DIY

ok check this out.. I'll have pics up by next week of this to link into the thread.. but I created my own poi handle desgin that is unique and so far a lot of people have asked for some..

basically you take the lace of preference.. mine happens to be boot at the moment because I want something more rigid for my tangles, but I used to use round covered laces.. they stretch a little at first but once they are stretched out.. OMG they spin sooooo smooth..

next you will need one pair of dead glowsticks.. cut them off about half way.. beware of the glass inside.. and the goop inside is not something you want on your hands.. its not toxic.. just VERY annoying.. also its better to have the glowsticks with the tapered end, rather then teh solci chunk loop.. the tapered end stretches, before the loop breaks wheereas the chunck loops will just snap off.. (chunck end glowsticks are usually found in camping sections, tapered ends are usually found in the party section)

other random parts: a drill, electrical tape, and durable elastic cord ( I can't really describe this any better then I have sorry)

take the handles and file thee cut end so that you smooth all the edges off.. now wrap the handle in elcetrical tape.. from end to end (not covering the little loop part.. ) now you have better grip..

next you need to feed one end of the lace through the loop right to left and the other lace end the oppostie.. what this does is creates a loop out of the string with the excess being pulled through the handle end.. having a string loop like this makes it quick and easy to change out glowsticks.. you just push the loop throught the hole.. pull it around the glowstick and pull the slack back out. (I'll have pics up within a week)

anyway.. if you attach a glowstcik to your loop as described you can then measuer how long you need your string to be.. once at the proper length have someone hold the handle and glowstick, pulling tight.. whil you take and wrap the excess string starting at the string above the handle loop, and slwoly tightly coiling it around (each string in an oppsite dfirections)until you get to the base (where the loop meets the top of the stick) then tie it off.. and wrap the rest around the coiled part.. this provides a stronger stable base around the loop end of the gloswtcik preventing it from stretching or snapping easily..

take your electrical tape and wrap it around this coiled string.. going from near the tip, down to the handle itself.. this needs to be tight, so don't worry about making lots of revolutions.. the tape prevents the string from untieing.. thus not letting it loosen.. this strengthens the base even more, and keeps you from ever retying the strings..

finally take the drill and put a hole through only one side of the glowstick handle.. this gives you room to run the elastic cord.. basically feed it through and tie a knot so that when you pull the cord the knot is inside the handle preventing the cord from being pulled out the hole.. then feed the cord back into through the hole... make a slipknot on that end and hoook it around the first knot.. maybe tie another knot for good measuer.. this creates a loop sticking out of the handle with the knots and stuff on the inside the handle.. this loops should pass between your two middle fingers and then over them... this way.. if you let go or have your handles pulled out your hand (which happens to me sooo damn much) your handles stay right next to your hand.. so you can regrab them..

sigh.. gosh that was way long and not helpful.. but the pics will show them better.. or maybe just a short vid clip.. anyway.. what you get is a permanent set of handles with string, that have a loop to easiely attach and detach poi heads.. (whether glowstick or leds, or whatever..) plus you get the option of handles and loops.. the loops allow you to let go of the handles when you need to.. but also act to hold the handles near you so that you can keep spinning without losing your poi.. and if you make the elastic loops right you can still easily slide them off to do one handed moves and throws.. plus the elastic stretches giving other people a chance to use your poi without having it specifically geared for them..

takes all of maybe 15-20 minutes to make.. and the only part I've ever had to change was the elastic on the handles.. which is a 2 minutes fix..

I have other versions.. but this one is my favorite.. and despite the confusing text, its really quite simple.. alas, I've always felt that homemade poi should be like a lightsaber.. unique to the person... built by the person.. part of the padiwan poi training program.. so I've only made poi for those that are starting to spin for the first time.. I like to see the creative ways that people use to make poi and counter their handicaps.. like my inability to hold handle poi.. LOL

Ihave a vid clip.. hit me uup on im.. it shows the way they loop and unloop to the glowstick.. it shows the way the handle loop comes out the handle and attaches to the hand.. unfortunately I didn't undo all the tape to show how they are tied..

im me for the clip..and if you have any questions beyond that I could make more clips.. its just really really hard with my shitty cam to get stuff to show up clear.. but if I find someone to do the camera work for me I might could make another pair.. at least the tying part.. since that is all that isn't covered..

i heard plasterscene+ 2 glowstick on each side works really well.

i use either that or

sock poi
the invention to aspire all new poi pepps into pain forever.

<coming from someone just learn 4 and alsmost 5 beat weave with a saw head.

i made kinda juggling balls outta balloons with rice in them and put them inside my socks...
you can make em as heavy or light as you like really...and really cheap too

My socks are loaded with two of a cheap set of three juggling hackies (hackeys?)- they seem to do the job nicely

Chut

I've weighed my sock poi with some cheap beanbags from a local toy store. I don't like juggling balls because they're too solid. The loose filling on these beanbags means that a lot of the force of the impact is taken by the splat of the poi... and they don't bounce. For some reason poi bouncing off my body when I mess up annoys me.

Orbit

Hehe

For weightyness here. Glo hackies are pretty heavy, prolly nothng like fire but its heavier than reg tennis ball or reg hackie poi. Also something my brother suggested was to cut open a tennis ball and put abunch of stuff in it for weight, but not to add to the size. Just a thought, haven't tried it myself.

-Poikid-

Mmm, fire. I've been good the last 6/7 years which is probably a good thing

I take charge for that one.. I've been holding spank icon hostage... using it for my own ends.. my enforcer of DOOM....

spherculism's official view on the tennis ball and matches thing.

DON'T DO IT UNLESS YOU WANT TO HURT YOURSELF.

¦s¦

I was kind of hoping that people would realise that you end up with a fairly uncontrollable ball of flame, which IS obviously quite dangerous... But I thought you all old and ugly enough to be responsible, not like the kids who set fire to a puddle of petrol and jumped over it!! It's ok to lose your fear of fire, but you should never lose your respect of it.

Hooray for The Darwin Awards,and The Ig-Nobel Prize!!!

If you can find the connectors (or improv some) I have loads of ball chain which you could splice a bit off. It looks increasingly likely I'll be heading over to spitz a week on Tuesday, so let me know and I'll bring it over

Chut

[quote="Mr_Chutney"]If you can find the connectors (or improv some) I have loads of ball chain which you could splice a bit off. It looks increasingly likely I'll be heading over to spitz a week on Tuesday, so let me know and I'll bring it over

Chut