Thread: Constructing a Japanese wood training tool

Dear all
My name is Federico and I'm an Italian living in Argentina. I presented my self in this thread: https://www.woodworkforums.com/f175/p...5/#post1144967

I decided to help my karate instructor to build a wooden training tool called makiwara.


By roroarro at 2010-04-26

Basically the makiwara is a wooden post. One end is fixed in the floor, and the other end can move freely. Punching the upper end, the wood will flex. Stronger you hit it, stronger it will "resist" and push back.

I'll post a Wikipedia link where you can find some more information about it.
Makiwara - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (At the bottom there are links that redirect to sites that explain how to build it)

I investigated quite a lot about the right woods and measures.
There are a lot of sites suggesting different ways to build it. But really it's difficult to have an exact idea because the resistance of the makiwara will depend on the kind of wood you'll choose and the thickness/length of the post. Additionally and expert karateka will push it much more than a beginner. Generally it is better to have a too flexible makiwara than a too stiff one.

The result of my research is that the most suggested woods are "white oak" o "cedar". Eventually cherry, ash and maple could be used as well.
For the post, it could be used a 1'' x 4'' x 5 feet board or you can start with a 4'' x 3'' board and plane it diagonally such that the striking area is only about 1/2" thick. Please check the image at the beginning of this discussion to see this kind of "irregular board"

Unfortunately here in Argentina it's vary difficult to find white oak. When, in the woodshop, I asked for "roble" (oak), they offered me "cerejeira" (Cerejeira - Wikipédia, a enciclopédia livre) so I bought a 4" x 1" x 4 feet board (I decided for a constant thickness board for a matter of cost - the 4" x 3" would have cost me 3 times more)

Than I discovered that the English wiki translate it as "Cherry" Cherry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Somewhere else I found it as: ROBLE CEREJEIRA - CEREJEIRA OAK or Brazilian oak. And now I'm quite confused.

I wonder if that board will work well for me or if it will be too flexible or even brake.
For the doubt... I made this design:


By roroarro at 2010-04-26

As you see, I'm considering the possibility to add some 1/2" tables at the back of the main table, so that it would be possible to regulate the resistance of the makiwara, changing the length of these little tables (you can use up to three additional)
These tables wouldn't be glued, just fixed with the metal brackets at the base. I decided to add several ½” tables instead of a 1" unique "back up" shorter board because I don’t want to stress the main table in only one point.

What do you think about it?
Could it work or it will miserably brake after few punches. Should I use an hard wood instead and forgive the "back up boards"?

Thanks for your attention! ciao!
Federico