How To Make Poi

Classic training poi with tennis balls

Materials needed:

• tennis ball, 2 pcs.;
• soldered chain, 1m;
• semiring, 2 pcs.;
• braid, 0,5 m;
• swivels (ball bearing or “keg”), 2 pcs.;
• screw with a ring, 2 pcs.;
• screw-nut, 2 pcs.;
• washer, 4 pcs.;
• blade + awl + pliers.

This is an approximate tool kit.

1. Take a ball and make a hole in it with an awl.

2. Take a screw, put a washer on it (to fix it well and make it look nice), and stick it in the hole in the ball.

3. On the opposite side from the first hole make a second one. Make 2-3 more next to it on one line to make a straight cut. Make an incision with a blade along this line. We got something like pacman.

4. Open its “mouth” and turn it to yourself, put another washer on the screw, and screw a nut on it tightly. If there was a metal dowel with the screw, you can put it between the washer and the nut. To make it safer, you can glue the nut. You can also glue the remaining slit. Or you may leave it – if the nut gets unscrewed, you will be able to tighten it again. You may also leave it for a case when you want to make the poi heavier.

5. Put a split ring on the screw ring (a chain link also works), and a swivel on the split ring.

6. Our plummet is ready, now we only need to put it on the chain and add loops.

7. Measure the chain. There is a well-known rumor that the overall poi length must equal the distance from the fingers you put loops on to the shoulder (the opposite end with a ball touches it, your arm fully stretched). At first, I made it of such length, but I shortened it several times afterwards, and now the length of my chain from the screw to the loop is just 38 centimeters. It does not touch the shoulder. The conclusion is: do as people advise to – fingers to shoulder, then you will shorten it if necessary. You can always cut it if you need.

8. Having measured the chain, straighten its end links, put the plummet on the one end and the loop on the other one.

That is all, a wonderful poi is ready!