Forums > Technical Discussion > Want to start staff
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238 posts
Location: Thornhill, Ontario Canada
238 posts
Location: Thornhill, Ontario Canada
Posted:
Ye so I was watching some staffing videos and it looks like fun, so I decided to start trying staffing.
Arte there any suggestions on what is good to use as an improv staff? By that I mean without spending too much cash. By that I mean spending no cash and using something found around the house...
Ye so I was watching some staffing videos and it looks like fun, so I decided to start trying staffing.
Arte there any suggestions on what is good to use as an improv staff? By that I mean without spending too much cash. By that I mean spending no cash and using something found around the house...
Every morning I wake up and hit the ground yawning...
Dreamer
4,308 posts
Location: York, England
4,308 posts
Location: York, England
Posted:
hehehe, ah that elusive money thing....
seriously, everyone always says that broom handles or mop handles (sans broom or mop) make great practice staffs. i stole some wood out of a friends garage... i'm now addicted to the 7/8" dowel rods i bought tho, they are much easier to play with than scrap wood. As a word of advice, tennis balls on the ends keep you from cutting yourself, and generally soften things up. I just made a pair of staffs this weekend with tennis balls....suddenly it's no longer (very) painful plus, if you want to adjust the weight, you can use pennies or washers in the tennis balls for that purpose. It's relativly easy to steal tennis balls from schools or tennis courts, if you don't want to pay for them...
hehehe, ah that elusive money thing....
seriously, everyone always says that broom handles or mop handles (sans broom or mop) make great practice staffs. i stole some wood out of a friends garage... i'm now addicted to the 7/8" dowel rods i bought tho, they are much easier to play with than scrap wood. As a word of advice, tennis balls on the ends keep you from cutting yourself, and generally soften things up. I just made a pair of staffs this weekend with tennis balls....suddenly it's no longer (very) painful plus, if you want to adjust the weight, you can use pennies or washers in the tennis balls for that purpose. It's relativly easy to steal tennis balls from schools or tennis courts, if you don't want to pay for them...
Keep your dream alive
Dreamin is still how the strong survive
Shalom VeAhavah
New Hampshire has a point....
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:
Or...(looks very dubiously at Kyrian) you could make some cloth wicks on the end by using old t-shirts or towelling or anything else lying around.
The closer your practice staffs are compared to the actual firestaffs, the better they will be for practice...
Kyrian... I hope that this
Or...(looks very dubiously at Kyrian) you could make some cloth wicks on the end by using old t-shirts or towelling or anything else lying around.
The closer your practice staffs are compared to the actual firestaffs, the better they will be for practice...
Kyrian... I hope that this
quote:was a joke, please don't steal stuff people, especially from schools!
It's relativly easy to steal tennis balls from schools
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member
238 posts
Location: Thornhill, Ontario Canada
238 posts
Location: Thornhill, Ontario Canada
Posted:
Thanx, but two more questions
How much should it weigh??
and how long should it be??
Thanx, but two more questions
How much should it weigh??
and how long should it be??
Every morning I wake up and hit the ground yawning...
Dreamer
4,308 posts
Location: York, England
4,308 posts
Location: York, England
Posted:
It was mostly a joke, i did take some very beat up tennis balls out of the bushes by a local court, but i imagine they havn't been used in awhile to judge by the looks of them. i'm certainly not advocating stealing, it's one of the things that bothers me the most!
It was mostly a joke, i did take some very beat up tennis balls out of the bushes by a local court, but i imagine they havn't been used in awhile to judge by the looks of them. i'm certainly not advocating stealing, it's one of the things that bothers me the most!
Keep your dream alive
Dreamin is still how the strong survive
Shalom VeAhavah
New Hampshire has a point....
poo-bah
1,015 posts
Location: Austin TX USA
1,015 posts
Location: Austin TX USA
Posted:
The Bec & Elke book recommend making your staff reach up to your sternum. But that's not a hard and fast rule. Mine's a bit longer, and some people have staves that are much longer or shorter than that. 48" seems to be a popular length around here.
Weight...after playing with friends' staves, I've discovered that mine are on the heavy side, mostly because the wood I use seems to be pretty dense, partly because I use a fair amount of wicking. There are pros and cons either way--a heavy staff can help carry you through awkward wrist motions, which helps you learn them initially--but that extra momentum can also hurt you, and a heavy staff is more tiring to work with.
The Bec & Elke book recommend making your staff reach up to your sternum. But that's not a hard and fast rule. Mine's a bit longer, and some people have staves that are much longer or shorter than that. 48" seems to be a popular length around here.
Weight...after playing with friends' staves, I've discovered that mine are on the heavy side, mostly because the wood I use seems to be pretty dense, partly because I use a fair amount of wicking. There are pros and cons either way--a heavy staff can help carry you through awkward wrist motions, which helps you learn them initially--but that extra momentum can also hurt you, and a heavy staff is more tiring to work with.
Laugh while you can, monkey-boy
SILVER Member
lurker
380 posts
Location: Nashville, TN, USA
lurker
380 posts
Location: Nashville, TN, USA
Posted:
I got your cheap right here. =) I found three 6' lenghts of bamboo at Pier One for $4. One, I'm cutting down a bit from 6' to make a long-staff. The other, I'm cutting in half (or less) to make two 3' staffs. The third, I'm cutting into sections, stringing hemp rope through and making into a 3or5 section segmented chain staff. duct tape around all the ends that might contact objects accidentalls. If weight's an issue (ie, too light), attach tennis balls to the ends. =) Not bad, eh? 3 new toys for $4 and stuff you got lying about the house. =)
--dut, free flowing amature grinner.
I got your cheap right here. =) I found three 6' lenghts of bamboo at Pier One for $4. One, I'm cutting down a bit from 6' to make a long-staff. The other, I'm cutting in half (or less) to make two 3' staffs. The third, I'm cutting into sections, stringing hemp rope through and making into a 3or5 section segmented chain staff. duct tape around all the ends that might contact objects accidentalls. If weight's an issue (ie, too light), attach tennis balls to the ends. =) Not bad, eh? 3 new toys for $4 and stuff you got lying about the house. =)
--dut, free flowing amature grinner.
Pooh-Bah
2,364 posts
Location: austin,tx
2,364 posts
Location: austin,tx
Posted:
yeah, and as far as weight and length, they can be whatever you want! practice with a few different sizes! find a bamboo patch, thank the tree, and cut them yourself for free! old brromhandles are easy to find in the trash. some people like batons, others short staff, others long. i keep all around to experiment.
yeah, and as far as weight and length, they can be whatever you want! practice with a few different sizes! find a bamboo patch, thank the tree, and cut them yourself for free! old brromhandles are easy to find in the trash. some people like batons, others short staff, others long. i keep all around to experiment.
-Such a price the gods exact for song: to become what we sing
-Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty.
-When the center of the storm does not move, you are in its path.
SILVER Member
sleeping with angels
508 posts
Location: anaheim CA usa
sleeping with angels
508 posts
Location: anaheim CA usa
Posted:
ok here is what you want to know... if you dont want to get hurt dont use staff!!! ok now thats thats said. buy a wooden dowe how ever long you want by cotton sheet (REALLY CHEAP)
WRAP THE END and lite the mother f*cker up!!!
ok here is what you want to know... if you dont want to get hurt dont use staff!!! ok now thats thats said. buy a wooden dowe how ever long you want by cotton sheet (REALLY CHEAP)
WRAP THE END and lite the mother f*cker up!!!
SLEEP WITH ANGELS muckieha
BRONZE Member
stick boy!
117 posts
Location: Tampa, FL, USA
stick boy!
117 posts
Location: Tampa, FL, USA
Posted:
Your best bet is to try different lengths of staffs until you find whats right for you. I have a long staff, 5 foot, and a short staff, about 3 foot. Depends on what you want to do, some moves you cant do with a long staff as opposed to a short staff, or at least not as easily. I wrapped the ends of my practice staff with cotton towel and wrapped duct tape round it to soften the hits, as you will hit yourself time to time. Also, look at thickness. My short staff is a broom handle, nice and thin. My burn staff is a dowel rod(closet rod) and it is thick. Now i practice with my long burn staff and made covers for them so i dont get soot on myself when/if i hit myself so i am actually practicing with the same staff i burn with. Hope it helps and keep practicing. Look for contact staff moves, they are incredible!! Love the contact shtuff!!
Mayhem
Your best bet is to try different lengths of staffs until you find whats right for you. I have a long staff, 5 foot, and a short staff, about 3 foot. Depends on what you want to do, some moves you cant do with a long staff as opposed to a short staff, or at least not as easily. I wrapped the ends of my practice staff with cotton towel and wrapped duct tape round it to soften the hits, as you will hit yourself time to time. Also, look at thickness. My short staff is a broom handle, nice and thin. My burn staff is a dowel rod(closet rod) and it is thick. Now i practice with my long burn staff and made covers for them so i dont get soot on myself when/if i hit myself so i am actually practicing with the same staff i burn with. Hope it helps and keep practicing. Look for contact staff moves, they are incredible!! Love the contact shtuff!!
Mayhem
BRONZE Member
Look I've changed my title!
209 posts
Location: England
Look I've changed my title!
209 posts
Location: England
Posted:
An old broom handle was my first staff. I cut up some green bin liners into a flag sorta shape and taped them to the ends of my staff.
Staff doesnt hurt when it hits you (at least not when i hit myself) it can just get frustrating if you keep hitting yourself in the head. The only time i hurt myself with staff was when i was practicing at night and i whacked my self on the back of my head, i was wandering round in a dazed sate for a while lol.
Staffs fun you should really get into it quite quickly, the basics are fairly easy to master once you get the momevement of them in your head.
An old broom handle was my first staff. I cut up some green bin liners into a flag sorta shape and taped them to the ends of my staff.
Staff doesnt hurt when it hits you (at least not when i hit myself) it can just get frustrating if you keep hitting yourself in the head. The only time i hurt myself with staff was when i was practicing at night and i whacked my self on the back of my head, i was wandering round in a dazed sate for a while lol.
Staffs fun you should really get into it quite quickly, the basics are fairly easy to master once you get the momevement of them in your head.
anthrax.... it infects, then spreads..... fast
Flaming Lesbian
181 posts
Location: Portland, Oregon
181 posts
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posted:
my staff is a slightly bendy broom handle i picked up at the flea market for $1.
wrapped a couple of bar mops around the ends, lit er up, and burned the ends off. really, i forgot that wood burns.
so now, after making a great set of juggling torches from a piece of 3/4" aluminum tube, i'm going for a couple of staves from that material.
oh, and if you can afford it, pick up a couple of tennis racket grips and wrap the middle with em, it helps.
my staff is a slightly bendy broom handle i picked up at the flea market for $1.
wrapped a couple of bar mops around the ends, lit er up, and burned the ends off. really, i forgot that wood burns.
so now, after making a great set of juggling torches from a piece of 3/4" aluminum tube, i'm going for a couple of staves from that material.
oh, and if you can afford it, pick up a couple of tennis racket grips and wrap the middle with em, it helps.
Lights dancing off my skin as chains wrap round it.
Pain is in a little box and I'm so glad I found it.
BRONZE Member
Senator by day, Sith Lord by night.
128 posts
Location: Suffolk, New York, USA
Senator by day, Sith Lord by night.
128 posts
Location: Suffolk, New York, USA
Posted:
Hmmm, unfortunately I dont remember what materials for my staff came out to, but it was definately less then 10 bucks for the staff parts at the Home Despot. The wick was the most 'spensive part by far.
I got a 3/4 inch copper pipe which I cut down to 51 inches (about shoulder height on me) got a wood dowel just thick enough to fit and slid that in, capped it with 2 copper end caps. Drilled holes through cap, pipe and dowel and then another inch or so in on the pipe. I made a grip by wrapping the middle with string (macrame style, with a knotted spiral pattern) and coating that in layers of rubber tool dip I had laying around.
Practice staff done.
To make that into a fire staff:
In short: When I got wick I slathered the whole end in white glue, started wrapping the wick around and once all wrapped I drilled the screws through wick and dowel. I put a bunch of coats of white glue on the exposed metal at the very end and a couple of inches below the wick to protect the pipe.
It was actually a lot more involved then that and involved figuring out how to blind rig my staff, which was easy to do, but hard to describe. I started trying but figured I'd spare you.
Anyone interested in the how of that is free to PM me.
Soak. Burn. Spin. Repeat as necessary.
Hmmm, unfortunately I dont remember what materials for my staff came out to, but it was definately less then 10 bucks for the staff parts at the Home Despot. The wick was the most 'spensive part by far.
I got a 3/4 inch copper pipe which I cut down to 51 inches (about shoulder height on me) got a wood dowel just thick enough to fit and slid that in, capped it with 2 copper end caps. Drilled holes through cap, pipe and dowel and then another inch or so in on the pipe. I made a grip by wrapping the middle with string (macrame style, with a knotted spiral pattern) and coating that in layers of rubber tool dip I had laying around.
Practice staff done.
To make that into a fire staff:
In short: When I got wick I slathered the whole end in white glue, started wrapping the wick around and once all wrapped I drilled the screws through wick and dowel. I put a bunch of coats of white glue on the exposed metal at the very end and a couple of inches below the wick to protect the pipe.
It was actually a lot more involved then that and involved figuring out how to blind rig my staff, which was easy to do, but hard to describe. I started trying but figured I'd spare you.
Anyone interested in the how of that is free to PM me.
Soak. Burn. Spin. Repeat as necessary.
"If the human brain were simple enough for us to understand, we would be too simple to understand it"
-Emerson M Pugh
BRONZE Member
newbie
9 posts
Location: Bunbury, Western Australia
newbie
9 posts
Location: Bunbury, Western Australia
Posted:
Great tips guys. I cant wait to make my first staff!
Great tips guys. I cant wait to make my first staff!
"if i jump in the fire, will you?"
633 posts
Location: USA, wishing I was in SA
633 posts
Location: USA, wishing I was in SA
Posted:
Amen.
i like the sounds of that !!! gotta love those broom handles hey ! once youve stopped hitting anyting and everything with it (like youre some kind of Jedi Knight), you can light it and it looks very nice
Written by: native
ok here is what you want to know... if you dont want to get hurt dont use staff!!! ok now thats thats said. buy a wooden dowe how ever long you want by cotton sheet (REALLY CHEAP)
WRAP THE END and lite the mother f*cker up!!!
Amen.
i like the sounds of that !!! gotta love those broom handles hey ! once youve stopped hitting anyting and everything with it (like youre some kind of Jedi Knight), you can light it and it looks very nice
i like breaking the Law 
, of Gravity 
!
newbie
23 posts
23 posts
Posted:
I use a 54 cm staff.
But I'm strange.
I use a 54 cm staff.
But I'm strange.
BRONZE Member
Look I've changed my title!
209 posts
Location: England
Look I've changed my title!
209 posts
Location: England
Posted:
Exactly 54cm?? can you not use any other length like 53cm?
:P
Exactly 54cm?? can you not use any other length like 53cm?
:P
anthrax.... it infects, then spreads..... fast
newbie
23 posts
23 posts
Posted:
Well I was jus tlike "yeah about this long will do" and it turned out to be 54 cm :P
I'm looking at getting a longer staff (108cm)
Well I was jus tlike "yeah about this long will do" and it turned out to be 54 cm :P
I'm looking at getting a longer staff (108cm)
GOLD Member
Pirate Ninja
3,882 posts
Location: Galway/Ireland
Pirate Ninja
3,882 posts
Location: Galway/Ireland
Posted:
Is it a fire staf whitehawk?
Is it a fire staf whitehawk?
Love is the law.
"if i jump in the fire, will you?"
633 posts
Location: USA, wishing I was in SA
633 posts
Location: USA, wishing I was in SA
Posted:
my next staff will be 106.68cm . i think that length is optimum!
the .68 is very crucial
my next staff will be 106.68cm . i think that length is optimum!
the .68 is very crucial
i like breaking the Law , of Gravity !
SILVER Member
member
44 posts
Location: Bournemouth,UK
member
44 posts
Location: Bournemouth,UK
Posted:
Im so proud of myself-gotta tell someone!
Just made a very cheap,lightweight(cos Im a scardey cat,and staff newbie) interchangable glow staff!
Started off with a box of very lovely Home of Poi led glowsticks,and a 2metre length of 22mm plastic overflow pipe!(wanted some clear tubing,but couldnt find any,and the overflow pipe was only a qiud!)
cut the pipe into various lengths,and push the glowsticks into the ends.As the glowstick are tapered at each end,and the pipe is slightly flexible,you get quite a snug fit,so just keep connecting, pipe,glowstick,pipe,glowstick...
Probably not very durable,but I wanted something to practice indoors with and not break stuff,and so far it works fine!
Happy Bunny!
Im so proud of myself-gotta tell someone!
Just made a very cheap,lightweight(cos Im a scardey cat,and staff newbie) interchangable glow staff!
Started off with a box of very lovely Home of Poi led glowsticks,and a 2metre length of 22mm plastic overflow pipe!(wanted some clear tubing,but couldnt find any,and the overflow pipe was only a qiud!)
cut the pipe into various lengths,and push the glowsticks into the ends.As the glowstick are tapered at each end,and the pipe is slightly flexible,you get quite a snug fit,so just keep connecting, pipe,glowstick,pipe,glowstick...
Probably not very durable,but I wanted something to practice indoors with and not break stuff,and so far it works fine!
Happy Bunny!
More colourful than a box of crayons!
SILVER Member
member
44 posts
Location: Bournemouth,UK
member
44 posts
Location: Bournemouth,UK
Posted:
And here it is!
<-----
And here it is!
<-----
More colourful than a box of crayons!
BRONZE Member
old hand
887 posts
Location: san diego, USA
old hand
887 posts
Location: san diego, USA
Posted:
10 feet of aluminum conduit at home depot- $1.48...
cutting it into 2 staffs five feet long(or whatever your pleasure)-free (tools at home depot)...
seeing the look on your face when it gets bent after a wicked blow to the head
Priceless...
10 feet of aluminum conduit at home depot- $1.48...
cutting it into 2 staffs five feet long(or whatever your pleasure)-free (tools at home depot)...
seeing the look on your face when it gets bent after a wicked blow to the head
Priceless...
anyone got a light?
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