Flag Pole.
Author
Discussion

Rednut05

Original Poster:

9,173 posts

236 months

Monday 5th March 2007
quotequote all
Everyone last year had flag poles on their pitch and I don't want to be left out.

So In browsing the eBay, I have stumbled upon a 6m pole for £8.99 + £3.95 postage (Skyblue - Leisure).

So for £13... I'm thinking, even if it does snap horribly and everyone dies when it falls on them in the night. Can I really go wrong for that money!?

Only after a pole for this years Le Mans, not for anything else so looking cheap.

Who here has flown a flag before and how many flags will a certain foot pole take?


Cheers.

David

molestrangler

976 posts

230 months

Monday 5th March 2007
quotequote all
When you've extended the flag pole (horizontally) and twisted each section to lock it, put a bit of tape on the joints to keep it erect !

Piglet

6,250 posts

278 months

Monday 5th March 2007
quotequote all
I've bought from Sky Blue Leisure and they are fine. You can also buy these fishing poles in most french supermarkets.

You need to add in some kind of ground spike to put it on/in - our latest version is a cut off metal spike (what my horsey friend calls pig sticks!) that the pole sits over. You'll also need a way of attaching the flag to the pole - we put holes in the flags if they don't have them already and use cable ties.

You won't be able to fly a flag of the very end of the pole as it isn't strong enough, I think we've flown 2 poss 3 flags off a pole this length.

Just remember to fly your union flag the right way up!!

FredericRobinson

4,719 posts

255 months

Monday 5th March 2007
quotequote all
I've got one of these, I bought the sleeve that goes with it and had no problem flying four flags off it. You wll need a good way to secure it though, we strap ours to the side of the gazebo, I'm not sure the ground spike is enough on its own.

ade_g

91 posts

250 months

Tuesday 6th March 2007
quotequote all
We also have one from Sky Blue.. it worked perfectly. As for ground spike(s) I ordered the ground spikes that they have on the ebay site...

vette_1978

3,258 posts

245 months

Tuesday 6th March 2007
quotequote all
Skyblue are who I used last year for LM. Got the ground spikes, toggles and a couple of flags. Very reasonable indeed. Managed to damage the pole at Donington for the LMES so will get another before June.

F308 MAN

1,029 posts

260 months

Wednesday 7th March 2007
quotequote all
vette_1978 said:
.... so will get another before June.


Good!
stick it in the Onchan garden as a marker for my free beer.
beer d

Rednut05

Original Poster:

9,173 posts

236 months

Wednesday 7th March 2007
quotequote all
Piglet said:
You need to add in some kind of ground spike to put it on/in - our latest version is a cut off metal spike (what my horsey friend calls pig sticks!) that the pole sits over. You'll also need a way of attaching the flag to the pole - we put holes in the flags if they don't have them already and use cable ties.


They sell ground spikes so I'll buy some of them.

Piglet said:
You won't be able to fly a flag of the very end of the pole as it isn't strong enough, I think we've flown 2 poss 3 flags off a pole this length.


What size flag pole did you buy?

Piglet

6,250 posts

278 months

Wednesday 7th March 2007
quotequote all
Hmm I don't remember, Happy Snapper thinks our current one is possibly 5 metres, perhaps 6. The one we use now I think came from either Carrefour or Decathlon.

This is our second one, the first one got partially destroyed at the GP a couple of years ago and we've lopped a couple of sections out of it!

VETTE_1978

3,258 posts

245 months

Thursday 8th March 2007
quotequote all
F308 MAN said:
vette_1978 said:
.... so will get another before June.


Good!
stick it in the Onchan garden as a marker for my free beer.
beer d


Good point! I've also got a "Bennett Tours" flag which is 8ft x 5ft which should get hung somewhere. Will get it ordered today before I forget.

As for the question on sizes, the one I got was 7m and did the job fine. One of those telescopic jobbies for about £8.

Piglet

6,250 posts

278 months

Thursday 8th March 2007
quotequote all
On the "using a flag as a marker" subject, I always navigate back from the showers using my flag to aim for. At the GP a couple of years ago the buggers opposite moved the flag after I'd set off and move it over a row (trashing the pole in the process!). I didn't have any glasses or lenses it so could't see very much. It took me bloody ages to find the tent!

DeanoX

164 posts

228 months

Thursday 8th March 2007
quotequote all
The best way is not to secure the flag pole directly (to a tent/gazebo etc) - but place it over the groundspike - with a CD at the base. The pole should then rotate freely around the spike on the CD.

It will then "weather vane" with the wind which places far far less stress on it - especially if you have a sail type flag.

Rednut05

Original Poster:

9,173 posts

236 months

Thursday 8th March 2007
quotequote all
Deano, you seem to be a man in the know.

Piglet

6,250 posts

278 months

Thursday 8th March 2007
quotequote all
Deano am I being very stupid....when you say CD do you really mean the Best of Meatloaf or something different?

Rednut05

Original Poster:

9,173 posts

236 months

Thursday 8th March 2007
quotequote all
I'd say Bat Out of Hell yes.

Like a big oversized washer to allow the pole to spin.

Ordered a 7m flag pole so me and my homies can big it up with 3 flags a flyin' yah.

Cheers for the help chums.


Edited by Rednut05 on Thursday 8th March 21:38

vette_1978

3,258 posts

245 months

Thursday 8th March 2007
quotequote all
Got home today to find that a flag I won off eBay has arrived. A rather fetching 78 Pace Car flag which matches the stickers on the doors of the Vette. So thats 4 flags now which could mean I need an even bigger pole. Neh mind, maybe I'll order some spinners and flagsocks aswell....

Rednut05

Original Poster:

9,173 posts

236 months

Thursday 8th March 2007
quotequote all
vette_1978 said:
Got home today to find that a flag I won off eBay has arrived. A rather fetching 78 Pace Car flag which matches the stickers on the doors of the Vette. So thats 4 flags now which could mean I need an even bigger pole. Neh mind, maybe I'll order some spinners and flagsocks aswell....


Fly all four for giggles.

iamthestig

13,124 posts

235 months

Thursday 8th March 2007
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Anyone else spot the PH flag right at the front on the official LM brochure? made me smile.

DeanoX

164 posts

228 months

Thursday 8th March 2007
quotequote all
I bought a Custom Sail type flag for last year. All explained to me by the very helpful bloke who made it.

Personally I used a freebie PC mag CD. - But I'm pretty sure meatloaf would work.

Piglet

6,250 posts

278 months

Friday 9th March 2007
quotequote all
That's a pretty cool flag - where did you order it from?

All joking aside, I can't find anything that looks like a big washer on the Sky Blue site?

We usually duct tape our pole to the groundspike!