Forums > Beginner Staff Moves > What should i look for ??
Login/Join to Participatemember
2 posts
2 posts
Posted:
I am thinking in investing in fire staffs. Looks like fun but what makes a good staff?? As i know nothing about it i would appreciate any info, links to good sites with moves or which sell equipment. I have bought most of my fire stuff of www.firetoys.co.uk what do people think of the equipment they sell, can i get better stuff!
Help Please
[ 17. April 2003, 00:33: Message edited by: Psycho Spinner ]
I am thinking in investing in fire staffs. Looks like fun but what makes a good staff?? As i know nothing about it i would appreciate any info, links to good sites with moves or which sell equipment. I have bought most of my fire stuff of www.firetoys.co.uk what do people think of the equipment they sell, can i get better stuff!
Help Please
[ 17. April 2003, 00:33: Message edited by: Psycho Spinner ]
Unfortunately there are no healthy, tasty low calorie drinks, which are also highly flammable.
BRONZE Member
old hand
733 posts
Location: Bewildered state of nothingness, United Kingdom
old hand
733 posts
Location: Bewildered state of nothingness, United Kingdom
Posted:
At the end of the day your staff has to feel good when you use it, and there is no better way of achieving this than making your own, IMO
LOL
Taking it easy
Trippy
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last night i met some pixies and we danced around a stone.
High Class Hippy No:1
N.E.W.B. Agent #012
"I Got Soul"
Non-Https Image Link
At the end of the day your staff has to feel good when you use it, and there is no better way of achieving this than making your own, IMO
LOL
Taking it easy
Trippy
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last night i met some pixies and we danced around a stone.
High Class Hippy No:1
N.E.W.B. Agent #012
"I Got Soul"
Non-Https Image Link
Trippie Hippie- Monty Dons secret love child
Fly like a mouse, run like a pillow, be the small book case.
"Last night i met some pixies and we danced around a stone".
Because dressing up is fun.
AnonymousPLATINUM Member
Posted:
I have to agree with Hippy, build em yourself. It will be cheaper and more satisfying. You will also be able to find out exactly what you like.
Josh
I have to agree with Hippy, build em yourself. It will be cheaper and more satisfying. You will also be able to find out exactly what you like.
Josh
member
2 posts
2 posts
Posted:
Cheers a bit of help but i never made any firetoys before and i wouldn't know where to start!
Thanks for the help anyway
Cheers a bit of help but i never made any firetoys before and i wouldn't know where to start!
Thanks for the help anyway
Unfortunately there are no healthy, tasty low calorie drinks, which are also highly flammable.
BRONZE Member
member
44 posts
Location: Santa Cruz, CA, USA
member
44 posts
Location: Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Posted:
OK!! Lets hear it for do-it-yourself staff makers!!! I have been learning how to make staffs, and I have been doing quite a lot of it lately, so I'd love to share with you how, but this might be kinda long-winded...
You can get all the supplies at any hardware store (a good one) except the kevlar wick...You're from the UK are you not? I get mine from Renegade Juggling in Santa Cruz, CA USA...but I live here and he's only minutes away....
Altho I guess you could make practice wicks with towel or denim if nothing else is available.. I suggest starting with 2 inch wick, maybe 2-3 feet in length on each side, 5-6 feet total.
Get a hollow aluminum pipe, that stands as high as your armpit or your chin. some people use aluminum shower rods. Use either 3/4 inch or 1 inch diameter (Sorry-Im american...I don't do the metric thing)
Now the tricky part. get a wooden dowel thats just slightly thicker than the inside of your aluminum staff. whittle enough of the wood away so its just barely thin enough to squeeze into the inside of the staff. whittle and cut a 2 1/4 inch piece if you are using 2 inch wide wick. STUFF the piece of wood into the end of the staff, by pounding it on the pavement if necessary...it should go in with some effort. It should stay in all by itself and not fall out. Or need glue. do on both sides. You now have 'plugs' that will anchor the screws that hold in your wick. It also adds a nice gyroscopic balance thats great for doing wraps...cut them as even in length as possible to keep your weights on either side identical
Next drill 2 holes, in a straight line, (on either side of the staff) about 1/2 inch in from the edge of the wick...so from end of staff, measure in 1/2 inch, drill measure 1 more inch, drill, the drill holes should go thru the aluminum and use a drillbit a little wider than the diameter of the threads of the screw, choose a screw length thats going to go thru the entire wrapped up wick and into the wooden core you just created. use a slightly smaller drillbit to drill into the wood, to pre-drill the hole.
Next very important part. the holes should be in a straight line along the shaft, draw a line on the staff with a marker that connects the 2 holes and extends down the shaft from where the wick will be placed, take the edge of a piece of paper, line it up with the end of the staff, and mark off how far down the staff location of the drill holes are...very handy locating them later when your wick is on, obscuring your holes. tape edge of wick to staff, just overlapping holes, clamp staff down or have a friend hold it while one does the wrapping. pull it very tight and wind it around, fold the final edge over where the holes are (you should be able to see the line that you drew, telling you the axis the holes are on)Tape down the edge so it doesnt unwrap itself.
Next, stick a long nail into the wick to locate the hole. wiggle nail around in wick until it drops into the holes. use your paper locater as a guide to guesstimate how far down the staff the holes were drilled, when your nail drops into the pre-drilled hole, remove it, stick a screw with a washer on it into the hole and drill away, if it works OK it'll go straight in...repeat on the other holes and other side. use tennis racket grip tape to wrap the center staff in tape, mark off the center balance point with light reflective tape, make little bags to fit over the wicks to protect them and there you have it!!! Your own firestaff!!!!!!!
feel free to email me with any more questions!
catapultcat@yahoo.com
OK!! Lets hear it for do-it-yourself staff makers!!! I have been learning how to make staffs, and I have been doing quite a lot of it lately, so I'd love to share with you how, but this might be kinda long-winded...
You can get all the supplies at any hardware store (a good one) except the kevlar wick...You're from the UK are you not? I get mine from Renegade Juggling in Santa Cruz, CA USA...but I live here and he's only minutes away....
Altho I guess you could make practice wicks with towel or denim if nothing else is available.. I suggest starting with 2 inch wick, maybe 2-3 feet in length on each side, 5-6 feet total.
Get a hollow aluminum pipe, that stands as high as your armpit or your chin. some people use aluminum shower rods. Use either 3/4 inch or 1 inch diameter (Sorry-Im american...I don't do the metric thing)
Now the tricky part. get a wooden dowel thats just slightly thicker than the inside of your aluminum staff. whittle enough of the wood away so its just barely thin enough to squeeze into the inside of the staff. whittle and cut a 2 1/4 inch piece if you are using 2 inch wide wick. STUFF the piece of wood into the end of the staff, by pounding it on the pavement if necessary...it should go in with some effort. It should stay in all by itself and not fall out. Or need glue. do on both sides. You now have 'plugs' that will anchor the screws that hold in your wick. It also adds a nice gyroscopic balance thats great for doing wraps...cut them as even in length as possible to keep your weights on either side identical
Next drill 2 holes, in a straight line, (on either side of the staff) about 1/2 inch in from the edge of the wick...so from end of staff, measure in 1/2 inch, drill measure 1 more inch, drill, the drill holes should go thru the aluminum and use a drillbit a little wider than the diameter of the threads of the screw, choose a screw length thats going to go thru the entire wrapped up wick and into the wooden core you just created. use a slightly smaller drillbit to drill into the wood, to pre-drill the hole.
Next very important part. the holes should be in a straight line along the shaft, draw a line on the staff with a marker that connects the 2 holes and extends down the shaft from where the wick will be placed, take the edge of a piece of paper, line it up with the end of the staff, and mark off how far down the staff location of the drill holes are...very handy locating them later when your wick is on, obscuring your holes. tape edge of wick to staff, just overlapping holes, clamp staff down or have a friend hold it while one does the wrapping. pull it very tight and wind it around, fold the final edge over where the holes are (you should be able to see the line that you drew, telling you the axis the holes are on)Tape down the edge so it doesnt unwrap itself.
Next, stick a long nail into the wick to locate the hole. wiggle nail around in wick until it drops into the holes. use your paper locater as a guide to guesstimate how far down the staff the holes were drilled, when your nail drops into the pre-drilled hole, remove it, stick a screw with a washer on it into the hole and drill away, if it works OK it'll go straight in...repeat on the other holes and other side. use tennis racket grip tape to wrap the center staff in tape, mark off the center balance point with light reflective tape, make little bags to fit over the wicks to protect them and there you have it!!! Your own firestaff!!!!!!!
feel free to email me with any more questions!
catapultcat@yahoo.com
BRONZE Member
old hand
733 posts
Location: Bewildered state of nothingness, United Kingdom
old hand
733 posts
Location: Bewildered state of nothingness, United Kingdom
Posted:
I think that you will be hard pushed to find a better written descripton than Catastrophic's
If that fails have a look at Incendium they have written descriptions on how to make staves.
Good luck!!!!! If you need more help just come back and ask. And let us know how you go on
LOL
Taking it easy
Trippy
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last night i met some pixies and we danced around a stone.
High Class Hippy No:1
N.E.W.B. Agent #012
"I Got Soul"
Non-Https Image Link
I think that you will be hard pushed to find a better written descripton than Catastrophic's
If that fails have a look at Incendium they have written descriptions on how to make staves.
Good luck!!!!! If you need more help just come back and ask. And let us know how you go on
LOL
Taking it easy
Trippy
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last night i met some pixies and we danced around a stone.
High Class Hippy No:1
N.E.W.B. Agent #012
"I Got Soul"
Non-Https Image Link
Trippie Hippie- Monty Dons secret love child
Fly like a mouse, run like a pillow, be the small book case.
"Last night i met some pixies and we danced around a stone".
Because dressing up is fun.
member
95 posts
Location: Cairns, Queensland
95 posts
Location: Cairns, Queensland
Posted:
I made my staff exactly how Cata described it. It does make a good staff. Although I now have to remove the wicks and make them 4 inches instead of two. It works excellent though.
I made my staff exactly how Cata described it. It does make a good staff. Although I now have to remove the wicks and make them 4 inches instead of two. It works excellent though.
When a man lies, he murders some part of the world.
member
95 posts
Location: Cairns, Queensland
95 posts
Location: Cairns, Queensland
Posted:
Let me fix the first line up. That is how my friend made his staff. The rest is all correct. I wanna try and swap the 2 inch for 4 inch.
Let me fix the first line up. That is how my friend made his staff. The rest is all correct. I wanna try and swap the 2 inch for 4 inch.
When a man lies, he murders some part of the world.
addict
522 posts
Location: Berlin
522 posts
Location: Berlin
Posted:
good description catastrophic... nice one
I have only one comment to make... of the many, many firestaffs/poi I have made, every time I have very very very nearly killed someone in frustration at not getting the screws into the f~~~in holes!
BELIEVE ME, THE HOLES MOVE THEMSELVES JUST TO PISS YOU OFF NO MATTER WHETHER YOU USE PAPER OR OTHER MARKERS!!! ITS TRUE! BELIEVE ME! I'M NOT NUTS... REALLY!
damn holes... maybe they've just got something against me personally...
good luck anyway.
Oh, and just a slight difference in method, I make the holes in the metal before putting the wooden plugs in, this way you don't have the chance that you might drill too far and make a huge hole in the wood. I wonder if this difference in method makes the holes angry with me? hmmmm...
good description catastrophic... nice one
I have only one comment to make... of the many, many firestaffs/poi I have made, every time I have very very very nearly killed someone in frustration at not getting the screws into the f~~~in holes!
BELIEVE ME, THE HOLES MOVE THEMSELVES JUST TO PISS YOU OFF NO MATTER WHETHER YOU USE PAPER OR OTHER MARKERS!!! ITS TRUE! BELIEVE ME! I'M NOT NUTS... REALLY!
damn holes... maybe they've just got something against me personally...
good luck anyway.
Oh, and just a slight difference in method, I make the holes in the metal before putting the wooden plugs in, this way you don't have the chance that you might drill too far and make a huge hole in the wood. I wonder if this difference in method makes the holes angry with me? hmmmm...
Your life is ending one minute at a time...
So live it.
BRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posted:
King of Bongo...I used to have that problem until someone (an engineer friend), suggested drilling the holes in the kevlar and staff at the same time.
so now, I wrap the kevalr around the staff first, and then use a handdrill todrill through the kevalr and aluminium at the same time.
That way everything is lined up all at the same time...
King of Bongo...I used to have that problem until someone (an engineer friend), suggested drilling the holes in the kevlar and staff at the same time.
so now, I wrap the kevalr around the staff first, and then use a handdrill todrill through the kevalr and aluminium at the same time.
That way everything is lined up all at the same time...
HoP Posting Guidelines
* Is it the Truth?
* Is it Fair to all concerned?
* Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
* Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?
addict
522 posts
Location: Berlin
522 posts
Location: Berlin
Posted:
True, but doesn't that way make the kevlar fray faster and more easily?
Not wanting to hijack the post, or indeed to create another post, but has anyone found the kevlar frays quite fast? anyone know of any ways of stopping this? (I use covers on the end when they are not on fire, but it still doesn't do too much to stop it happening)
actually, it may be because it was one of my first staves and I kept on dropping it- none since has frayed that quickly. Still, any suggestions?
True, but doesn't that way make the kevlar fray faster and more easily?
Not wanting to hijack the post, or indeed to create another post, but has anyone found the kevlar frays quite fast? anyone know of any ways of stopping this? (I use covers on the end when they are not on fire, but it still doesn't do too much to stop it happening)
actually, it may be because it was one of my first staves and I kept on dropping it- none since has frayed that quickly. Still, any suggestions?
Your life is ending one minute at a time...
So live it.
BRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posted:
My kevlar starts to fray in about 3-4 months of use. During that time I would usuaally have had at least 200-300 burns and dropped them lots on concrete. I give them a really hard time.
Are you doubling the ends of the kevlar over so the screws go through the end piece twice? (Like that bit of folded over sellotape on a new roll).
It also pays to put some craft glue aka PVA on the top and bottom of the wrap, it hardens with heat and stops the edges fraying. Admittedly I've never done that but lots of people I've met swear by it.
Also, are you dunking the wicks immediately after use so they don't smoulder?
My kevlar starts to fray in about 3-4 months of use. During that time I would usuaally have had at least 200-300 burns and dropped them lots on concrete. I give them a really hard time.
Are you doubling the ends of the kevlar over so the screws go through the end piece twice? (Like that bit of folded over sellotape on a new roll).
It also pays to put some craft glue aka PVA on the top and bottom of the wrap, it hardens with heat and stops the edges fraying. Admittedly I've never done that but lots of people I've met swear by it.
Also, are you dunking the wicks immediately after use so they don't smoulder?
HoP Posting Guidelines
* Is it the Truth?
* Is it Fair to all concerned?
* Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
* Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?
Similar Topics
Using the keywords [look] we found the following existing topics.
- Forums > New board, festivals, web sites...the roof is on fire!! [5 replies]
- Forums > Black and White [1 reply]
- Forums > kiwido [8 replies]
- Forums > Photo's [7 replies]
- Forums > Glowstick alternative invention!!! (Also fire and glowing poi) [25 replies]
Show more..
© 1998 - 2024 Home of Poi
All prices converted to United States dollars using XE.com