting the holes and have come up with 2 possible ways:

1. Using an electric drill (or brace and bit if you want to go traditional) and chisels. Remove as much wood from the holes with the drill bit and then carefully do the rest with chisels and mallet. To get the drill holes aligned accurately from front to back in the first place, you could try a drill press if you can get the use of one, otherwise just do it very carefully and I'd advise practising first on a spare log.

Powered chisels are available but I haven't tried one.

2. Plunge-cut the holes with a chainsaw, if you can get hold of a chainsaw with a narrow enough bar. I've cut the mortises for stays in dozens of hardwood corner fence posts (on a farm) using this method and it's a very accurate, neat and fast method. But it does require a fair bit of practice first. You have to be wary of kickback when plunging the tip of the bar in, but with due care is safe enough. To do a plunge cut, just touch the tip of the bar to the log at a slight angle and then gently tilt it to perpendicular to the log surface as you start to plunge it in.

[Grinding Hands]

How are you shaping the body to diameter? Plane?

I think im going to chissel it out.

I never seen a chainsaw that small.

I think that would be too inaccurate because its a chain.

They got machine bits that make square holes. Expensive as hell but sweet.

Another way i was thinking was using a thin, fine double handle saw(detachable handles). You would have to outline the squares after drilling. Then 2 people would have to carefully cut it out.

[Stevo]

Originally posted by Grinding Hands

How are you shaping the body to diameter? Plane?

Nature shaped mine to diameter.

I think im going to chissel it out.

Yeah, me too.

I never seen a chainsaw that small.

They do come with narrow bars, especially the electric ones, but I don't know if any would be narrow enough and would have to check it out. I've only ever owned and used larger ones.

I think that would be too inaccurate because its a chain.

Have you ever seen the fine detail in chainsaw sculptures?

They got machine bits that make square holes. Expensive as hell but sweet.

Yeah, that would be perfect.

Another way i was thinking was using a thin, fine double handle saw(detachable handles). You would have to outline the squares after drilling. Then 2 people would have to carefully cut it out.

That sounds like a great idea.