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Hi there everyone,
I am a student of wing chun kung fu. The art uses a wooden dummy called the Mook Yan Jong, the body of which is a cylindrical pole of wood 9 inches in diameter and about 5 feet long. Some people make their own using telegraph poles, but I have an idea to make one out of papier mache. In my favour is time and patience - I do not need one for about a year, and have a great basement where I can slowly build it. My idea is to start with a cardboard tube of the right length as the centre, and over a period of a year, instead of using pulp, to gradually add sheets of paper/newspaper soaked in a papier mache based paste - there's loads on here and elsewhere I could use. For the last ten layers or so I would apply various resins between each sheet of superfine paper, and then, again over a fairly long period, would apply repeated coats of some kind of wood varnish/glue.
The end result would need to be very tough - about as tough as hardwood. Could this be acheieved with time and patience, or would I be better buying an old telegraph pole?
Any advice very much appreciated
Peter
UK
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Hi Peter,
It sounds like you have the time, patience and incentive (all necessary ingredients for papier mache) so I'm sure your project is conceivable.
Pop along to your nearest carpet warehouse. They are usually only too pleased to offload their inner cardboard tubes from the carpet rolls. I have used them several times, and if you are a bit cheeky like me, you can ask the salesman to cut a piece the right length for you.
Cardboard is much lighter than wood - not sure how much that would help you as I'm not sure exactly what you plan to do with the pole....throw it, lift it, kick it? 
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From some of the old pieces of papier mache that I have seen (over 100 yrs), carefully build, it should have the strength of wood. Probably the weight, too! ;-)
I would pay particular attention to the care with which you lay the paper. Keep it smooth and tight.
Is it to be stationary, or hanging? If stationary, include the method by which you intend to set it up in your initial design.
Old telephone poles are often saturated with creosote or other toxic materials. PM would be much safer.
Sue
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