If you like to juggle or just going to learn this business, then this craft is for you. I will tell you how to make a mace for juggling with your own hands at home from plastic bottles and some other improvised materials. Maces do not have to be bought, and the process of making them is very interesting. Homemade is complicated, and will take a lot of time.
Material and tools you need:
- Smooth wooden cylindrical stick, approximately 16 mm diameter,
- Tennis ball
- A two-liter plastic bottle in its pure form,
- A half-liter plastic bottle,
- Insulating tape of different colors, black and yellow,
- Tips made of rubber, which are used for furniture,
- Scotch
- Screws that are used for drywall,
- The puck,
- Saw on wood,
- drill and drill,
- Roulette,
- scissors,
- Large stapler,
- a knife,
- Hammer,
- Marker.
I will demonstrate the main details, if you need something else, then we will take it during the manufacturing process.
From the very beginning we will make the main blank for the mace. Cut the wooden blanks with a length of 45.7 centimeters.
We drill a hole in the workpiece, the drill size is 2.3 mm.
At the bottom of each bottle, drill a hole exactly in the center.
We cut the tennis ball in half, thereby making the tip for the mace.
The ball must be cut exactly in half.
Cut out the base for the handle from a plastic bottle, with a marker we mark out the part that needs to be cut off. The lines are zigzag.
We put a half-liter bottle on a wooden base and mark the edge with a marker.
A little above the mark we wind the electrical tape so that the neck of the bottle fits tightly on it.
When they put the bottle on a stick, put a half of a tennis ball, a puck on top and screw it with a screw on top. Be sure to screw into the drilled hole.
Turn the half of the ball back so that it grasps the bottle.
According to the scheme, you need to wrap the plastic cut-out part around the handle.
Fix the plastic firmly and secure it to the wooden base with a large stapler. Make sure the crafts seem beautiful and even.
Brackets are not attached too often, but in the right places. If they do not completely enter the wood, then beat them with a hammer.
We wrap the entire handle with electrical tape, carefully, pull it.
We put on rubber caps on the edges, wind them with yellow electrical tape for fixing. And also for beauty.
We decorate plastic bottles at the end with yellow tape, or better with adhesive tape.
The maces for juggling are ready, you can learn this business yourself.
Juggling Props
There is no need to list all the objects that are used in juggling a great many. Since our goal is to give basic knowledge in this area, we will dwell on the main subjects, these are balls, rings and maces. The easiest way is to buy everything you need via the Internet, but it is expensive and not everyone can afford it, I offer options for how to make the props yourself.
There are several relatively simple options. The first, most basic, tennis balls are bought and filled with water, rice or millet. Use a syringe to fill with water. They pierce the ball in the densest section of the ball and, leaving the needle in the ball, fill it with a syringe. To fill the ball with rice or millet, the ball is cut in a semicircle along the seam, the grains are poured and then glued with silicone glue, otherwise the mice can gnaw them. All this is done to make the ball heavier, since it is light and the throw from this is not accurate, in addition, it jumps less and does not roll far. The tennis ball has one small defect, it is slippery and to avoid this, you can pull a rubber ball on it. For the beauty of concert balls, they are sheathed with sequins, previously sheathed with some kind of cloth. This option is very beautiful under the spotlights. Use wooden balls machined on a lathe. Sometimes they use plastic balls, they are also cut, filled with 100 g. decoys and then with a soldering iron melt the hole. Another option is very convenient and easy to execute. Mid-size rubber balloons are bought. Using a funnel, the ball is filled with round rice, grams 70-100, the ball is tied, the excess is cut off and one or two balls are put on it. This can be seen in detail in the online tutorial. It is achieved that the ball, falling, does not roll anywhere and, moreover, does not slip in the hand. But this ball has a very strong drawback: it’s enough to hook something sharp and only a bunch of rice remains from the ball. In addition to these options, you can buy balls for Russian hockey, as well as use fruits, vegetables and other spherical objects.
Here is the easiest way to make rings. Three-ply plywood is taken, preferably birch without knots, or aviation. The best option is a plastic ftoroplast, vinyl plastic or something like that. A cutter is made to cut the rings. For it, a wooden rail is taken about 30 X 30 mm, about 500 mm long. Two nails are sharpened like a detachable turning tool or a sharp knife, which is more convenient for someone. A nail is driven into the middle of the rail, and since the most convenient ring size for the outer diameter of 30 cm is 32 cm, then one cutter is driven through from the nail, departing 15 or 16 cm, and the second cutter is driven through, departing 11 or 12 cm. Then, attaching the rail to the plywood and scrolling it around the central nail, we outline the first ring. Then we drive the central nail into the plywood and preferably into the shield on which they will cut it. Cutting on the floor is not advisable, because the cutter at the exit cuts the floor. After that, in a circular motion we cut out the ring, trying to make the cutters cut off the ring at the same time. After that, with the finished ring, we outline the remaining rings that can be obtained from the plywood sheet and cut them out. From a standard sheet of plywood 1500 X 1500 mm, about 20 rings can be obtained. But this is, I must say, time-consuming. The most modern way to cut rings is to go to an advertising company that cuts letters, etc. and they cut easily and simply on the machine. There is such a company in Chelyabinsk at the circus, there are also in other cities. Cut rings must be filed, wrapped with a bandage dipped in casein glue, in two or three layers. Dry under the “press” and wrap the outer diameter with blue electrical tape, also in two layers, so that the ring does not cut your hands, and it turns out beautifully, on a white background there is a blue rim. But in general, if the balls on the Internet are expensive, then the rings can be found at affordable prices.
This is a more complicated props for manufacturing, but you can do them yourself. You can start with juggling sticks, but still every self-respecting juggler wants to have maces. Here is a drawing of a juggling stick. Material is desirable beech, but birch also serves normally. The drawings are mainly taken from the book of Bauman N.E. The Art of Juggling. I will add something based on modern materials. The stick is machined on a lathe, as are the handles and heads of clubs. It's easier for her to juggle than maces, but for some reason everyone throws maces today.
Now how do the maces. The standard version is shown in the drawing. The handle and head are machined from beech or birch, a dural tube is inserted into them, on which you need to wear a plywood hexagon. The mace is sheathed with thin plywood, which is nailed to the handle and head with thin nails. Then it is wrapped with bandages or strips of cloth dipped in casein glue. Now this glue is rarely sold and PVA can be used. After that, paste over with shiny paper or paint. There is room for imagination. There is one drawback to this design. She's fragile enough. The plywood breaks, the tubes bend, the heads break. Yes, and the weight is significant. There is an option instead of plywood to wrap the head of the club with a thin rope or twine. To do this, around the perimeter of the head and handles are stuffed, in a circle, up to half the length, thin cloves. The end of the twine is attached to them and the whole club is wrapped with a snake from the head to the handle, after stretching the twine the nails are hammered to the end. Such a club is also pasted over with a cloth, a rhombic form of the club is obtained.
Maces made of pins are now widely spread. They are easier to do. Handles are turned out immediately for the entire length of the clubs. It is advisable to twist the end opposite the handle from the wire in two rows, since upon impact this place bursts and the screw flies out. The head is cut off from the pin, and the pin itself is put on the handle and screwed from the end to the handle with a screw. Thin nails nailed to the handle and almost the mace is ready. This option is widespread in amateur circuses. But one of the best jugglers in the world, Nikolai Gerasimov, throws maces made according to the same pattern. True, he uses bleach bottles instead of pins. He throws eight clubs, and he juggles the family, the height is large, but the clubs do not beat. You can adapt other bottles as long as the plastic is tight.
What else to consider when making maces. The best distribution of the center of gravity of the mace should be two-thirds of the distance from the end of the handle. That is, if you mentally divided the mace into three parts, then stepping back from the end of the mace two parts and putting this place on the edge of the palm of your hand, the mace should be in balance. This is necessary for easier twisting of clubs. Otherwise, you will have to use more force for twisting. But this ideal option is rare and basically everyone gets used to the maces that are available. In pins from pins, you have to screw the screw into the end of the handle through a large metal washer to make the head heavier.
You can make a mace head on a solid handle (below is an approximate drawing). You must also consider who will throw the maces. After all, if it is a teenager, then a long mace will not fit him, just the diameter of the handle if it is large, then not only three maces, but it will be difficult to throw two from one hand. For group transfers, maces can be longer, for example 500 mm. And for the soloist, shorter and thinner. Here, the dimensions are approximate. Each juggler makes maces for himself. Pay attention to this when buying clubs on the Internet. They offer inexpensive cast maces for beginners. They are good because they practically do not break. And also on the Internet you can find other ways to make maces yourself. In the photo there is a method of making maces, which are used by Chugunov artists.
How to quickly learn how to juggle two objects with one hand?
Learning to handle balls or pins can be done in just a few lessons. First you need to prepare for classes, having acquired the necessary attributes for training. The next step is to choose the juggling technique you want to master.
In order not to buy special balls, buy oranges or apples, which will be a worthy substitute for professional surroundings. Turn on fantasy, craft objects yourself from improvised materials.
Now it is worth deciding on the leading hand. For most people, the right limb plays a major role. Before training, you can slightly stretch your arms with the help of an expander.
Follow the step-by-step instruction for teaching one-handed juggling with two subjects:
- Select stage position. Become the way you will perform in front of the audience (children, girl or on the big stage).
Place your feet shoulder-width apart to make it easier to balance. Take your elbows from your body at a distance of 15-20 cm.
Physics comes to the rescue: at the moment when the first ball flies a third of its intended path, throw a second ball into the air.
The technique is complex, it requires constant training and patience. Try to reflect on the movements that you make. Master the exercises slowly, stopping until the tossing reaches automaticity.
How to learn to juggle with three or more balls?
A more classic and simple way to juggle with three or more objects. Here, the technique is slightly different from the previous one. This method is easier and faster to master.
To get started, take two items, in a week - three, in 2-3 weeks - four items.
See the table with the nuances of doing exercises:
| Exercise | Description |
| Two-item juggling | Take one ball in the leading hand and the other in the second. Throw it with your right hand into the air at an angle of about 75 degrees. |
When the ball reaches the highest point of flight, throw the second object and at the same time catch the ball with your right hand.
So turn the exercise into a cycle clockwise and after. Remember the main rule - when one ball reaches its maximum height, you need to throw a second.
Go to the second exercise after mastering this type of juggling
During the second throw from the left hand, pass the ball to the right, then catch the falling first ball and simultaneously throw the ball from the right hand.
Repeat all the manipulations. When the exercise will be obtained non-stop and in the same rhythm, proceed to the third type of juggling
Throw the balls as high as possible, but do not overdo it with the force of the push.
When three balls are already in the air from the right hand, exchange with your left hand. Push the fourth ball while catching the first ball with your left hand
The main thing is to keep your nerve cells alive. When anger approaches the throat, take a break, go back one step and remove one item.
Find the personal secret of juggling, choose the weight and size of objects depending on the size of your hand.
How to learn to juggle with clubs?
You can create magic rings not only with balls, but also with the help of pins. Torches and maces are the favorite items of professional magicians.
To start learning the technique of juggling with clubs, you need to master throwing with three simple objects.
Follow the step-by-step instruction for learning:
- Torch should roll over in the air. This is the main difficulty of such a technique. The juggling method is the same as regular balls.
Maces are lighter, therefore their flight is longer and more beautiful. Try to change the direction of movement: first throw the torches from left to right, then from right to left. Gradually go to the maces. Juggle with the usual balls, replacing one of the objects with a torch.
When the tosses are obtained non-stop and in a uniform rhythm, proceed to the next step.
Train at least 30 minutes a day for 2-3 weeks. Hard work will give results.
After precise and automatic juggling, experiment with the height of the toss and the force of the blow. Follow fire safety procedures, you can try to juggle burning maces on the street.
Learn and create magic with your own hands.
