Kandy Kanes

[SouthernExposure]

What technique does everyone use to "Candy Cane" the Rebar? Can you do it on the playa, or do you do this at home?

Also, do the plastic "mushroom caps" that go over the ends of the unbent rebar work?

SE

[Savannah]

A lot of people candy cane their rebar in advance, at home.

Info about rebar . . . with a how-to in the second link.

http://www.burningman.com/preparation/e ... rebar.html
http://www.burningman.com/preparation/e ... uring.html

You can google "how to candy cane rebar" and maybe find additional stuff.

I actually have tennis balls on the end of my rebar. A friend used a pocket knife to cut a small "X" and then we popped 'em on.

Other folks top their rebar with Barbie Doll heads, liter-sized pop bottles, etcetera.

[FIGJAM]

Get a bunch of stuffed horses and jam their heads on your stakes so they look like repurposed unicorns!!!

[illy dilly]

I understand that this thread is Half Dead.
But, I feel like posting

They way we do it is we actually "7" our rebar.
We start with 18" rebar, put about 4-5 inches in a table vise and crank the vice down hard on the rebar.
Start bending the bar back towards you, so that once it gets 2/3 bent you can lean on it with your hip.
You'll notice that as it starts too look like an "L" it wont bend sharply. Its sorta look more like a lower case "j".
Thats when you start beating on the roundish part with a small sledge hammer, while slightly applying pressure.
This will allow for it to get a sharper 7 shape. The reason I like it to have a nice sharp top is that it give a single point to hit with the sledge once you're on playa. I find that the Kandy Kanes are pretty hard to hit with a sledge, cause they are round (duh, I know).
Now her is the real trick!
Once you get out there and you know where you're going to stake down the rebar, use your foot to move about 1/2" of dirt out of the way.
Start banging in the rebar, so tell the short side is almost touching the ground.
Slide/hook/loop what ever you're using around the bar.
Then pound the hell out of it all the way into the ground.
So that no parts are sticking out, then pile that 1/2" of dirt back on top.

[illy dilly]

PS.
Make 1 extra rebar that is shaped bent right in the middle more like a lazy V. About 140" between legs.

Then on pack out you scrap that 1/2" of dirt away again, and slide your v under what loof is exposed.
Use a couple rags or gloves, squate down low, grab 1 side of the v in each hand,
And steadily stand up. LIFT WITH YOUR LEGS!
If you need to, its pretty pretty easy to get someone on the other side to help.

I recommend #4 or #5 rebar for this. Anything smaller tends to bend too much while your pulling up. Sorta folds in half.