MathGwyson
Artisan
Couldn't find a thread on this (except a semi-related one about double-blades) so I figured I'd start a new one to ask;
Are there any simple & direct guides or how-tos involving making a boffer staff? The suggestions in the book have 'general weapon' and then a few other points of note for staff specific, but I'm having trouble reasoning through it to come up with what I need all together at the end. (It doesn't help that I don't really know what 'PVC' means or the difference between 'open' and 'closed' cell foam, other than some basic context at our local work days etc)
I need one for this weekend and I'm worried the one I ordered from Epic Armoury won't get here in time .
I'm a very ideas/theoretical person, not a hands-on craftsman type, so this might be common sense to some people, but I'm having trouble wrapping my head around it.
* There is a note on p82 that 1/2 inch PVC is not to be used for weapons over 32 inches total length, but it does not say what *should* be used (thinner, or thicker?) on page 85 the instructions say "3/4 or 1/2 inch pvc pipe", so I'm guessing 3/4 inch is what I would use for a staff?
* The middle 6 inches must be covered with a minimum of 1/2 inch of pipe insulation (which I interpret from other areas is 'closed cell foam') - I presume this directly superceeds the general rule of 5/8th of an inch padding? I presume the 5/8th of an inch is used for the rest of the weapon beyond the 6 inches? The oddity here is that I can handle it within the middle 3 feet, not just the thinner 6 inch section - I'll probably mark the 3 feet somehow so I know where I'm allowed to handle it.
* The 'Grip Max' said 9"x2 - which is 18 inches. How does this 'grip' value different from the 'middle 6 inches must be covered with a minimum of 1/2 inches of pipe insulation'?
* The 'tip min' confuses me a little. Even though a staff can't be used for thrusting, it still has a thrusting tip? I suppose it's there for accidents? In any event, does this mean that my PVC core should only be a total of 68 inches, because the 4 inches for the thrusting tip do not have a core, correct?
It was suggested to me that since this is for temporary use only that I just get a water noodle and stick a PVC pipe in for a core and then wrap it in duct tape - is this reasonable? (I would like to make a more 'proper' one so that I could at least donate it to the LARP when my latex staff actually arrives, but this seems very complicated to wrap my head around, but is probably easier than it seems.)
Are there any simple & direct guides or how-tos involving making a boffer staff? The suggestions in the book have 'general weapon' and then a few other points of note for staff specific, but I'm having trouble reasoning through it to come up with what I need all together at the end. (It doesn't help that I don't really know what 'PVC' means or the difference between 'open' and 'closed' cell foam, other than some basic context at our local work days etc)
I need one for this weekend and I'm worried the one I ordered from Epic Armoury won't get here in time .
I'm a very ideas/theoretical person, not a hands-on craftsman type, so this might be common sense to some people, but I'm having trouble wrapping my head around it.
* There is a note on p82 that 1/2 inch PVC is not to be used for weapons over 32 inches total length, but it does not say what *should* be used (thinner, or thicker?) on page 85 the instructions say "3/4 or 1/2 inch pvc pipe", so I'm guessing 3/4 inch is what I would use for a staff?
* The middle 6 inches must be covered with a minimum of 1/2 inch of pipe insulation (which I interpret from other areas is 'closed cell foam') - I presume this directly superceeds the general rule of 5/8th of an inch padding? I presume the 5/8th of an inch is used for the rest of the weapon beyond the 6 inches? The oddity here is that I can handle it within the middle 3 feet, not just the thinner 6 inch section - I'll probably mark the 3 feet somehow so I know where I'm allowed to handle it.
* The 'Grip Max' said 9"x2 - which is 18 inches. How does this 'grip' value different from the 'middle 6 inches must be covered with a minimum of 1/2 inches of pipe insulation'?
* The 'tip min' confuses me a little. Even though a staff can't be used for thrusting, it still has a thrusting tip? I suppose it's there for accidents? In any event, does this mean that my PVC core should only be a total of 68 inches, because the 4 inches for the thrusting tip do not have a core, correct?
It was suggested to me that since this is for temporary use only that I just get a water noodle and stick a PVC pipe in for a core and then wrap it in duct tape - is this reasonable? (I would like to make a more 'proper' one so that I could at least donate it to the LARP when my latex staff actually arrives, but this seems very complicated to wrap my head around, but is probably easier than it seems.)