Forums > Other Toys > Dai's Buugeng (S-Staffs) Impressions

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akgraphicsSILVER Member
member
133 posts
Location: Churchill College, Cambridge, United Kingdom


Posted:
I'm the happy owner of one of Dai's amazing Buugeng:

Where to buy them:
https://www.zaobab.com/buugeng_about.html

Home of Poi lessons:
https://www.homeofpoi.com/lessons_all/teach/Library-Staff-S-Staff-Buugeng-4_48_0

I received the smaller version, which, with shipping to UK, came to about £60. A fantastic birthday present smile And you get two of them with a really nice bag, so £30 each with bag isn't *so* bad. (I will note here that before buying them with my birthday money I tried to make my own out of plywood ... it was a disaster redface)

Some people have been asking me about the quality of them, whether it's worth buying them all the way from South Africa. I'll try and give my opinion of them here. I'm not gonna say anything about spinning the damn things, as the technique thread is here:

[Old link]

First of all, the wood-working quality is excellent, they have an excellent 'heft' to them. The colour is nice and shiny too. I can't describe just how good it feels to spin something that truly feels "crafted" rather than mass-produced, injection moulded, etc. I feel like I'm spinning something with value, rather something that could just be replaced with a quick click on a fire toys website.

A note about the mechanism. From Dai's tutorial videos you can see that they unfold out from a banana-shape. In the folded position, the curves are held in place by strong magnets - they require a strong flick of the wrist to unfold, and the motion is very smooth - the pivot works great, without any creaking. The only trouble I'll mention here is that if you keep 'unfolding' the buugeng in the same direction, you'll gradually unwind the pivot (which is a thread screw with a washer that bores itself into the wood). I guess just a little care will prevent this from becoming a major concern. Even if this pivot does work itself loose, once the buugeng 'snap' into position, the magnets make sure the prop stays steady. When I drop the staff in the 'unfolded' position, the buugeng does not fold up, it stays in its proper shape. These magnets are great - but they're not so strong such that it's difficult to close.

The weighting is a lot lighter than I imagined it would be - there is not any extra weight towards the tips of the S-curves, making keeping in plane extremely difficult (or more fun to learn, depending on how you look at it!).

I hope this has been clear, if you guys want any more info I'll try my best to answer. Though do give Dai a call through his website, that would be a better way of going about it. I even got a beautiful hand-written note with my buugeng. The attention to detail he's put into this props is stunning, and they were well worth the money. I wish everyone here would go out and get some, so we can all start thinking of new tricks to do with them!

Thanks Dai hug !

Mother_Natures_SonSILVER Member
Rampant whirler.
2,418 posts
Location: Geelong, Victoria, Australia!


Posted:
OH! The buugeng have been "improved" no longer if you turn them in the same direction over and over do they get tighter... you must tighten them with a screwdriver if you want it tighter.

hug


Bender_the_OffenderGOLD Member
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia


Posted:
the buugengs i have seen all have flat head screws that tighten with a screwdriver.

Laugh Often, Smile Much, Post lolcats Always


Mother_Natures_SonSILVER Member
Rampant whirler.
2,418 posts
Location: Geelong, Victoria, Australia!


Posted:
In the info sheet I've got it says that if you continue to turn the buugeng one way around the swivel they'll tighten up or loosen off, I remember yours being too tight to flick out easily.

But he's written a note to disregard these comments and looking at the construction, I understand why it wouldn't be applicable.

hug


Bender_the_OffenderGOLD Member
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia


Posted:
Hi MNS, i will produce a video about smooth opening & closing movements - my set are significantly stiffer to open then the other sets that weekend because the paint is in a later stage of deterioration.

With Jed's buugeng, it still tightened up if i opened and closed them 3 times in one direction, so it is a matter of the overall design also.

you are fortunate to not have this paint issue!

again, i would like a fire buugeng! it's the only toy i play regularly with that i can't burn!

Laugh Often, Smile Much, Post lolcats Always


Mother_Natures_SonSILVER Member
Rampant whirler.
2,418 posts
Location: Geelong, Victoria, Australia!


Posted:
Something has clearly gone wrong with my buugeng... I was adapting well to them yesterday, but today my left buugeng is going out of plane. I'll post a video at some point next week just to show off how pretty mine are. I really like the look of them without paint.
EDITED_BY: Mother_Natures_Son (1224120818)

hug


Bender_the_OffenderGOLD Member
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia


Posted:
simple, just swap the left buugeng with your right buugeng!

Laugh Often, Smile Much, Post lolcats Always


Pogo69SILVER Member
there's no charge for awesomeness... or attractiveness
3,764 posts
Location: limbo, Australia


Posted:
YAY!! mine arrived yesterday...!! and yes, they do (did) feel a bit odd to start with. already had a nice light grip and a rolling wrist from doubles play, so it hasn't been too much of a struggle.

have been playing largely with becoming free with a single buugeng at a time and mimicking doubles moves. will report back in when I've got them doing something useful.

they sure do look pretty; both at rest and in motion. oh and a great big kudos to dai, a top guy, who's been very helpful and communicative while I've waited through his struggle to get them back into production.

--pogo (pat) [forever and always]


MRCSILVER Member
Funky Blessings Daily
215 posts
Location: USA


Posted:
Does anyone have advice on arm length/staff length?

Bender_the_OffenderGOLD Member
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia


Posted:
96cm is too short for me, and i have long arms and tend to prefer short doubles (1m)

96cm is short enough for behind-the-leg moves also.

doo it! doo it! doo it! smile

Laugh Often, Smile Much, Post lolcats Always


Flyshkastranger
1 post

Posted:
Hi to everyone!!!
Im new in your community... I just was reading and reading staff and now i get registered because i would like to get a BUUGENG!!! I saw this thing in internet at the site of Dai like 3 mounth ago and seems that im looking his page everyday with the hope that he will sell again some buugens... and im loosing my paciens hi,hi... i would like soooo much to get one of thees buugeng, dont you know another place where you can bye them? I dont care if they a already jused or something like that... i just dream to get one alsoo!!
I tried to do some, but it was me so impossible he,he...

MRCSILVER Member
Funky Blessings Daily
215 posts
Location: USA


Posted:
I'd personally either make them myself or get the from dai. A prop like the buugeng could easily wear down over time and buying second hand online could see you getting an unsatisfactory prop.

I think the only thing I want, is that when they're on sale again, more colors.

I personally am a cool color person. I want blues greens purples...EVEN PINK. I can't imagine painting being the most difficult portion of production so I think I'd just like to see more options there.

astonSILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa


Posted:
DIY work?

tongue2

Performance props online could go either way.

'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland


_Poiboy_PLATINUM Member
bastard child of satan
1,113 posts
Location: Raanana, Israel


Posted:
damn christmas, sold out already frown

TABjugglerSILVER Member
newbie
26 posts
Location: Orlando, FL, USA


Posted:
I will be getting into this soon. I am excited!

Zephyre PhoenixFamiliar stranger giving out popcorn. (formerly Ascilith)
1,264 posts
Location: Lawrence, KS


Posted:
tried the original link and it's in japanese. confuzled

Never take candy from strangers...... But popcorn is okay!


SpinnerofDetroitGOLD Member
All High Dude, Ruler of What You Want
2,280 posts
Location: Trenton, MI, USA


Posted:
If I get one I'm just gonna make one. Way too much for a curved, painted piece of wood.

The only luck is bad luck.

Shut up before I stall my poi up your ass grin


astonSILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa


Posted:
Assi: https://www.zaobab.com/buugeng/buugeng.html

smile

'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland


shellefentonstranger
3 posts
Location: Melbourne Victoria, Australia


Posted:
Seriously, make your own!
I made some for my son, $30 all up. And they look fantastic!
Dont waste money on well over priced bits of wood!

A jigsaw, some sanding paper, and your away.

possibly the oldest member here i reckon. And still learning.


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