Flag Building tips

[pogal]

Beezer!

Impressed there is no vertical slippage between nylon and plastic... but you are testament to this truth.

Does it allow lateral 'flag-spinage'? (flag spinach?)

[mrfunk]

Beezer!

Impressed there is no vertical slippage between nylon and plastic... but you are testament to this truth.

Does it allow lateral 'flag-spinage'? (flag spinach?)

[Paul ™]

Ok so how effective is a ground spike?

People have mentioned using guy ropes to stable the pole, how do you attach them to the pole?

[pogal]

Ok so how effective is a ground spike?

People have mentioned using guy ropes to stable the pole, how do you attach them to the pole?

Edited April 25, 2007 by pogal

[halvin]

I've been thinking on this...maybe you could but a cable tie tight above the elastic on the pole..as a kind of stop....

just a thought..

[Paul ™]

This is one I've been pondering on. My current plan centres on getting a lone piece of string/rope, pegging it down one side, then wrapping round the pole before pegging it down on the other side. Repeat. That would allow it to swing round but also give it a bit of stability?

Yet to be tested though, so I would be keen to hear from those who know more!

EDIT: The ground spikes are good - I've got three for my five-metre pole - and they hold it pretty well. I still think I'll have a guy rope of two though!

[LetsGoToMars]

I was bored so I had a go at touching up your second picture:

(great pic)

Slightly better but could still be improved...

[marjorie dawes]

Cheers mate That's looking lots better...you know where to find us for cider rewards

[Paul ™]

Hadnt thought of that.. might need to tape the sections together then

[harvey21183]

Right, just read this whole flippin' thread!

There's still things I'm confuzzled over though.

Namely, these ground spike jobbies. What do they do? Where do they go? People have said "whack 'em in the ground, put the pole over it, and jobs done" but how can you have more than one if that's what you do? Do you use them for the guy ropes aswell, or do normal tent pegs work ok for that?

Also, these bungies. From follow the Bungies101 course on here, I've come up with a slight improvement:

(I can't do pictures as I don't have either a pole or bungies, so you'll have to use your imagination I'm afraid)

- Do Step1 of Pogal's walkthrough, and maybe even Pogal's "wrap it round the flag again" technique to take up some slack;

- Then twist it up the remainder of the "loop" a fair bit to, again, take up some slack;

- To attach it to the pole, do a "lark's head" knot (essentially how you attach the lanyard to your mobile phone, if you know what I mean) on and slide it over. Pull it tight and it shouldn't slip anywhere (especially with a ziptie to rest on). I use these knots on the lines for my kite surfing kites and they don't let any slippage. And that's with a 13sq m kite, so I think a 3x5 flag'll be ok!

Has anyone got a picture of a 8m pole with a tent or 2 for scale? Having trouble picturing the enormity of it

Edited to add link for visualising a lark's head. clicky clicky catchey monkey

Edited April 25, 2007 by harvey21183

[pogal]

Right, just read this whole flippin' thread!

There's still things I'm confuzzled over though.

Namely, these ground spike jobbies. What do they do? Where do they go? People have said "whack 'em in the ground, put the pole over it, and jobs done" but how can you have more than one if that's what you do? Do you use them for the guy ropes aswell, or do normal tent pegs work ok for that?

Also, these bungies. From follow the Bungies101 course on here, I've come up with a slight improvement:

(I can't do pictures as I don't have either a pole or bungies, so you'll have to use your imagination I'm afraid)

- Do Step1 of Pogal's walkthrough, and maybe even Pogal's "wrap it round the flag again" technique to take up some slack;

- Then twist it up the remainder of the "loop" a fair bit to, again, take up some slack;

- To attach it to the pole, do a "lark's head" knot (essentially how you attach the lanyard to your mobile phone, if you know what I mean) on and slide it over. Pull it tight and it shouldn't slip anywhere (especially with a ziptie to rest on). I use these knots on the lines for my kite surfing kites and they don't let any slippage. And that's with a 13sq m kite, so I think a 3x5 flag'll be ok!

Has anyone got a picture of a 8m pole with a tent or 2 for scale? Having trouble picturing the enormity of it

Edited to add link for visualising a lark's head. clicky clicky catchey monkey

[pogal]

Right, just read this whole flippin' thread!

Edited to add link for visualising a lark's head. clicky clicky catchey monkey

[Boris]

All discussion relating to cable ties and duct tape should be encouraged. for they are the stuff that binds the universe!

As for guy ropes... hmmm isn't the whole Ground Spike things supposed to relieve us of such drudgery? And more importantly the hassle of steppy over things?

Still waiting for swivel ball bearing thingy pics!

[Swieve]

All discussion relating to cable ties and duct tape should be encouraged. for they are the stuff that binds the universe!

As for guy ropes... hmmm isn't the whole Ground Spike things supposed to relieve us of such drudgery? And more importantly the hassle of steppy over things?

Still waiting for swivel ball bearing thingy pics!

[fogma]

oops just accidently ordered a 6m pole, 2 stakes, a blank flag and some bungies even though i have no money..........

[mynameisearl]

Just tried the Lark's Head knot and it worked a treat - maybe too well - as I'll need to test whether the flag will still 'spin' on the pole it was so secure!

[Dog Burger]

He he, had a word with the graphic artist at work and got him to enlarge my design to the required size of 9 a3 sheets! Just going through the slightly nervy process of printing it off sheet by sheet, which is made even more uncomfortable by the fact that I have to walk all the way across the office to the printer and the design is of a well known football manager smoking a large spliff!

[halvin]

He he, had a word with the graphic artist at work and got him to enlarge my design to the required size of 9 a3 sheets! Just going through the slightly nervy process of printing it off sheet by sheet, which is made even more uncomfortable by the fact that I have to walk all the way across the office to the printer and the design is of a well known football manager smoking a large spliff!

[Dog Burger]

Wow, 9 A3 sheets. That must cover the whole flag, right? I definitely want to see a picture of the finished article!

On a totally different note, has anyone tried iron-on inkjet paper? Did it work or did the flag melt?

[harvey21183]

Right, onto the ground spikes - these are beasty things, they're not like tent pegs or anything. They are about 60cm long and you whack them into the ground about 30cm. The pole then has a plastic cover at the bottom that you remove and it slides over the spikes - so you don't see them at all.

The five-metre pole is pretty wide at the bottom so I can get three inside it to keep it really steady. Then I'll tent-peg the guy ropes.

If I fit in a test runat the weekend I'll take some photos of some of these ideas and see how they work!

[mynameisearl]

Edited April 26, 2007 by mynameisearl

[Dog Burger]

Stole one of Pogal's pictures to show what the top of the pole looks like. Last year when I used my flagpole I didn't use anything to attach the flag other than the bungees and it was fine, though the cable tie suggestion is a very good idea. You could also just use a piece of string and tie the flag to the pole through the wee eyelet at the very top to make sure you don't lose your flag if it gets windy.

There's a section on the site when you order that asks where you heard of the site so I'm sure they are aware of the publicity on efests!

[Dog Burger]

Stole one of Pogal's pictures to show what the top of the pole looks like. Last year when I used my flagpole I didn't use anything to attach the flag other than the bungees and it was fine, though the cable tie suggestion is a very good idea. You could also just use a piece of string and tie the flag to the pole through the wee eyelet at the very top to make sure you don't lose your flag if it gets windy.

There's a section on the site when you order that asks where you heard of the site so I'm sure they are aware of the publicity on efests!

[harvey21183]

Stole one of Pogal's pictures to show what the top of the pole looks like. Last year when I used my flagpole I didn't use anything to attach the flag other than the bungees and it was fine, though the cable tie suggestion is a very good idea. You could also just use a piece of string and tie the flag to the pole through the wee eyelet at the very top to make sure you don't lose your flag if it gets windy.

There's a section on the site when you order that asks where you heard of the site so I'm sure they are aware of the publicity on efests!

[Boris]

spaffing