Where to find 8" diameter PVC for wooden dummy

[couch]

I have a water-filled base PVC dummy from Warrior here in Canada. I love it.

I used to hit my Sifu's dummy which was traditionally mounted on 1x2's and was an all-wood construction. The ONLY thing I miss is how the 1x2 slats made the dummy 'bounce' back after you hit it. This helps build Ging and gives some feedback.

Other than that detail, which I train elsewhere like the heavy bag, etc - I've very happy. So, IMO, try the PVC dummy. Try a wood one. Try a steel one... Then make your own informed decision.

For looking in the phone book, you could look under plumbing/septic suppliers, etc.

I remember, though, that Schedule 80 PVC was very expensive for 6-8 feet of it. So shop around!

All the best in your dummy construction,
K

[Lee Chiang Po]

I agree with Rik and Sifu Chu, wood is the way to go, although mine is made out of steel pipe ( its how I roll *****es !!).
Even the thickest of PVC or ABS will not give you the density of Wood.

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Last edited by sanjuro_ronin; Today at 08:47 AM.


Have you ever hauled off and slammed into a heavy pvc culvert or sewer pipe? I have to say that if density equates to hardness, this stuff is 16 times harder than wood of any kind. And a 5 foot length weighs around 200 pounds, which is going to be much heavier than a 5 foot length of 8 inch wooden log. The body can be on wooden or pvc runners and give you the same sort of bounce or whatever. The reason I like the big seagrass rope, or moor lines, is that it offers strong resistance and yet can be forced to spin. I do a lot of this work. I can spin a person and take his side or back quickly. Fighting is a lot better if you are the only one hitting. It is not just dangling from a rope like a hanged man.

[sanjuro_ronin]

I agree with Rik and Sifu Chu, wood is the way to go, although mine is made out of steel pipe ( its how I roll *****es !!).
Even the thickest of PVC or ABS will not give you the density of Wood.

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Last edited by sanjuro_ronin; Today at 08:47 AM.


Have you ever hauled off and slammed into a heavy pvc culvert or sewer pipe? I have to say that if density equates to hardness, this stuff is 16 times harder than wood of any kind. And a 5 foot length weighs around 200 pounds, which is going to be much heavier than a 5 foot length of 8 inch wooden log. The body can be on wooden or pvc runners and give you the same sort of bounce or whatever. The reason I like the big seagrass rope, or moor lines, is that it offers strong resistance and yet can be forced to spin. I do a lot of this work. I can spin a person and take his side or back quickly. Fighting is a lot better if you are the only one hitting. It is not just dangling from a rope like a hanged man.

8" sch80 PVC pipe with .500" wall thickness is 8.522 lbs per foot so a 6ft piece would be 51.132 lbs.

[chusauli]

Last night my students asked the same question of why a Wood Jong, instead of a metal or PVC one. I answered:

The sound it makes when you strike it will give you a distinct crack, and you will notice if your timing is off, you will not hear that focused sound. I demonstrated with Gaun Sao, Kwun Sao, Huen/Kau Sao, Jut Sao/Jing Jeung, and they were all distinct when hit properly. But when not hit properly, the sound was not sharp, or produced two sounds. In Wing Chun Kuen, "Kuen Mo Leung Heung" (Fist has not two sounds).

Try it on PVC or metal, and see what the difference is. You'd think that hypothetically, you would hear no difference...

[AdrianK]

Like the difference between a classically trained pianist playing on a grand piano versus a cheap keyboard

[Pacman]

And therein lies your problem.

i guess the answer is to...

a) not trust anyone

or

b) think that you know everything about MA training

i talked to my sijo about this. the way we train our dummy is not for power generation etc, so the dummy does not have to be indestructible. i evaluated what he said and came to my own conclusion . shocking.

humor me for those of you who would know...what types of places carry this type of pipe? sanjuro said industrial supplies...what section of the phone book is taht in?

[Phil Redmond]

Wood is better but PVC is not useless as a training device. Something is better than nothing. And as to a certain sound boxers and other fighting disciplines hit very hard without using a "wooden" dummy. Being able to hit hard and fast is more valuable than what sound you make.

[Lee Chiang Po]

8" sch80 PVC pipe with .500" wall thickness is 8.522 lbs per foot so a 6ft piece would be 51.132 lbs.


Mine is made of culvert pipe. I measured it today and it is 12 inches in diameter. I cut it off to 6 feet in length, and it weighs close to 200 pounds. It is over 3/4 inch thick and super hard. I used a hole saw to make the holes for the oak arms, but I also have pvc arms and leg. I have dis-assembled it and am in the process of moving it now. I never pay attention to the sound anyway, but then I do not consider that to be of any consiquence. Sound can be misleading, and it does not aid in your application. The dummy is merely an aid to train when you don't want to use a real human. For obvious reasons. But that is just me. I have never fell to tradition. It is ok I suppose, but it has never dictated to me which route to take. I might be wrong about this, but I think mine might still be around when my grand children are my age.
I have set it up to represent a man of 6 feet. When I am in stance the face is up much higher than my own face. I have noticed that most dummies are shorter then the person using it. I find that this is rather unrealistic compared to most situations I have been involved in.
If you are buying one for a school, or you just want a wooden dummy, wood looks good and it is very functional. But if you are only interested in pure functionality then a pvc dummy will get the job done.

[shaolinexecutioner]

There is no substitute for the real thing.

The real thing? You mean like hitting a human or hitting a log?