Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Shaping the Staff
Cut the PVC pipe down to 24 inches long using a hacksaw and measuring tape.
Wrap the duct tape in a spiral motion from the top of the PVC pipe to the bottom. This will make attaching foam easier.
Cut your foam pool noodle using the hacksaw into a 20-inch piece and a 4-inch piece. These pieces will pad the majority of the PVC pipe.
Rub contact cement around the top 15 inches of your PVC pipe using a paper towel to get an even coat.
Measure 19 1/2 inches down from the top of your PVC pipe and make a mark with marker.
Slide the 20-inch pool noodle piece down the PVC pipe, starting at the top and going until the bottom of the noodle reaches the mark you made. Let the noodle sit in place for at least 30 minutes.
Measure five inches from the top of the pool noodle, and make an even mark all the way around the foam using your marker.
Grind down two opposing sides of the noodle with your file so that you have a flat spot from the top of the noodle to your mark.
Head Preparation
Apply contact cement to both flat spots on the top of the pool noodle and at the tip at the top. Wait for two minutes for it to get tacky.
Cut two 5-inch closed cell foam strips as well as two 1-inch closed cell foam strips. Apply one 5-inch strip to each of the flat spots and one 1-inch strip to the tip of the noodle.
Apply contact cement to the outside of the foam on the tip of the noodle, and then attach the other 1-inch strip after waiting two minutes.
Cut five closed cell strips starting at 5 ¼ inches and increasing their length by ¼-inch for each new strip.
Apply contact cement to the foam padding on one side of the axe. Attach the 5 ¼-inch piece to the cement with the top being in line with the last piece and the bottom dropping down below the last piece.
Building the Head
Apply the remaining four strips of foam in the same manner as the first one so that your axe head slowly grows wider at the bottom.
Cut two closed cell foam pieces at four inches. Attach them at the end of the axe head so that they are lined up with the tops of the other six foam pieces.
Apply contact cement onto the short outer piece of foam and the bottom of the last long piece of foam that is still showing.
Attach a long piece of closed cell foam from the top of the short piece to the bottom of the long piece, creating a gradual angle along the head of the axe.
Allow the piece to set for a few minutes, and then cut it with a box cutter to line up with the rest of the foam pieces. Measure the outside piece of closed cell foam and make a note of the measurement.
Finishing the Head
Run a piece of closed cell foam from the bottom of the foam on the thin side of the axe head to the top of the tip of the axe.
Apply contact cement along the top of all of the foam pieces that are part of the axe head. Place a closed cell foam piece along the top of the axe head, and cut it to fit.
Apply contact cement to the long closed cell foam strip on the thick side of the axe head.
Add ¼-inch to the measurement you marked earlier. Cut the open cell foam to your new measurement.
Glue the open cell foam onto the end of the thick side of the axe, lining the top up with the top edge of the axe head. The open cell foam adds extra padding to the striking side of your axe so nobody gets hurt.
Finishing the Axe
Wrap duct tape around all sides of the axe head, protecting any of the exposed edges of the foam from excess wear.
Measure two-inches up from the bottom of the PVC pipe and make a mark. Apply contact cement over the two inches of pipe under that mark.
Slide the 4-inch pool noodle section up from the bottom of the pipe until it reaches the mark. Cement two 1-inch strips of close cell foam over the bottom of the pool noodle, and duct tape any parts of either of the pool noodles that are showing.
Wrap two layers of duct tape over the exposed section of PVC pipe to make the handle more comfortable.