daemanBRONZE Member
newbie
14 posts
Location: United Kingdom


Posted:
not sure if u all know this or not but im just getting started with poi and was looking into making some sock poi to start with but whilst out shopping i came up with the idea of usin dog toys as poi ive just got some an they are really good and really cheap.

nonenonenoneSILVER Member
member
129 posts
Location: none, United Kingdom


Posted:
nice idea! my first lot of 'poi' were literally some old long socks with a pair of socks rolled up in the end! hehe

Suibomaddict
577 posts
Location: Oregon, USA


Posted:
Heh.. yeah, somewhere on this site is a post of a guy who's girlfriend used to get mad at him when they went shopping cause he would stop by the dog item aisle and start spinning dog toys :P.

Very amusing.

Definition of poi- A Hawaiian food made from the tuber of the taro that is cooked, pounded to a paste, and fermented.

Ahnold discussing poi - "It is naht a toober!"


GeoffonTour04SILVER Member
enthusiast
360 posts
Location: Oxford, United Kingdom


Posted:
I use bits of dowel on string most of the time, same size as a glowstick.

FireByNiteSILVER Member
Are you up for it??
349 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand


Posted:
Written by: Suibom


Heh.. yeah, somewhere on this site is a post of a guy who's girlfriend used to get mad at him when they went shopping cause he would stop by the dog item aisle and start spinning dog toys :P.

Very amusing.



ubblol

Are you up for it?
wink;)


Fire Taigermember
105 posts

Posted:
you can tie a cut up old shirt or bath towel to the end of a dog chain with some bailing wire to make a nice cheap set of fire poi.

The quest for poi perfection may bring much enlightenment...
and burns
OOUUUUCCCHHHHIIIEEEEE!!!!!!!!!


StoutBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,872 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
you can tie a cut up old shirt or bath towel to the end of a dog chain with some bailing wire to make a nice cheap set of fire poi

HOWEVER. fire poi like this are going to throw off embers which make them a fire hazard for both the immediate environment and your audience, definitely not recommended.

Fire Taigermember
105 posts

Posted:
i never said they were safe. it's what i used my first time. they worked fine no one got hurt and i made sure i was on cement at the time. if you put some time and effort into making them, they're not actually that bad. i use heater wicks now, they work almost as good as kevlar, they just don't last anywhere near as long.

The quest for poi perfection may bring much enlightenment...
and burns
OOUUUUCCCHHHHIIIEEEEE!!!!!!!!!


StoutBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,872 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
True, you never said they were safe... But somebody just reading this might,,,, and just casually light up without knowing about the way these things ember, especially after a couple of burns. Better to be completely up front about these things, I think..:)

I spun with a set of these once and hunks were flying off.

Are heater wicks also made of cotton? Reason I'm asking is I'm on the hunt for a source for fiberglass tape to make wicks out of, like those cheap Thai style wicks, but cathedrals instead. This stuff holds fuel better than kevlar, but, unfortunately, has nowhere near the lifespan

FireByNiteSILVER Member
Are you up for it??
349 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand


Posted:
Written by: Fire Taiger


you can tie a cut up old shirt or bath towel to the end of a dog chain with some bailing wire to make a nice cheap set of fire poi.




eek well why not burn with petrol (sic!)
seriously, try reading some of the fire safety articles around here smile https://www.homeofpoi.com/articles/

Are you up for it?
wink;)


MuskelungeGOLD Member
member
55 posts
Location: Chicago, USA


Posted:
My first "poi" (before I had even heard of poi) were the dowel glow-stick-like things. When I actually started I spliced some rope to the right length with eye splices, then attatched tennis balls with little sling thingies. They didn't cost any money, but they did take a long time to make. (And they still work well.)
I don't even bother with fire poi, because of all the safety problems.
Anyway, use whatever you want as cheap starter poi. They're fun when they're random.

The Guide is definitive. Reality is frequently inaccurate.


JayKittyGOLD Member
Mission: Ignition
534 posts
Location: Central New Jersey, USA


Posted:
I used to use rolled up towels as my first type of poi. They work fine if you only use them once, twice if it's good quality towel. I even used to use pure colemans fuel on them.... wow I was dumb back in those days ubblol is till have the scars to prove it when I first tried wrapping on bare skin with the towel poi soaked ini colemans

Don't mind me, just passing through.


GeoffonTour04SILVER Member
enthusiast
360 posts
Location: Oxford, United Kingdom


Posted:
Written by: Muskelunge


I don't even bother with fire poi, because of all the safety problems.





Safety problems? It's easier to not burn yourself than it is to get burned, unless you're being really, really stupid with it. All I do is wear a hoodie, and if I'm doing a burn by myself in the garden I have a damp towel hanging up waiting. I've never come close to getting burned, and I do wraps all over the place.

PoibabeBRONZE Member
newbie
2 posts
Location: United Kingdom


Posted:
If you do team sports you can use bibs a flags me and my mates put on a performance for our team cause we didn't have any poi with us.
Do you have any ideas on cheep things you can use for staff?

[Nx?]BRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,749 posts
Location: Europe,Scotland,Both


Posted:
hi

that fibergalss tape is horrible stuff, had some kevlar once with fiberglass inside, left horrid skin rash whenever it touched you, even unlit.

and as for:

Written by: poibabe

Do you have any ideas on cheep things you can use for staff?




a stick? ubblol

T wave

This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti


TheGreatSaintGOLD Member
Member
48 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
Fiberglass tape, that actually sounds good.

I've been using a fibreglass mesh/matting surrounded by steal wire. It's worked really really well, I'd almost say it rivals kevlar (here comes the pain wink ). EXCEPT: the burn doesn't last very long because it's a MESH so fuel doesn't bode well, but you get some neat effects if your poi collides: https://www.homeofpoi.com/gallery/showpho...=all&page=1
be sure to shake off before you light up, especially in dry areas, but most wicks tend to have excess fuel anyways.

Also, I've found a tendancy for the Fibreglass to expand when heated (another advantage that makes kevlar the best), so my steal casing is cutting into the fibreglass (this was evident on the first burn, but excess dissappeared after a few times).

Also, fiberglass has a higher tolerence for heat, I'm still testing, but I'm confident my fiberglass wicks will last much longer then my kevlar ones (I could be wrong, time will tell).

Oh, the flame looks cooler, check out my picture posted earlier! tongue

By the way, I paid $10 and I still have over half my Mesh/Matting left.

1 more thing! The sound, very very small compared to other wicks.

Fire Taigermember
105 posts

Posted:
Written by: Poibabe


Do you have any ideas on cheep things you can use for staff?




closet rods work great, just not with fire.

The quest for poi perfection may bring much enlightenment...
and burns
OOUUUUCCCHHHHIIIEEEEE!!!!!!!!!


Fire Taigermember
105 posts

Posted:
Written by: stout


True, you never said they were safe... But somebody just reading this might,,,, and just casually light up without knowing about the way these things ember, especially after a couple of burns. Better to be completely up front about these things, I think..:)

I spun with a set of these once and hunks were flying off.

Are heater wicks also made of cotton? Reason I'm asking is I'm on the hunt for a source for fiberglass tape to make wicks out of, like those cheap Thai style wicks, but cathedrals instead. This stuff holds fuel better than kevlar, but, unfortunately, has nowhere near the lifespan




i suppose next time i should be a little more specific about danger. and heater wicks work just fine. i use kerosene heater wicks, i'm not sure but i think they're made of cotton and fiberglass, but hold me to that. i get mine at wal-mart they're like $4. oh, and at first they do send alot of little embers, but they burn away before they even hit the ground

The quest for poi perfection may bring much enlightenment...
and burns
OOUUUUCCCHHHHIIIEEEEE!!!!!!!!!


TheGreatSaintGOLD Member
Member
48 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
I'd imagine the fibreglass would hold alot more fuel if it was weaved with cotton, but you wouldn't get the life expectancy I'm getting out of fiberglass mesh (I'll have to look for some tape one of these days, but I might have better luck finding heater wicks).

Written by: Nx?

that fibergalss tape is horrible stuff, had some kevlar once with fiberglass inside, left horrid skin rash whenever it touched you, even unlit.





Dude! let me guess, you got soot all over your hands and washed with warm water.

Just so everyone knows: when handling fiberglass wash your hands with COLD water.

warm water opens up your skin and fibers get in, causing the rash, I learned this when I had to take cold showers after putting fiberglass insulation into a building (brrrr..).

safety first: burn yourself, not your friends.

UCOFSILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales


Posted:
What does (sic) mean? From the latin? umm
Ive seen it around many times before and just havent asked what it means.

confused

FireByNiteSILVER Member
Are you up for it??
349 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand


Posted:
offtopic @ UCOF

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=sic&r=d

this tends to be the most commonly used meaning but not strictly the correct one

Are you up for it?
wink;)


UCOFSILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales


Posted:
ahhh.. look at that little chapy.

He looks so unhappy. wink



Fair enough, I should have googled. ubbangel

Apologies. smile

FireByNiteSILVER Member
Are you up for it??
349 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand


Posted:
wasn't meaning the angry face, just the off topic one wink

Are you up for it?
wink;)


TheGreatSaintGOLD Member
Member
48 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
Back onto topic then (and he does have an angry face).

I saw some Glow-In-The-Dark acrylic paint for about $7 at an arts and crafts store.

Some string and/or fabric, weight (rice, beans, tennis balls) for another $5 and you could make yourself a nice set of Glow poi.

Thinking of painting a spiral design with a nice tiedie fabric, or should it be a solid covering of acrylic paint?


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