How to Make a Target for Fencing Practice.

Intro: How to Make a Target for Fencing Practice.

This will show you a simple way to make a target to practice fencing with easy to obtain items.

STEP 1: Gather Your Materials.

You'll need a couple of things for this instructable.
-A tennis ball
-A knife or other sharp device for punching a hole in said tennis ball
-String
-Lighter (if you use nylon string, for fusing the ends to prevent fraying)
-A "S" hook
-A washer

STEP 2: Getting Started.

Okay, to start off, we need to punch a hole in the tennis ball.
So, take your knife and make a slice in it, about as wide as the washer's diameter, a little bit off won't make a huge difference.

STEP 3: Adding the String.

Now we need to find a way to get this to hang from the ceiling. So we're going to put the string through the hole in the washer and tie a figure 8 knot, This is a really good place to learn the figure 8 knot.
Now we have to get the washer into the ball. So either squeeze the ball perpendicular to the cut you made or put it in a vice with the sides of the vice perpendicular to the cut. This opens up the ball. Now push the washer with the sting tied to it through the hole.

STEP 4: Now Attach the "S" Hook.

Now figure out about how far your blade will be from the ceiling when you lunge and tie a loop right around that spot on your string. Now put the loop on the S hook and clamp that part closed so the string doesn't slide out when you practice.

STEP 5: You're Done!

Now just find somewhere to hang the target and get practicing, these targets do wonders for your point control and lunges.

Comments

[Marc P.C.W]

great, I will do that as your instruction this week, and i also think to put few sets of it at same time. appriciate!

[meddler]

My instructor has a wood dowel with tennis balls on four different levels set into a 12 inch thick cut piece of tree. He uses it for stick and baton training to practice strike aiming and thrusts. Fisrt time he had me do his strikes for 5 minutes, I thought my arms would fall off.

[EET1982]

Making this tomorrow. Thank you for this instructable. I never thought about using something this simple to practice my point control. Superb idea. Thanks! :)

[mash4077]

you look like someone i used to fence with his name was john vivan

[Tomton]

Unfortunately (or Fortunately, seeing as I don't know him), I am not John Vivan.

[shikaku]

hey, hang this in your garage, and you'll know when to stop your car. oh wait, it's where the idea comes from. but still, i used my parents to practice fencing sometimes, so it does work lol

[ryzellon]

I've got a challenge for you: (no, not a smack-you-in-the-face-with-a-gauntlet challenge) build a freestanding target that's relatively portable but does not require anything other than a reasonably flat floor. I'm thinking something like a large weeble with a driveway reflector stuck in the top? Maybe have the two parts screwed together so it can be removed for storage, etc. (I'd try this myself, but I'm several thousand miles from home, so I don't have any materials to work with.)

[thoraxe]

why dont u prop your little brother or cousin on a stool and use that? LOL

[bombs go boom]

LOL

[Flash19950]

funnnnny!

[bombs go boom]

rotflol

[bombs go boom]

dig it, kid

[thoraxe]

wow guys the jokes wasnt that funny

[BrianOfStonemarche]

Get one of those fiberglass bicycle flags. Pull off the orange flag. Poke holes in opposite ends of a tennis ball... or if you're up for a real challenge, a ping-pong ball. Or three. Slide the balls on to the post from the flag. Use whatever you want to make a base for the thing. You can also lop off the bracket and just poke it into the ground if you're outside.

[Tomton]

I'm actually in the process of hollowing out the inside of a foam half sphere, then I'm filling it with sand and putting another on top to make a weeble (like ryzellon suggested) and stabbing a long stake into it with a target on top

[Tomton]

Once I get the stuff.... I have the design all done... everything should work in theory. I just need to buy materials. And walking to walmart or where ever to buy stuff during winter is cold. So it's coming in the near future.

[Tomton]

You, sir, have just inspired me. It'll be my next project.

[Tomton]

Thanks! I really like this one because it's portable, anywhere you can hang it and stab it without breaking something fragile, you can practice.