What do you think about a dummy made from cedar?

[Mr Punch]

Rene, what was the Chinese one?

[TargetAlex]

I made a cedar mook, because I had lots of cedar available to me. Here are some of my observations:

1) When the cedar was drying, it split. Cedar always will by the nature of the way the the wood grows. That's why it is great for shingles and shims, and not so great for mooks.

2) Drilling the holes for the arms and leg was a b**ch, again due to the way the wood grows layered. I completely destroyed the first electric drill I was using. You see, as you drill into the body, the sections want to come away, and the bit catches the edges that are created, and really burned out the motor. It is difficult to describe the 'sections', but anyone who has tried to drill into cedar knows what I am talking about.

3) To reinforce the body, I used those wire thingys that plumbers use to clamp rubber hoses to pipes. I had to link three of them to get around the diameter of the body, and put one high, one middle, and one low. I have since put padding over them so that I don't get cut on them when I strike the body. These clamps have successfully prevented the body from splitting anymore.

4) Cedar is a soft wood, so after a year of use, the holes for the arms have been widened from usage. I have now had to reinforce the holes by making new holes in a smaller piece of hardwood and screwing them over the existing holes. Works, but I don't know how long it will last.

All in all, i don't recommend cedar. Maintenance has been a pain. Next one will be hadrwood.

Everywhere I have read recommends that you use a hardwood that is native to your area. This means the wood will do well in your humidity/climate, and last for much longer.

-Alex

[yuanfen]

Target Alex- Doesnt surprise me. While in China they used different woods. .. you have to make your dummy last where you are. Wing chun is wing chun- but nature has her ways.