edit - Update 11/10/04. A lot of the pics that were originally in this thread don’t work anymore because their host sites have taken them down or moved them. Sorry.
(too bad eBay doesn’t distribute these to its buyers)
Copyright © 2002 IronFist.
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How to tell if a wooden dummy is crap.
There are many ways to spot a crappy wooden dummy. A wooden dummy can be divided into 4 sections: Body, arms, leg, and stand. Each section will be examined, and key points will be identified.
Body
The body of a wooden dummy should be round. No exceptions. You might think a flat body is ok, but as soon as you strike it from any position other than head on, you will realize the error of your ways.
Round body violation, round arm violation
The body must have a diameter of 8.5" to 9.5". Any more or less will change the alignment of the upper arms.
The holes for the support slats should not be centered. They should be a little bit behind center. This allows more of the dummy’s surface to be exposed.
Arms
The arms must be wood. PVC arms will bend and/or break when pressure is applied.
The arms must be tapered. This helps maintain the proper angle.
Arm taper and arm heigh violations
Arm height, arm taper, and arms-having-springs-on-them(?) violation.
The arms must be round. Yes, believe it or not, some dummies with squared arms are being sold. Ever tried to bong sao a square arm? Ever tried to lop sao a square arm?
Round arms violation.
The shanks of the arms that go through the body must be square. This prevents the arms from rolling around.
The top arms must be at almost the same height. This is accomplished by offsetting the shank of the top two arms. Dummies where the top two arms are at very different heights will hurt your technique. Left and right bong sao should be at the same level.
Here is a good example of what the offset shanks are supposed to look like. The other arm’s is done the other way and as a result the arms are at almost the same height. Also notice the space around the slat so the arm can move when it is hit. This is an excellent example of how the arm should fit in the hole.
Arm height violation and leg violation.
The arms must go all the way through the dummy, and be secured in place on the other side with a tapered pin that goes vertically through a hole in the shank. Arms that are not secured can be pulled out.
The arms should have a little “give” when you hit them. Approximately ¼ to ½" in all directions is good. Arms that are tightly in place will not give when you hit them, and therefore will not absorb your force. Also, the sound that is created by the arm moving in its hole can be used to help judge technique.
The tips of the upper arms should be 8" apart when pulled together and 9" apart when pulled apart. Any other distancing will lead to improper technique and positioning.
Wood arms violation, distance between arms violation, arm height violation, arm taper violation.
The insides of the upper arms should be beveled to allow them to be pulled together without rubbing each other. Because of this, and the offset shanks, there is a specific left and right arm. They cannot be reversed.
Leg
There should be a leg
Stand (non-wall stands)
The stand should be strong enough to withstand hits. The dummy stand should not scoot across the floor with each hit.
No part of the stand should get in the way of the practitioner during any movement.
Absolutely every violation imaginable!
End
Can anyone think of anything I forgot?
IronFist
