wooden flag pole makers?

Re: wooden flag pole makers?

Jim Smith

Hello, Check on making a sailboat mast using birds mouth joint.

More info, Size, for yard, or boat?

Keith Newton

If I recall correctly, for a boat, the flag should be 1" long for each 1' of boat length.

Spruce might be a good choice for a sailboat mast due to it's strength to weight ratio. But it is rated very low for decay resistance, so would be a poor choice for ground contact where weight aloft might not be an issue.

Re: More info, Size, for yard, or boat?

Michael van pelt

for my home. thinking 20-25 ft tall. thanks

Have you checked YouTube?

Gary Smyth

"Wood flag pole" yielded some results, (and lots of cheaper looking metal ad plastic if a simple subject "flag pole") but you don't say what it is you want, or the height you wish to reach. Lots of clamps required for wooden tall yard style.

"Wooden sailboat mast" will also get you some help.

Good hunting.

Re: wooden flag pole makers?

Joe in a Cleveland suburb

Years ago on The New Yankee Workshop, I recall Norm Abram making one.

I don't recall any details, but you could probably find that episode on youtube or someplace.

Just a thought.

Re: wooden flag pole makers?

Don Goodwin

I made the one from his show years ago after purchasing the plans. It has held up well over the years. Because I don't have welding skills, I made the base part out of treated lumber with a deadman instead of metal and set it in concrete.

Re: wooden flag pole makers?

TomD

The nearest thing I have made was a pole to support a bird's house. It was just a 4x4, and I drew an octagon onto the top and cut back the bevels to the square shape at the bottom. Took very little time to do.

It is easy to make a 4x4 into a round, if that is of interest.

Lee Valley sells a bird's mouth bit to make hollow round, but it is very inefficient. Strips are the way to go. And if you want it to last a long time, you should fiberglass the inside and the outside, and allow no entry point for water or moisture. For instance you need to pot screws for a cleat, and not just run them into the wood.

If you want to have some fun you can make a massively strong stressformed spar out of bent ply and core, in a teardrop form. Then you can run the flag up a track in the knife edge, and rig it to rotate into the wind.