# 2nd Christmas Holiday Project



## Pigpopper (Sep 20, 2009)

Building a Wing Chun Wooden Dummy. I did not know what they were before my son ask me to help him build one. We are building it very basic and simple but I had to make or buy the different tools required. 

I am using a tree that died on our property. I am pretty sure its a Ironwood tree (Ostrya Virginiana).

We stripped the bark and scrubbed it down with wire brushes.


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## Pigpopper (Sep 20, 2009)

We harvested some of the limbs to make the arms. In order to do so, we had to make a router lathe to shape them. Having never turned anything before, it was quite the learning experience. After making a couple, we should have picked larger limbs for the 1st one but we had (have) no idea what we are doing and figuring it out as we go.


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## Pigpopper (Sep 20, 2009)

Used a Bosch Oscillating tool for the 1st time to cut in the square holes. That's an awesome tool. It worked great.


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## Pigpopper (Sep 20, 2009)

We used an 1/8" X 12" long drill bit to drill a pilot hole through the log after laying out the location for the arms. We then bored a 1.25 in hole through the log before creating a 2 in deep square hole.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Pigpopper said:


> but we had (have) no idea what we are doing and figuring it out as we go.


you seem to be doing just fine...


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## Pigpopper (Sep 20, 2009)

Brushed the log and arms down with Helmsman Spar Urethane clear finish. 

Not finished with it yet. I am experimenting with wrapping rope around the body. As it may go outside, I created the base out of treated 4X4s. I am not excited about the look so I may wrap them with 1/8" oak or similar and stain to match the body.

I also need to create some feet to add stability on multiple surfaces. 

More to come.


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## Pigpopper (Sep 20, 2009)

Thanks Stick!


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## Multiwood (Feb 24, 2013)

Very creative to figure everything out. Nice job.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Really interesting the way you worked this through. Hadn't heard of a router lathe before. Very nice job, and I bet kind of fun working it through.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Got my curiosity going. Here is a YouTube demo of a Wing Chun dummy in use. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6Vjn8QeEtA


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## Pigpopper (Sep 20, 2009)

Thanks for the replies. 

After watching several of the videos on line, I am a little concerned about the size/integrity of the arms. One of the objectives of the exercise (besides self defense) is to toughen the hands and forearms by banging them against a hard surface. There are several videos showing some aggressive interaction with the dummy. Right now its hard to believe he will be hitting them hard enough to break them. We will see. 

If you are a fan, here is a humorous short (less than 3 minutes) video clip from a Jackie Chan movie, "Wheels on Meals" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLZSKhuFDnY
There is some interaction with a Wooden Dummy.

Thanks again for the replies and the video clip.


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## Pigpopper (Sep 20, 2009)

I think I am going to add the lower leg to the dummy. Right now the plan is to laminate three 1X3 Oak boards and turn them to approximately 1.5 - 2 inches and pass them through the lower body.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Pigpopper said:


> Brushed the log and arms down with Helmsman Spar Urethane clear finish.
> 
> Not finished with it yet. I am experimenting with wrapping rope around the body. As it may go outside, I created the base out of treated 4X4s. I am not excited about the look so I may wrap them with 1/8" oak or similar and stain to match the body.
> 
> ...


Not sure that wrapping the base with 1/8" oak will hold up inthe weather. Moiture will swell the oak and 4X4 differently,sun will curl the thin oak. It would be better if you had some of the tree to make the base out of. Just MHO.

Herb


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## Pigpopper (Sep 20, 2009)

That's a great idea Herb. Wish I had thought of that but we were trying to get to the end as quickly as possible. 
My son is wanting functionality and I am trying to make it look as good as possible ("Where did you get that? My Dad made it...")

I will post another picture showing my thoughts. At minimum, I am wrapping the 45 deg angles with 1/4in rope. I may wrap them with the oak before wrapping the rope. I also plan on coating them with the SPAR to see how they hold up.

I think it will be ok as the timbers fade. They were extremely wet when we bought them and really GREEN looking. I am hoping they will weather and not stick out so much. 

Its still a work in progress. I will post updates as soon as I figure it out.


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## neville9999 (Jul 22, 2010)

Dane your basic router lathe is a nice one. I have made many of these and they work very well, better and better when you add bearings, for everyone who wants to do some straight fluting then this is the way to do it as this will give you a perfect leg and add an indexing wheel and you will get perfectly spaced flutes, see mine on my thread 'a different router lathe or a router standardizer' I am making a new one, in fact I am making two new router lathes so the photos will come when they are finished, these router boxes are a very cool idea and you can make many things in them including indexed mortising, so nice basic router box Dane. N


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Re the lathe; does the end support adjust vertically to give the taper on the turned piece?


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## Pigpopper (Sep 20, 2009)

Neville, I am planning on rebuilding mine and I want to add bearings. I am looking forward to your post.


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## Pigpopper (Sep 20, 2009)

Danni, per the video I watched, the end plates are stacked together (to ensure the holes are drilled perfectly aligned) and three holes are drilled approximately 1/2 in apart. One end is left in the center and moving the tail stock up to the next hole creates the taper.

There are a few videos and how tos on line. Because I made the box about 40 inches long and turned 21in pieces I had to add a third plate to support the long all-thread from the drive end. I discovered a how to this weekend that had a floating tail stock. A much better design. I used a hand held drill to drive the shaft and my router at max rpms. Moving slowly and not cutting too much at one time helped.


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## Pigpopper (Sep 20, 2009)

Here is the link to lathe with moving tail stock - by meatfiregood - i think... 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/8177398054/in/photostream/


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