Forums > Social Chat > Staff Questions
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11 posts
Location: Oxford, England
11 posts
Location: Oxford, England
Posted:
I've been doing poi for a year now and would like to give staff twirling a go. To start with i'll totally be going by the lessons on this site - any tips?I guess the answer to these questions are all personal preferance but - What length should i start with (i'm 6 feet tall if that matters)?Aluminium tubing, wooden pole, what's the best?What kind of grips do people use (tennis grip maybe)?Should i put tennis balls or something on the ends, kinda like practice wicks?Thanks for any enlightenment.[This message has been edited by Chris (edited 18 January 2001).][This message has been edited by Chris (edited 18 January 2001).]
I've been doing poi for a year now and would like to give staff twirling a go. To start with i'll totally be going by the lessons on this site - any tips?I guess the answer to these questions are all personal preferance but - What length should i start with (i'm 6 feet tall if that matters)?Aluminium tubing, wooden pole, what's the best?What kind of grips do people use (tennis grip maybe)?Should i put tennis balls or something on the ends, kinda like practice wicks?Thanks for any enlightenment.[This message has been edited by Chris (edited 18 January 2001).][This message has been edited by Chris (edited 18 January 2001).]
member
22 posts
Location: kingston ontario canada
22 posts
Location: kingston ontario canada
Posted:
howdy there chrisi use 4 foot alluminum(and am six feet also) pipe you can get at any metal supermarket and ahve htem drill holes through each end of the staff for grips i just tightly wrap some bike innertube around the middle 6 inches or so of the staffalthough i have used wicking on the ends of mine since i made them i was contempating using tennis balls to put over the ends when practicing indoorsunfourtunatly for me i think that the balls would just make my staff too desirable to my doghope this helpsjessejames[This message has been edited by jessejames (edited 18 January 2001).]
howdy there chrisi use 4 foot alluminum(and am six feet also) pipe you can get at any metal supermarket and ahve htem drill holes through each end of the staff for grips i just tightly wrap some bike innertube around the middle 6 inches or so of the staffalthough i have used wicking on the ends of mine since i made them i was contempating using tennis balls to put over the ends when practicing indoorsunfourtunatly for me i think that the balls would just make my staff too desirable to my doghope this helpsjessejames[This message has been edited by jessejames (edited 18 January 2001).]
burnin down the house
original member
205 posts
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
205 posts
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Posted:
Staff rules!OK, here are my preferences:1. my first staff was about 4 ft long, but I also have a couple of 5'10 ones. For sull size fughting-style staff, it should come to your forehead.2. material is your choice. aluminum (electical conduit piping) is heavier and has has really nice momentum, but if it's too long, it'll bend when it goes spinning out of your hand. You'll need some ehavy duty metal for a long staff. Wood is better for beginning anyways. You can buy a fighting staff froma martial arts supply store for around $30, or get some dowling and make your own.3. I use electrician's tape or making tape for my grips. I like to do open-palm spins, so i don;t want my grip to be too...well... grippy.4. I'd advise wrapping some fabric around the end and taping it in place. That way it's like a wick in wieght and feel.Spin on.------------------Earth my body, water my blood, air my breath, fire my spirit
Staff rules!OK, here are my preferences:1. my first staff was about 4 ft long, but I also have a couple of 5'10 ones. For sull size fughting-style staff, it should come to your forehead.2. material is your choice. aluminum (electical conduit piping) is heavier and has has really nice momentum, but if it's too long, it'll bend when it goes spinning out of your hand. You'll need some ehavy duty metal for a long staff. Wood is better for beginning anyways. You can buy a fighting staff froma martial arts supply store for around $30, or get some dowling and make your own.3. I use electrician's tape or making tape for my grips. I like to do open-palm spins, so i don;t want my grip to be too...well... grippy.4. I'd advise wrapping some fabric around the end and taping it in place. That way it's like a wick in wieght and feel.Spin on.------------------Earth my body, water my blood, air my breath, fire my spirit
Earth my body, water my blood, air my breath, fire my spirit
member
56 posts
Location: UK
56 posts
Location: UK
Posted:
hey!I think you've just invented a new kinda staff - with dangling wicks!!! (ouch!!)A beginners staff is soooo easy to make - a broom handle covered in electrical tape (different colours so it looks cool when you twirl it) and then a grippy thang dead central of the stick - badminton grip is wicked as its sticky and padded too!
Experiment with different lengths of pole and weights too - remember once wicks are on the ends it adds more weight to the spin............fire staff seems a bit less dangerous than fire poi as it doesn't continue to wrap around your limbs if you hit yourself :eek 
just make sure you're good at running and jumping and you will be fine!) 
hey!I think you've just invented a new kinda staff - with dangling wicks!!! (ouch!!)A beginners staff is soooo easy to make - a broom handle covered in electrical tape (different colours so it looks cool when you twirl it) and then a grippy thang dead central of the stick - badminton grip is wicked as its sticky and padded too!
Experiment with different lengths of pole and weights too - remember once wicks are on the ends it adds more weight to the spin............fire staff seems a bit less dangerous than fire poi as it doesn't continue to wrap around your limbs if you hit yourself :eek just make sure you're good at running and jumping and you will be fine!) BRONZE Member
member
92 posts
Location: Androgen, Australia
member
92 posts
Location: Androgen, Australia
Posted:
I have a practise staff made from 22mm wood dowling. It's about 120cm (4 feet) long and i find that it spins pretty comparably with my aluminium fire staffs, so i didn't really need to weight the ends. I just used thin tennis grip for the grip and put some rubber stoppers on the ends to stop it from damaging things. You can pick up rubber stoppers from most hardware shops (designed to go on the bottom of chair legs).Ðraevon
I have a practise staff made from 22mm wood dowling. It's about 120cm (4 feet) long and i find that it spins pretty comparably with my aluminium fire staffs, so i didn't really need to weight the ends. I just used thin tennis grip for the grip and put some rubber stoppers on the ends to stop it from damaging things. You can pick up rubber stoppers from most hardware shops (designed to go on the bottom of chair legs).Ðraevon
member
11 posts
Location: Oxford, England
11 posts
Location: Oxford, England
Posted:
Thanks guys, i'll go out tommorow in search of staff making supplies. I think the future is just experimenting with lengths of staff and different moves like what i did for poi - till i find the right thing for me.I'm not goin' to buy one though - making your own gear is just too much fun!!Cheers, Chris.
Thanks guys, i'll go out tommorow in search of staff making supplies. I think the future is just experimenting with lengths of staff and different moves like what i did for poi - till i find the right thing for me.I'm not goin' to buy one though - making your own gear is just too much fun!!Cheers, Chris.
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