HOME PRACTICE WEAPON DO IT YOURSELF
You can make a pretty good alternative weapon to practice at home with a few pieces from Lowes and Wal-Mart for under $5. Here is what you will need (you may already have some of this at home!):
Instructions
- Cut the PEX pipe to the proper length. If you use the regular size weapon (from rack), cut the pipe to 40 inches. If the weapon is for a child and they typically use the shorter weapons from the bucket, cut the pipe to 38 inches.
- Mark the pipe 5 inches from one end (this is where you will place the guard).
- Measure a diameter of 4 inches and cut out the bottom of the disposable bowl. The bottom of the red Wal-Mart brand red disposable bowl is already about 4 inches in diameter. I cut a little past the bottom curve to give the guard a little curve.
- Trace a the circle on the end of the pipe in the center of bowl guard cutout you just made.
- Cut out the hole (make sure you cut out in the middle of your tracing, you don’t want to make the whole too big.
- Slide the guard you made onto the pipe to the 5 inch mark you made earlier, and if you have a curve on your guard, make sure it is curving towards the end of the grip (the 5 inch section).
- Hot glue/glue the guard into place.
- Hot glue the the end caps to the pipe.
- If you want to be creative, you can wrap the grip leather or plastic.
- The final weapon bends and recovers pretty well, but you may have to re-straighten the weapon after 3-4.
Materials
- SharkBite 1/2-in x 5-ft PEX Pipe (plumbing section, $1.86): https://www.lowes.com/pd/SharkBite-1-2-in-x-5-ft-PEX-Pipe/1000386513
- 1/2″ PVC End Cap (plumbing section, ~98 cents): https://www.lowes.com/pd/Carlon-1-2-PVC-End-Cap/1076503
- Disposable plastic bowl(s). I bought a pack, good thing, because I messed up cutting a few (~$2.48). I used: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Gv-Red-Plastic-Bowl/591747847
- Hot glue gun, super glue, and regular glue will probably work just fine. I used hot glue.
- Scissors to cut the bowl
- Pipe cutter, fine cut hack saw, or even a good kitchen steak knife will work to cut the Sharkbite PEX pipe (they’re pretty easy to cut)
- Any marker
