Choosing your Dummy
1.The first point to consider in your purchase of a Dummy is if it is to be a wall mounted or free standing type.
Wall mounted version, this type of dummy is supported on two wooden struts which pass through the body at the top and bottom. These in turn are secured onto a wall mounted frame using steel bolts. Height adjustment can be carried out by simply moving the struts to a lower or higher hole position and securing with the bolts.
This type can be fine tuned to give more or less movement, by having shorter or longer support struts. It does need a good solid wall for mounting onto.
Free standing version, this type of dummy has a longer body section and the base of the body section sits into a pre-formed hole in the floor standing base. The base is made from very strong plywood and weighted with either sand or concrete.
This type does not need a strong wall to be mounted on, is fully portable and does not take up as much width as the wall mounted type.
Construction of Dummy Bodies
The body will be laminated from Kiln dried ex 9" (225mm) wide *2.5" (63mm) these will be machined perfectly flat and square before gluing them with a modern adhesive, this produces an extremely strong body that will not crack or split due to the natural movement of the wood. Once the body blank is produced it will be turned down to its finished diameter on a lathe and sanded to a smooth finish. Then it will be marked for the arm, leg and support strut hole positions, the holes will then be cut. The finished hole sizes are made slightly larger than the finished arm and leg shaft sizes, this allows the wooden limbs to move when in use.
Above: A finished dummy body with all the holes cut square.
2. The next point is what timber would you like it in, this tends to boil down to the colour that you would like it to be as all 3 timbers have similar properties. Dave does not offer any of his dummy parts in softwood so the hardwood options are:
Beech this is a light coloured hardwood and can be stained easily for you to achieve a colour of your liking.
Sapele is a red coloured hardwood and only needs oiling to bring out the best from it.
Ash this is a light to golden colour hardwood sometimes with a brown hue, again all this needs is an oiling to bring out its character. There are other timbers available at an increased cost Oak, Elm, Black Walnut.
3. Dummy Arms
The arms are a set of three comprising of the top two arms which will have the square shafts offset
in order for them to sit more level when inserted into the dummy body.
The middle arm will have the square shaft cut on the centre 
so that it sits perfectly on the centerline of the dummy.
Arms can be purchased separately
Price for set £75.00 & £12.50 Delivery Total £87.50
They will be provided smooth sanded complete with locking pin and ready for staining, oiling and finishing. The only thing that you will need to do to the arms is to set them into your dummy body to locate where to drill the hole for the locking pin.
The arms are made from premium quality ex 75mm * 75mm square kiln dried timber, this ensures that they are extremely strong and will not break during normal use.
Left: Bottom dummy arm in Beech
Left: Top dummy arms in Beech
Left: Locking pin in Oak
4. Dummy legs
Leg can be purchased separately
Price for Leg £70.00 & £12.50 Delivery Total £82.50
The legs are available made from a jointed construction, this produces a really strong and durable leg. They will be provided smooth sanded complete with locking pin and ready for staining, oiling and finishing. As with the arms the only thing that you will need to do to the leg is to set it into your dummy body to locate where to drill the hole for the locking pin.
5. Dummy mounting frame or Freestanding base
Freestanding base
Floor standing base can be purchased from Dave and filled by you with either concrete or sand to give it the necessary weight. The dummy body then drops into this base and is ready for use.
E-Mail: dave.thomas@dtwoodturning.co.uk
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