Nunchaku, often known informally as "nunchuks", are a traditional Okinawan martial arts weapon, made with two sticks connected at one end by a rope or chain. Nunchaku are an amazing weapon for training, they can help you improve posture and develop faster hand movements. If you want to build yourself Nunchaku, whether you are a martial arts student or just a fan of martial arts movies, there are many ways to do it. You can make them with wood, PVC pipe, or even foam rubber, just to list a few options. If you want to know how to build yourself Nunchaku, go to Method 1 to get started.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Using Wood
Step 1. Get two wooden cylinders
They should be about the length of your forearm, the distance between the elbow and the wrist, or about 2-3 cm in diameter. If you want, you can paint them black or another color to make them look more threatening. But it is also nice to leave the natural color of the wood. Each cylinder should be about 30cm long, if you don't reach six feet tall, and about 40cm if you are taller, because the Nunchaku must be able to go around your body. If they are too small for you, you will not be able to use them properly.
If you can't find two cylinders of this size, you can take a larger one and cut it in half with a saw, jigsaw or bandsaw
Step 2. Get half a meter of rope
The string or twine should be about half a meter long or a little more if you are over 6 feet tall. Your best bet is to get a 5mm thick nylon rope. You can also buy more string and cut it to the length you need. It does not mean that there will be half a meter of rope between the nunchuks; there will be less because you have to tie each end of the rope to the cylinders.
Step 3. Drill the end of each cylinder
The hole should be large enough for the string to pass through and at least 4cm deep in each stick. Use a 9mm tip or a thinner one, depending on the diameter of your Nunchaku.
Step 4. Drill a smaller hole in the side of each cylinder
You need to drill a smaller hole in the side of each cylinder so that the string can pass through the two holes and tie it. The side hole must connect to the other so that it is easier to slide the rope. It should be at least a couple of inches deep in each cylinder; if the hole is too close to the end, the rope could wear out the wood and come loose after frequent use.
Step 5. Pass one end of the rope through the side hole and out of the one at the end of the cylinder
Then tie it tightly so it doesn't melt. Make sure you leave enough space (at least a few inches) to be able to tie the end of the rope well.
Step 6. Do the same with the other end of the rope
Now that you have tied one end of the string to the wooden cylinder, you can tie the other end to the other cylinder.
Step 7. Fill the holes at the end with glue
Use regular glue or Super Attak to give the nunchuks more stability and keep the string from moving.
Step 8. Finished
Wait a few minutes for the glue to dry and get ready to use nunchuks! You can also start learning a few moves.
Method 2 of 3: Use a PVC pipe
Step 1. Get a piece of PVC pipe at least 2 meters long
And it should be 2 cm in diameter. You will need a saw, hacksaw, or circular saw to cut it into two pieces. The tube should be empty inside so the Nunchaku aren't too heavy or dangerous.
Step 2. Cut the PVC pipe in half
You should cut them so that the length of each tube is equivalent to the distance between your wrist and elbow, which should be approximately 30cm. If you are over six feet tall, it could be slightly more.
Step 3. Put the caps on the two pieces of pipe
If you have PVC glue, use it to weld the plugs at each end of the pipe (you will need two plugs for each piece).
Step 4. Use a power drill to make a hole in the top of the caps
Step 5. Screw the eye bolts into the holes
Be careful to screw them in until they are tight. The ring screws should be approximately 1 cm in diameter.
Step 6. Connect the ends of the chain to each eye bolt
Take a 12-inch piece of chain and use a pair of pliers to bend the ring at each end so that it is open enough to thread it into the ring screws. Thread the open rings into the screws and use the pliers to close them, so essentially it's like the screws are another link in the chain. Do this at both ends of the chain.
Step 7. Cover the pipe with electrical tape
Now carefully cover each tube with your preferred amount of black electrical tape. You can cover them all over, or leave the caps out to make a two-color tube. Either way, the black ribbon will give the nunchuks a more polished and sophisticated look.
Step 8. Finished
You have done! Now enjoy training with your homemade weapon!
Method 3 of 3: Using Foam Rubber
Step 1. Cut two foam tubes into two 30cm sections
You can use a sharp knife or utility knife to make two foam tubes, as long as you don't already have two that length. Each tube should be approximately the length between your wrist and elbow, so if you are shorter or if you are building them for a child, they may be slightly smaller than 12 inches each. These foam rubber nunchuks are the perfect accessory to a Halloween costume and are totally safe to use, even if they aren't the most effective.
Step 2. Use a ballpoint pen to make a hole across the tube
The pen should be positioned horizontally to the tube and should make a hole from side to side. You should do this about 1-2 cm lower than the end of the tube.
Step 3. Pass a pipe cleaner through each hole and tie the ends together
Take about 8 cm of the pipe cleaner, pass it through the holes on the tube and tie it to the end, leaving a couple of inches of space. Then do the same thing with the other tube, so now you have two tubes with two small brush rings on the end.
Step 4. Tie a thin string to each of the pipe cleaner rings
Take a piece of thin string that measures about three feet and tie each end of the string to the pipe cleaner rings you made. Leave about 5 cm of string at each end.
Step 5. Finished
You've done it all… now enjoy your Nunchaku, light and safe!
Advice
- Use light twine and a light oak wood cylinder. It will make them move faster and make them easier to control.
- If you use a hook hook, be sure to push it all the way in, and make sure the part that goes inside is at least 4cm long. Otherwise, making the nunchucks spin faster, the hook hooks could come off.
- Beautify them a little, add decorations to your nunchakus.
- You can make elegant carvings out of it if you have a file.
Warnings
- Don't use soft wood, it can break catastrophically and become a missile.
- Please note: It is illegal to have Nunchaku with you in New York, Arizona, California and Massachusetts and illegal to own them in Ireland. [citation required]
