Best way(s) to make a flag pole?

[illy dilly]

I have a 24"x36" canvas flag that we flew (or tried most of the time) over our camp last year. I used a 1"x10' and 3/4"x8' white PVC tubing with a 1" to 3/4" coupler/sleeve to connect the two pieces. I drilled a few holes through the 3/4" (top section) to mount the flag through 3 eyelets I put at the edge of the flag. We zipped tied the 10' piece to the front leg of our car port.
Every thing worked perfect, except that at the coupler between the two pieces the poles kept coming apart. We tried wrapping excessive amounts of duct tape around the joint but every afternoon it would end up coming apart, and the top half would just be hanging there from the duct tape. I think the heat of the sun was making the PVC weak and it was bending out of the coupler when the wind kicked up, or something.
I've seen really tall flags on the playa, and I'm wondering what sort of poles people use or make. Has any one had any luck or seen how any of the successful flag poles work?

[oneeyeddick]

try some glue on your coupler

[Token]

Using PVC cement on the coupling would help.

[oneeyeddick]

a bolt screwed through would also hold it, make sure the hole is a snug fit with the bolt, or the waggle could crack the pipe.

[illy dilly]

I like the couple nuts and bolts at the coupler. Possibly even ditch the coupler and just put the 3/4" into the 1". Could go 3" deep instead of the 1" at each side of the coupler.

Still my flag pole is only about 18' high. Any ideas how how to make a 20-30 foot pole?

[phil]

PVC isn't structural. You may want a different material for the pole or you may need to guy it, which creates other problems for tripping and choking.

[illy dilly]

PVC isn't structural. You may want a different material for the pole or you may need to guy it, which creates other problems for tripping and choking.

What would you suggest? I could use 2 pieces of EMT I suppose.

[peachandpapa]

I went through the same headaches for two years and finally said enough. Fork out some money and buy a Wonder Pole. Shouldn't every Bunring Man have a Wonder Pole? http://www.wonderpole.com/

We have the 21' telescoping pole. It has withstood a lot of wind, dust, and various other elements and it still rocks after 8 years. We tie/tape it to a T fence post.

[phil]

> What would you suggest? I could use 2 pieces of EMT I suppose.

I don't know what a 2x3 foot canvas flag weighs, so I have no clue, especially if you want to hit about 30 feet. I use a painter pole, but it's 18 feet, and I don't have a honking huge canvas flag on the top with 40 or 50 MPH winds on it.

On EMT, the problem is the joint. I would expect it to fail. My concern is that when it hits someone, the pipe could do some damage - PVC, not much of a concern on injuries.

I'm sorry the say the best I can suggest is when you see those really tall flags, go ask.

For other ideas, check these:
http://www.cieux.com/bm/pulltrude.html
http://www.cieux.com/bm/abs.html
http://www.cieux.com/bm/banner.html
(Note the suggestion of smaller, lighter flags.)

[illy dilly]

I went through the same headaches for two years and finally said enough. Fork out some money and buy a Wonder Pole. Shouldn't every Bunring Man have a Wonder Pole? http://www.wonderpole.com/

We have the 21' telescoping pole. It has withstood a lot of wind, dust, and various other elements and it still rocks after 8 years. We tie/tape it to a T fence post.

Thanks for the link! I'm glad I'm not the only one that's gone through this.

Phil, I agree about the EMT vs PVC. Last year every time after I 'fixed' the pole, I would tell my self "i'm gonna find a really high flag, find the guy that made the poll, and demand information" and every time I'd end up drunk and forget to ask.

Every body, thanks for the tips!

[FIGJAM]

Make your own telescoping pole with 3/4" and 1" emt with a bolt through it.
Just make sure it cant fall.

[illy dilly]

Make your own telescoping pole with 3/4" and 1" emt with a bolt through it.
Just make sure it cant fall.

Yeah, after looking at the wonder pole, I don't think it would be that hard to make my own out of PVC. Of course it wont be fiber glass, and super bendable, but I don't think it would need to be. I may even grab a longer piece of 3/4 inch, and a piece of (if its a standard size) 1-1/4" for the bottom. Then I'd be getting close to that 30' mark.
I don't know much about PVC pipe, is it typically 1/8" think all the way around? So 3/4" would fit snug in 1", 1" would fit snug in 1-1/4"?

[FIGJAM]

exactly.... they sleeve perfectly. Same with the emt.

[illy dilly]

exactly.... they sleeve perfectly. Same with the emt.

Yeah, I it works with EMT and just kinda figured the PVC was the same. I can't couldn't remember if the two sticks of PVC I bought slide together or not. I'll have to check on that, it might not be 1" and 3/4".
And don't white and black PVC not fit together, since white is supply and black is waste?

[Shambala]

Imagine a suction cup device like this that can be placed on the roof of the highest vehicle in your camp. Then mount the flag holder below to it--and point it straight up to the sky. You can get a wooden dowel or long broomstick and use that as a flag pole. I am making a similar rig to this to make a lit camp marker and will put our camp name on it.
Just think of various things you can buy, and put them together for your special purpose!

[lucky420]

since i am bringing a rental truck this may work for me. Mmmm, now where to find a suction device...

[phil]

If your vehicle roof is metal, google
triple magnet mount
and check what's available. It'll be stuff like this:

which has three 5-inch magnets. You can pay more and less and get bigger and smaller magnets.

I have some reservations about suction cups holding on the playa, but I could well be wrong.

Edit: Our van is 7 feet high. That gives us a head start on getting to, say, 20 feet with a flag.

[teardropper]

I have a telescoping 25' pole I got at a kite place. I use it to fly a large, wind toy about 5 or 6' long. I have it zip tied on top of my RV's bumper and to the ladder. The wind toy tugs on it pretty good and it is just fine. I also have a small strobe zipped and taped on top.

[lucky420]

thanks phil. I am thinking of using a heavy umbrella stand as long as i anchor the pole in there real good so it doesn't flip out in the wind. If it is on top of the rental then the pole wouldn't even have to be very long.

[weather man]

thanks phil. I am thinking of using a heavy umbrella stand as long as i anchor the pole in there real good so it doesn't flip out in the wind. If it is on top of the rental then the pole wouldn't even have to be very long.

Look at the folding tripod mounts that Directv and DISH use. I think they are about $30. The legs are 2-3 feet apart. I made a T-base out of 2x4's, screwed the mount to it and then laid sandbags across the 2x4's. This arrangement comfortably held a 10' antenna mast with a 3x5 flag.

[Shambala]

The suction cups work incredible on a clean surface. I usually dampen them first and you cannot remove them without lifting the tabs. I use two sets of these to secure passenger seats on the top of my art car. I haven't lost a passenger in 25 years!
I am packing the end pieces in my suitcase, but will pick up the wood pole at the Home Depot in Reno. Packing and 8 foot pole would be a problem.
If there is a concern about the suction cups staying put in the wind, then you can get two sets and connect them with a small piece of plywood and mount the bracket on the wood.