Forums > Technical Discussion > Weighting short staffs
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24 posts
Location: Melbourne, Vic, Australia
24 posts
Location: Melbourne, Vic, Australia
Posted:
I recently put together a pair of short staffs (about 80cm). However, after putting the wicks and everything on, I found that these sticks lacked weight. This made spinning quite difficult because the staffs didn't hold any momentum, and hence any slight hand movement sent them way off coarse. Result - very sloppy spinning.I decided to add weight to the ends of the staffs. I used sheet lead which I cut into strips and rolled up to fit in the end of the staffs (aluminium tubes). This worked well, except that after some time the lead becomes loose and jiggles a bit, but this isn't a major prob. I added about 80 grams to each end. The staffs are quite heavy now but this has improved the spinability 200%. What are other ppls experiences with short staffs?Also, for anyone making their own staff, I have found that clear plastic tubing (you know the kind that people use to make spring valley bongs with) makes for a very good handle. Simply purchase however much is required (If you have a 2cm diameter pole, get plastic tubing with 2cm diameter also) from your local plastic goods outlet, then leave in hot water for a few minutes. It will now slide easily down your pole, but when it cools it will shrink so that it won't budge. Doesn't get dirty and lasts quite well.
I recently put together a pair of short staffs (about 80cm). However, after putting the wicks and everything on, I found that these sticks lacked weight. This made spinning quite difficult because the staffs didn't hold any momentum, and hence any slight hand movement sent them way off coarse. Result - very sloppy spinning.I decided to add weight to the ends of the staffs. I used sheet lead which I cut into strips and rolled up to fit in the end of the staffs (aluminium tubes). This worked well, except that after some time the lead becomes loose and jiggles a bit, but this isn't a major prob. I added about 80 grams to each end. The staffs are quite heavy now but this has improved the spinability 200%. What are other ppls experiences with short staffs?Also, for anyone making their own staff, I have found that clear plastic tubing (you know the kind that people use to make spring valley bongs with) makes for a very good handle. Simply purchase however much is required (If you have a 2cm diameter pole, get plastic tubing with 2cm diameter also) from your local plastic goods outlet, then leave in hot water for a few minutes. It will now slide easily down your pole, but when it cools it will shrink so that it won't budge. Doesn't get dirty and lasts quite well.
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3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posted:
This is a very common complaint from staffers who use staves (short staffs or devil sticks) about their lack of momentum.However, stavers who use staffs find the transition much easier...
It's a good idea to weight the staves, however light staves are a very different type of art, involving the consistent manipulation and spinning to keep them looking smooth and allow many different moves that are easy with staves but very hard to achieve with staffs.Let me know how the practice goes but keep inmind the lighter staves may well increase your repoitre (spelling??)...------------------Charles (INFERNO)newdolbel@hotmail.comhttps://juggling.co.nz
This is a very common complaint from staffers who use staves (short staffs or devil sticks) about their lack of momentum.However, stavers who use staffs find the transition much easier...
It's a good idea to weight the staves, however light staves are a very different type of art, involving the consistent manipulation and spinning to keep them looking smooth and allow many different moves that are easy with staves but very hard to achieve with staffs.Let me know how the practice goes but keep inmind the lighter staves may well increase your repoitre (spelling??)...------------------Charles (INFERNO)newdolbel@hotmail.comhttps://juggling.co.nz HoP Posting Guidelines
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AnonymousPLATINUM Member
Posted:
I made some 1m staves recently, and with four inch wick on the end there is enough weight...they can even be used singly (baton style)...I think another problem is that if you overweight them you'll need to train for a long time before you can comfortably spin a ferocious burn, and after all...is there any other way to spin doubles?
Josh
I made some 1m staves recently, and with four inch wick on the end there is enough weight...they can even be used singly (baton style)...I think another problem is that if you overweight them you'll need to train for a long time before you can comfortably spin a ferocious burn, and after all...is there any other way to spin doubles?
Josh AnonymousPLATINUM Member
Posted:
I dunno, got a light staff and some stainles staves, quite lite (love the way they sing) and no prob but the other day I played with aluminium doubles, longer than mine and they were a breeze, I think fingerspins are easyier with a light staff.2bits?
I dunno, got a light staff and some stainles staves, quite lite (love the way they sing) and no prob but the other day I played with aluminium doubles, longer than mine and they were a breeze, I think fingerspins are easyier with a light staff.2bits?
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515 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
member
515 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Posted:
I am making 1m double staves at the moment with 2 inch wick on the end and ill be putting in some dowel (about 3 inches) at each end. Have found that it has made my long staff really nicely weighted.
I am making 1m double staves at the moment with 2 inch wick on the end and ill be putting in some dowel (about 3 inches) at each end. Have found that it has made my long staff really nicely weighted.
- Industrial design knows of no article more useful than the milk crate -
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Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posted:
Josh, I may not have understood your post correctly, but are you saying that doubles have to be spun with lightweight staves and lots of finger spins?I cannot do the light stave thing at all, but am pretty good at long (heavy) double staffs...But the peeps i know who do light staves have a completely different style to my doubles, usually with a lot more boton-type moves and finger spins rather the momentum based way I prefer...2c too...------------------Charles (INFERNO)newdolbel@hotmail.comhttps://juggling.co.nz
Josh, I may not have understood your post correctly, but are you saying that doubles have to be spun with lightweight staves and lots of finger spins?I cannot do the light stave thing at all, but am pretty good at long (heavy) double staffs...But the peeps i know who do light staves have a completely different style to my doubles, usually with a lot more boton-type moves and finger spins rather the momentum based way I prefer...2c too...------------------Charles (INFERNO)newdolbel@hotmail.comhttps://juggling.co.nz
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member
24 posts
Location: Melbourne, Vic, Australia
24 posts
Location: Melbourne, Vic, Australia
Posted:
Well I don't know much about light stave moves, but I spin my heavy pair pretty much as you would spin a pair of long staffs. I've been using them for about 4 months and have made a fair bit of progress. I am guessing that with light staves you craft every manoeuvre with your hands as you go, as opposed to setting the staves spinning and letting the momentum do most of the work. I prefer the latter technique, but probably only because I am used to it from spinning long staffs.Speed is not any issue. Get this pair moving and they won't stop! As for finger spins, it is not much different from spinning long staffs.I guess it comes down to whatever you get used to, and the style you use.
Well I don't know much about light stave moves, but I spin my heavy pair pretty much as you would spin a pair of long staffs. I've been using them for about 4 months and have made a fair bit of progress. I am guessing that with light staves you craft every manoeuvre with your hands as you go, as opposed to setting the staves spinning and letting the momentum do most of the work. I prefer the latter technique, but probably only because I am used to it from spinning long staffs.Speed is not any issue. Get this pair moving and they won't stop! As for finger spins, it is not much different from spinning long staffs.I guess it comes down to whatever you get used to, and the style you use.
AnonymousPLATINUM Member
Posted:
The very first time I picked up doubles I spun them as hard as I could (ask Flash) it was fun. The first time I saw someone impressive on doubles, he was spinning a pure primal power set. It was inspiring. I've since seen Flash and a few others demonstrate other kinds of advanced doubles style. what I'm hoping to achieve this summer is the application of my poi twirling style (call it what you may 
) to doubles. I'm going for precision with good body flow. I'm also gonna try and infuse it with some of that primal energy that the first guy I saw had. so yeah - thats what I meant about ferocious Josh
The very first time I picked up doubles I spun them as hard as I could (ask Flash
) it was fun. The first time I saw someone impressive on doubles, he was spinning a pure primal power set. It was inspiring. I've since seen Flash and a few others demonstrate other kinds of advanced doubles style. what I'm hoping to achieve this summer is the application of my poi twirling style (call it what you may ) to doubles. I'm going for precision with good body flow. I'm also gonna try and infuse it with some of that primal energy that the first guy I saw had. so yeah - thats what I meant about ferocious Josh BRONZE Member
member
515 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
member
515 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Posted:
I prefer my staves to be heavier, my moves are more about going around what my body is doing and slow sorta sensual stuff... so the lighter sticks tend to spin too fast for what im doing.
I prefer my staves to be heavier, my moves are more about going around what my body is doing and slow sorta sensual stuff... so the lighter sticks tend to spin too fast for what im doing.
- Industrial design knows of no article more useful than the milk crate -
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