dummy building

[viper]

Ive been building a dummy and the main issue i have is cutting the square holes. Im usin hardwood and the length to square up is nearly a foot through the wood. Since my woodworking skills are poorly trained i was wondering does any one have any other way other then a chisel and hammer to square the holes. thanks very much. And not have to get a tradesman to do it either just in case!

[stuartm]

Hi,

You need a mortice - a special tool a joiner would have. Hammering the holes with a chisel will take a lifetime - it also gave one of my students tennis elbow !!!:eek:

Ask a friendly joine to do it for you - it wil take him a minutes with the right tooling.

Stu;)

[couch]

Ive been building a dummy and the main issue i have is cutting the square holes. Im usin hardwood and the length to square up is nearly a foot through the wood. Since my woodworking skills are poorly trained i was wondering does any one have any other way other then a chisel and hammer to square the holes. thanks very much. And not have to get a tradesman to do it either just in case!

I have heard of people using a drill press to drill through the diameter of the the size of the hole you would like. Then you just have to chisel/file out the corners to make a square.

Good luck.

[Chief Fox]

I used a 1 inch spade bit to drill the holes in my dummy and then squared them off using a hammer and chisel. It might take about an hour per hole. Oh and stay in a horse stance the whole time. Good luck.

[stuartm]

....just get it morticed !!!!:D

[wing_nut]

I used a 1 inch spade bit to drill the holes in my dummy and then squared them off using a hammer and chisel. It might take about an hour per hole. Oh and stay in a horse stance the whole time. Good luck.



That is the method I used. It works fine and doesn't take too long.
I would take my time drilling the holes, double checking my angle.
It's less stress to chisel because the hole will guide it. Just draw a square around the hole(use a large enough spade bit so you only have to chisel out the corners). Also, start in at each end with the chisel before clearing out the center.

[curtis]

Hello guys!

Ive been doing this for almost 20 years now! It isnt easy!( but if I can do it, anyone can!)
I belive thats why the first dummys described in Moy Yats books had round holes instead of square mortices.( tahy are much easer to make!)
Drilling out the holes will help, also take small bits of wood instead of trying to hog out the hole fast, (slow and steady is the way)

Next to the meathod the tools need to be correct ones as well. Ide recemend buying a Corner chisel. I own one that is 1" wide and 8" long with a handle reaching over 17" total. You can buy them at www.baileys-online.com part no. 30850 for $24.95 I would also use a auger bit instead of a spade bit, thay also are sold at baileys thay run 18" long and a set will cost appx. $40.00

Good luck, on building your own dummy.
take your time with it, a good dummy will last you a life time,if made well.

take it easy!

[Phil Redmond]

Hello guys!

Ive been doing this for almost 20 years now! It isnt easy!( but if I can do it, anyone can!)
I belive thats why the first dummys described in Moy Yats books had round holes instead of square mortices. . . . . .
take it easy!
Hi Curtis, I'm don't know what first dummies Sifu Moy Yat was describing but the first dummies Yip Man had made in Hong Kong had square cuts in the trunk. (Cheung King Kong, William Cheung's older brother got the plans from Yip Man).
http://www.springtimesong.com/wcforms4woodendummy.htm
Phil

[curtis]

Good morning Phil

I cant argue YOUR point. I only stated that in Moy Yats books ( which was my first and only pattern I had to make a mook jong, for years) the dummy's had round holes. and thats how I made them until I was introduced to the Koo sang dummy sometime around the late 1980"s.
And in truth, today almost no one wants round holes any more. (except the people who make the Warrior dummy. ;-) inside joke people! ) The round holes are much easer to make! That was my only point, I was trying to make.

If you want to make square mortises,The trick to making them are Small bites, (1/8" per cut and then chip out the waste.) lots of them, JUST keep on going,until you are through.

When I cut my mortises I always cut the middle (or center) one first, Its the easiest to make and all measurements are directly taken from that point.

I also start with a small (short chisels) and after the mortise has been started and is a few inches deep, I then switch to the larger ones. It takes me appx. one hour per hole. (depending on the wood.)
A hole (full sized) mook jong use to take me 10 to 15 hours to make. Its a lot of work! Thats why Most mook jongs cost so much, its labor intensive, Ask your self, IS your time plus material is worth the cost?

Have a good day! ;-)

[Phil Redmond]

Hey Curtis, what's up? I have Moy Yat's green book with Victor Parlati's dummy in it. I was done around 1973-74. It has a plan for a wooden dummy with square cuts in the trunk. Whick book were you refering to? I can show you the one I have when I come by your house.
Take care,
Phil

[Sirus]

If anyone would like a copy of origanal wing chun dummy plans pm me.

[Phil Redmond]

If anyone would like a copy of origanal wing chun dummy plans pm me.
The plan you got when you were at the school were flawed. I had the wrong floopy disk. We figured it out and got the right plans made. Also they are copyrighted. Look in the lower right hand corner :D.
PR

[Sirus]

:confused: :confused: :confused: ?????????

[curtis]

Good morning Phil

I dont have the bood in question any more.
The point is proberly mute. any how.

if the arm are not ofset, it realy dosent matter.if the mortices are square or round.

My memery isnt as good as it should be. the exact details of what happened 20 years ago .

The gentelman who tought me, was a Moy Yat student. he had the book and I copyed it to make my first 10 dummys for him and his school/students.

the cost of each dummy (to make them) was under $10.00 each. (my time not included.JUST Parts!) It wasnt my finest work, but thay were good solid dummys.

the wood was...
I will go into all the hows, latter. (thats if anyone wants to know!)

talk to you all latter.

[Tom Kagan]

I belive thats why the first dummys described in Moy Yats books had round holes instead of square mortices.( tahy are much easer to make!)


Any and all dummies Sifu ever made had all holes squared off. This is reflected in both of his books published on the subject.


And I know it's a moot question, but what is a mute point? ;)

[Chief Fox]

I did a little write up on how I built my dummy. You can read it here: http://www.mccarriedesign.com/wooden_dummy/

[Phil Redmond]

I did a little write up on how I built my dummy. You can read it here: http://www.mccarriedesign.com/wooden_dummy/
Nice dummy. I didn't read the whole article yet but are you selling them? If so how much?
Phil

[Chief Fox]

I never really thought about selling them. I've only made two. The one in the picture and another one for my friend.

The cost of the materials and to have the arms made was about $150. My time was about 15 hours.

So I could make you a pine body dummy with oak arms for about $450. Not including shipping. If you want me to make a stand too, it will cost about $525.

I have no idea what shipping would be.

[curtis]

Hello Tom

Please excuse my spelling, I know know if I misspelled it,or the spell check changed it? I guess it dosent matter? ;-)

As I said it was 20+ years ago.

Lets say it this way. A man wanted 10 dummys made to order, he showed me all the demention needed and why. and that was the only thing I had to go by for makeing a mook jong for almost 10 years, And Yes the holes were round! ;-)

There is/was a trick to makeing such a cheap dummy. Mich. Bell (now SBC) has pole yards, who sell there old poles $1.00 for every six feet.

After removeing all the metal in the wood, Ide scrape the bodys smooth, (with a spokeshaven, and or a drawknife.
the arms were made out of oak (dunnage meteral) 4x4's and I turned them my self. I drilled two holes through the sides of the dummys to put 1" black pipe through them (for mounting to a frame, I didnt make.) I sold each dummy for $100.00 and was very happy to get that much money. ( Ok guys I know I got taken, but I will chalk it up for a learning experance.


Today I ONLY use hardwoods and dont make full mook jongs any more.(sorry guys, the days of my $100.00 dummys are gone!)
\
Ive gota run!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[reneritchie]

I made mine with round holes and I've never had a problem with it.

[Phil Redmond]

I made mine with round holes and I've never had a problem with it.
Hi Rene, my Canadian made Warrior dummy has round holes and it works fine for me. I just have another reason for perfering square "holes".
Phil