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electronic pells
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 10:47 pm
by sha-ul
how well do you think something like this
http://tinyurl.com/3rqhs3 would work as a pell?
I may have a chance to pick one up, for very little cash out of pocket. & was curious what y'all think.
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 10:53 pm
by Oswyn_de_Wulferton
Link isn't working.
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 10:58 pm
by sha-ul
Oswyn_de_Wulferton wrote:Link isn't working.
odd, it comes up in firefox& IE for me,

Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 11:10 pm
by Adeliz
Link worked for me, but I don't have any idea how good/effective it would be, but if its little cash out of pocket, I'd think it'd be a good experiment.
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 11:12 pm
by Lucas
I would pad your target areas additionally. I cant really see the quality of construction, but as long as you did not swing full force, it *looks* like you should be ok. Certainly will help with targeting a moving opponent, but probably not with slow work. Just my .02
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 11:13 pm
by AriAnson
I think it'd be great fun to whack that thing with a stick. Durability is what I'd worry about.
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 11:56 pm
by Duke Areus
Might not be durable enough for swords, but it looks like it would rock for spear practice.
Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 12:13 am
by Thorstenn
I have one. For sword practice I put a helmet on it to show power strikes but never hit the plastic it will break fast. The best use for it is spear training as we do touch to the face I leave the helmet on to touch the bars but power to the body.
It works great and would be an asset to any fighters training if done properly.
Thorstenn.
Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 1:59 am
by Sigmund Hawking
I want to build a Pell for my house anyone have pics of the ones they use?
Re: electronic pells
Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 9:31 am
by DietrichUhl
sha-ul wrote:how well do you think something like this
http://tinyurl.com/3rqhs3 would work as a pell?
I may have a chance to pick one up, for very little cash out of pocket. & was curious what y'all think.
A few weeks ago I actually talked to a friend about making a pell into a "Simon says" game. We could just need to add more then 4 buttons to the pell. We where thinking of a minimum of 6 impact plates but you could scale it up for thrusts and wraps.
Its not a hard project it just takes time an resources.
-D
Re: electronic pells
Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 12:32 pm
by Alex Baird
DietrichUhl wrote:A few weeks ago I actually talked to a friend about making a pell into a "Simon says" game. We could just need to add more then 4 buttons to the pell. We where thinking of a minimum of 6 impact plates but you could scale it up for thrusts and wraps.
It should randomly yell "Light!" and "Oww!"
Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 1:21 pm
by Hanko Kal
I am setting up a tire pell. Just simple as lashing together some old tires and then setting them up at the right height.
If I ever got really into working it, I could color it for my training partner to tell me colors to hit next. I remember doing something similar to that with my martial arts buddies back when I was doing that a lot.
Re: electronic pells
Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 1:26 pm
by Kenwrec Wulfe
Alex Baird wrote:DietrichUhl wrote:A few weeks ago I actually talked to a friend about making a pell into a "Simon says" game. We could just need to add more then 4 buttons to the pell. We where thinking of a minimum of 6 impact plates but you could scale it up for thrusts and wraps.
It should randomly yell "Light!" and "Oww!"
Na na na.... its "Ow!! GOOD!"

Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 1:44 pm
by D. Sebastian
Ezarc wrote:I am setting up a tire pell. Just simple as lashing together some old tires and then setting them up at the right height.
Wear a helm.
You'll be suprized about the 'bounce'!
Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 2:03 pm
by Hanko Kal
D. Sebastian wrote:Ezarc wrote:I am setting up a tire pell. Just simple as lashing together some old tires and then setting them up at the right height.
Wear a helm.
You'll be suprized about the 'bounce'!
Or you might here "Doh!" about a mile away.

Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 2:28 pm
by DietrichUhl
Ezarc wrote:I am setting up a tire pell. Just simple as lashing together some old tires and then setting them up at the right height.
If I ever got really into working it, I could color it for my training partner to tell me colors to hit next. I remember doing something similar to that with my martial arts buddies back when I was doing that a lot.
I recorded MP3s of numbers and have the MP3 player set on random.
The trick is to figure out the right delay between the shot calls.
-D
Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 2:38 pm
by Hanko Kal
DietrichUhl wrote:Ezarc wrote:I am setting up a tire pell. Just simple as lashing together some old tires and then setting them up at the right height.
If I ever got really into working it, I could color it for my training partner to tell me colors to hit next. I remember doing something similar to that with my martial arts buddies back when I was doing that a lot.
I recorded MP3s of numbers and have the MP3 player set on random.
The trick is to figure out the right delay between the shot calls.
-D
Excellent idea. I like it. Just need to add some dead air clips into the mix as well and that will give you random delays as well.
Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 2:42 pm
by sha-ul
D. Sebastian wrote:Ezarc wrote:I am setting up a tire pell. Just simple as lashing together some old tires and then setting them up at the right height.
Wear a helm.
You'll be suprized about the 'bounce'!
yup! just ask Palespider

Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 2:47 pm
by Hanko Kal
Ok, I will bite. What happened to Palespider?
Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 3:37 pm
by DietrichUhl
Ezarc wrote:DietrichUhl wrote:Ezarc wrote:I am setting up a tire pell. Just simple as lashing together some old tires and then setting them up at the right height.
If I ever got really into working it, I could color it for my training partner to tell me colors to hit next. I remember doing something similar to that with my martial arts buddies back when I was doing that a lot.
I recorded MP3s of numbers and have the MP3 player set on random.
The trick is to figure out the right delay between the shot calls.
-D
Excellent idea. I like it. Just need to add some dead air clips into the mix as well and that will give you random delays as well.
The problem I have with them is getting the delay correct. You need a delay for your brain to process the call, swing, recover then next call.
Still with some work it could be good stuff. I also included left step and right as well as sword foot forward and shield foot forward.
I stopped the project right at the point where I was about to build a program to build a set list order for having a computer auto generate calling x blows space for pattern and recovery then call next x blows.
I tend to over dig into ideas at times.
-D
Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 3:52 pm
by Thorstenn
I would not recommend a tire pell, very bad for your elbow. I you use it allot its very possible to cause damage long term.
Just my opinion, but I have seen the effects.
Carpet or a wave master XXL is waaaay better for you.
Thorstenn.
Ezarc wrote:I am setting up a tire pell. Just simple as lashing together some old tires and then setting them up at the right height.
If I ever got really into working it, I could color it for my training partner to tell me colors to hit next. I remember doing something similar to that with my martial arts buddies back when I was doing that a lot.
Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 7:29 pm
by Anon001
deleted
Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 8:59 pm
by sha-ul
Ezarc wrote:Ok, I will bite. What happened to Palespider?
When making a new rattan sword and checking the balance, a black
plastic barrel used as a pell can retaliate with your own weapon above
your left eye and knock you out cold on your garage floor for 15-30
seconds.
*smirks*
now I'll get it at fighter practice..... especially if I remember to bring the rattan in for him.

Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 10:52 pm
by Murdock
i got me a Body Opponent Bag from Century Martial Arts
Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 7:03 am
by freiman the minstrel
Thorstenn wrote:I would not recommend a tire pell, very bad for your elbow. I you use it allot its very possible to cause damage long term.
Just my opinion, but I have seen the effects.
Carpet or a wave master XXL is waaaay better for you.
Thorstenn.
I have used a hanging tire pell for about fifteen years, and I haven't actually had any elbow issues.
I did hit myself in the lip the other day because of the bounce back.
f
Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 7:23 am
by Mac Thamhais
as for the electronic pell in the original post, would armoring it help? Say something flexible like lamelar or maille over padding so that the sensors still read, but will still protect the plastic. I've never even seen one of these things in real life, so I have no idea if this would work, but I thought I'd throw it out there.
Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 8:46 am
by DietrichUhl
Sure its actually easy but you need to increase the buttons.
And use buttons that can take a real hit repeatedly.
Again not hard to build. Heck you could even make the buttons ignore light blows.
You could program it to reduce the time between shot patterns. You could also make it call shots waiting for the impact before calling the next shot. Or a lot of things.
But if I or someone made one. Would people use it?
-D
Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 9:01 am
by Mac Thamhais
Perhaps also if you assembled a collection of components so that those who are electronically inclined can build it themselves. If these things could be made to ignore light blows, and if they became relatively widespread it would end much of the interkingdom debate over what and does not constitute a telling blow.
I think it would be great to have a quantifiable, measurable standard for folk across the knowne worlde to adhere to.
Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 9:45 am
by Krieghund
I would definately use something like this.
It could be a great training aid---help out on the power combos and whatnot. I'll have to bring this idea up to Steve and see what he thinks.
I'm a technophile, though, so....
Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 12:38 pm
by DietrichUhl
Mac Thamhais wrote:Perhaps also if you assembled a collection of components so that those who are electronically inclined can build it themselves. If these things could be made to ignore light blows, and if they became relatively widespread it would end much of the interkingdom debate over what and does not constitute a telling blow.
I think it would be great to have a quantifiable, measurable standard for folk across the knowne worlde to adhere to.
Well then we have to define a good blow. I'll let that argument granade get tossed by someone else.
The system I was looking at would use foam or rubber to keep the switch from being pressed. The harder the foam the more force would be required.
For a good system that was programmable to do things like "learn shot patterns" then force you to do the patterns a little faster bit by bit. Upping the speed required to get through the pattern as well as playing simple simon says with 2-12 switches.
Well that level of build requires programming and the system to run it.
Ah the lines where the Tech Geek meets the Medieval Geek
Perhaps it is worth building.
-D
Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 1:04 pm
by Scott
Been there, done that.
The electronic pell I built has 10 capacitive sensors on it (4 on each side, two in the front) with LEDs in them.
I built it with several modes.
Target practice mode. When you hit a sensor, it lights up for 1 second.
Speed drill. A random target is illuminated. It stays illuminated until it gets hit. Repeat for 100 random targets. Display the time taken to hit all 100 targets.
Reaction drill. A random target is illuminated. It stays illuminated for a random time, or until it gets hit. Repeat for 100 random targets. Display the percentage of targets that were hit while illuminated. This mode has 5 "speeds", which set the minimum amount of time the targets stay illuminated (1/8s, 1/4s, 1/2s, 3/4s, 1s).
I drug it out to last October Crown. Gemini said I should put it to music and call it "Stickjock Hero".
- Scott
Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 4:23 pm
by Kunigunde
Scott wrote:I drug it out to last October Crown. Gemini said I should put it to music and call it "Stickjock Hero".

NICE!
Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 4:26 pm
by Mac Thamhais
Okay, now this sounds like exactly the kind of thing I had in mind. Is a capacitive sensors capable of distinguishing different levels of force, or is it just a binary yes/no sort of thing that only detects the impact itself?
Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 4:32 pm
by Mac Thamhais
DietrichUhl wrote:Well then we have to define a good blow. I'll let that argument granade get tossed by someone else.
-D
For this I would simply say, let the device decide. Take it to a large event, most likely Pennsic, and have a wide assortment of fighters from different regions whack it with sticks. Take output of the force levels that it senses, then simply find the mean average of what actual fighters consider "Good". Then the machine should then be calibrated to respond to that level of force thereafter.
If the device then has two sets of lights/tones, it could inform you if the blow was acceptable or excessive. If the device doesn't light up or make a tone at all, then the blow was either light or it missed.
Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 12:22 am
by sha-ul
Mac Thamhais wrote:DietrichUhl wrote:Well then we have to define a good blow. I'll let that argument granade get tossed by someone else.
-D
For this I would simply say, let the device decide. Take it to a large event, most likely Pennsic, and have a wide assortment of fighters from different regions whack it with sticks. Take output of the force levels that it senses, then simply find the mean average of what actual fighters consider "Good". Then the machine should then be calibrated to respond to that level of force thereafter.
If the device then has two sets of lights/tones, it could inform you if the blow was acceptable or excessive. If the device doesn't light up or make a tone at all, then the blow was either light or it missed.
so you would have so-to-say a consensus calibration?