Whether your hero is Bruce Lee or a hero in a half shell, these easy-to-make nunchucks are a great weekend project for you and your band of warriors.
03
NUNCHUCKS
SAFETY KEY:
+ Eye protection
WARNING:
Check the weapons laws in your state. Nunchucks may not be allowed outdoors, or may only be permitted as decoration. These are not toys.
SKILL LEVEL:
EASY
INTERMEDIATE
ADVANCED
APPROXIMATE TIME:
30 minutes
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
+ 1-inch-thick dowel
+ Handy link chain
+ Electrical tape, black
+ 2 Everbilt #210 eyebolts
+ Sharpie
+ Drill with 3⁄32-inch bit
+ Hacksaw
+ Two pairs of pliers
+ Electrical tape, any color preference
LET’S BEGIN
BUILDING YOUR NUNCHUCKS
1. Using your hacksaw, cut your dowel into two 9-inch pieces.
2. Slowly cover your sticks in electrical tape. Start by putting the tape on at a little bit of an angle so that as you turn the dowel, it overlaps the piece before it. Once you get to the end, wrap a couple of loops around the tip and then go back in the reverse direction. Repeat with the second dowel.
PRO TIP: If you have a partner in crime, have them spin the dowel so you can just hold the roll of tape and let it feed itself.
3. Color the exposed ends of the dowels with your Sharpie.
4. You’re going to need only four links of handy link chain, so if your piece is longer, use a hacksaw to cut it.
5. Use two pairs of pliers to grab hold of an eyebolt and twist in opposite directions, opening up the circle so one end of the chain can fit inside. Use the pliers again to close the gap. Repeat with the second eyebolt on the other end of the chain.
6. Using a 3/32-inch bit, drill a pilot hole in the center of one end of each dowel.
7. Use pliers to screw the eyebolts into the holes until the bolt head rests against the wood.
PRO TIP: For extra strength, put a little bit of wood glue in the holes before screwing in the eyebolts.
FUN FACT: Although nunchucks have been used as deadly weapons by Bruce Lee and characters on TV like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, they were most likely first created by the Japanese as an Okinawan horse bit.
8. A black handle by itself looks pretty cool, but you can really dress it up by adding a splash of color to the tops and bottoms. Customize any way you like with colored electrical tape!
USING THE NUNCHUCKS
There are plenty of cool sequences to try with nunchucks, and I highly recommend checking out videos of some real masters. If you are a beginner, try holding one handle of the nunchucks and swinging the other back and forth around the front and back of your waist. Then throw it over the same-side shoulder and grab the bottom nunchuck with your opposite arm under the elbow as it swings up. Whip around to the other shoulder and catch the bottom with the opposite arm. Repeat this process enough and it will be become second nature.
ALSO TRY: If you are nervous about flying pieces of wood, get a piece of pipe insulation foam and a ¾-inch dowel that will fit nicely into the center. If you reinforce those with electrical tape, you can turn your nunchucks into “funchucks,” and make them a little safer.
Save the day with these awesome customizable nunchucks. Cowabunga, dude!