Maria Morgan2 said:Look, CROA, you haven't actually run into a real craftsman yet—like, a legit carpenter. A true pro is gonna build exactly what you’re dreaming of, especially if you hand them a solid blueprint. And obviously, if you give them a killer design to work with, too. If they're just staring at you blankly because they don't get the drawing, then honestly, they should just pack up their tools and call it a day. But I totally get where you're coming from about building the dummy yourself. It’s probably best, really, because while you’re actually putting it together, you can tweak all those tiny little details that'll make your training sessions way smoother later on.
ALSO, this goes for you too, man. You're better off just finding a decent wooden log and grabbing some materials for the arms and legs. Just roll up your sleeves and get stuck in. But seriously, every single time you go to drill or cut something, maybe think about it three times first—like, ask yourself if it’s actually how you want it to look—and measure, and then measure again. It is always, always harder to fix a mistake than it is to just do it right the first time. I don't mean to freak you out or anything, I'm just trying to point you toward the easiest, best way to get this done. If you let someone else do it, you're definitely gonna find something you hate about it since you weren't there to oversee the whole process. Plus, I might come up with some random idea while I'm working on mine, and if you're not doing it, I wouldn't even know how to tell them to change it for you. And honestly? Wood is just the way to go for a dummy.
Look, I gave them the absolute best I could—clean floor plans, elevations, and profiles, all done in AutoCAD 11 (or maybe 12?) running on an old 386 with Windows 3.11. If I were doing this today, I’d probably throw in a 3D model from Google SketchUp just to be safe.
Finished products from somewhere like Germany were way out of my budget, so going the modular route seemed like the cheaper play. One carpenter came over to look at the main frame, but he looked totally lost; I think he was terrified of drilling something wrong. Eventually, I lugged that heavy-as-hell frame over to a local workshop, something like a neighborhood garage setup. "Bring it in," they said, "and we'll see." I had the blueprints in hand. It sat there for weeks. Not because of money—we had a deal—but because despite having the drawings, they just didn't get it. They knew it was a chair, they knew what it was for, and they understood the upholstery needs, but this specific thing? No. So, I took it back. Honestly, with their tools, I could have knocked the whole thing out myself in one afternoon. That's when I gave up on the "trained professionals" with all their fancy infrastructure. Instead, I grabbed some blunt chisels, a beat-up saw, a hammer that kept losing its head, and an old Black & Decker drill. I had the time, so I just took on the job myself.
A little later, I met this guy who works in, well, art—mostly plastics. He handled the arms and legs. He actually pitched me a clever idea to make his life easier—which, by the laws of physics, made mine harder—suggesting I angle the holes so he wouldn't have to drill horizontally. That way, he could center the arms more easily and keep the tips level. In the end, though, we stuck to my way: horizontal holes, off-center arms. Ugh, I hope I didn't overcomplicate things too much.