Flag Poles - Plans? Pics?

Rennie Heuer

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Karl's post reminding us that today is Flag Day reminded me that I have had the best of intentions to erect a flag pole in our yard for some time. Not wanting to high jack Karl's thread I thought a new one should be started to ask the following;

Have any of you built a flag pole (preferably from wood)? I remember that Norm did a show on one and I was going to look on the NYW site for plans.

I'd like to see what you (collectively) have done. Show us some pictures of Old Glory waving high in the breeze on your flag pole! Share plans if you have them.:clap: :D
 
Saw your title and was doing to say look at Norms site. I don't remember details but I was impressed with his design. Always thought I would like to have one like it.
 
I haven't built a flagpole but I've done spars for sailboats. If I was going to build a flag pole I would use birdsmouth construction and epoxy. I'd epoxy in a plug at the top and make the truck out of wood as well.

I'd set the flag pole between a couple of uprights and make it so that it pivots to be lowered for varnishing or painting.
 
Frank, birdsmouth construction is a method used by spar makers to make hollow wooden spars. (masts, booms, yards, etc.) The idea is to cut eight staves with a rectangular section. In one narrow side you cut a V-groove with a 90° V angle. Then you assemble the staves with a square in the V or the next stave. After gluing and clamping with hose clamps, nylon wire ties, or whatever, you plane off the corners and make it round.

If you want a taper, taper the face opposite the birdsmouth. The taper can start anywhere you want on the spar. You can even have a double taper. If you want an oval, make two staves wider and place them opposite each other as in the attached drawing.

With this sort of construction, you work at one end and get all the pieces together. Clamp it up and then run your hands down the length to get the other pieces to snap into place. Once the clamps are on you can tweak things to straighten the stick or induce a bend if desired.

You can also glue it up in halves if desired (just don't glue 2 opposite joints) so that you can run wiring up it later. You can put in octagonal blocks to create solid points if desired and octagonal plugs for the ends.

boom1.jpg

This sketch was to illustrate an idea for an in-boom mainsheet. The idea still needs some work but on the left you can see the construction I'm referring to.

I have an Excel-based calculator for calculating stave sizes for round spars. You enter the desired diameter and it outputs the stave dimensions.

I haven't got a good image of the gaff for my little boat but it was built using the Birdsmouth method. It's in the middle in this view.
DSC02847.jpg
 
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