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| Do You Need A New American Flag ? (Page 2/2) |
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fierofool
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NOV 07, 09:29 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by maryjane:
learn to use a sewing machine or find someone that can, and run at least 1 new seam down every factory seam, using outdoors rated poly thread. the flag will last x2 as long, as their sewing thread is the weakest link.
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It hasn't been the thread or seam that's coming loose. It's the material ripping alongside the seam on almost every one. Admittedly, sometimes the rips are due to it blowing up and catching on the corner of the gutter. It's mounted similar to 82 T/A's.
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cliffw
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NOV 12, 11:19 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]:
Hey, stupid question. I leave my flag out on the pole in front of my house 24x7. I don't have a direct light shining on it, but my house has a street lamp directly in front of it... about 20 feet away. Does this count (the street lamp stays on all night)? |
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I meant to respond. Now I am.
Yes. It counts ! No light at all is acceptable ! If you like, we can arrange rockets red glare to illuminate it for you. 
A faded Fiero counts.
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maryjane
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NOV 12, 12:19 PM
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Here's how I built my flagpole that stood strong and straight for nearly 20 years and was still standing when I sold the property. Dig your hole, and I recommend at least 3' deep. Dig the hole straight and just wide enough for the pipe to slide down into. Drop a 6" diameter x 37" 1/4" wall thickness pipe into the hole. Then, drop a piece of a brick down into the bottom of the pipe. Center it, with a long stick if necessary. This is a perch for the flagpole to sit on and not sink into the ground. you will leave approx 1" of the pipe above ground level or whatever you want but ya don't want to be hitting it with your lawnmower blade.
Have on hand:
1. a big bag of playground sand. NOT beach sand..it has salt in it.
2. One or 2 big size tubes of rubberized silicone. Not window caulk. Use the good stuff.
3. Of course, a caulking gun.
4. 5 gals of water or a garden hose.
5. a good level..one showing vertical trueness/plumb..
How tall you make your flagpole is up to you, but bear in mind, raising the pole from horizontal up to vertical gets more difficult the taller it is. At some point, even with me being over 6' tall, I reached a point where in I became a fulcrum on a long lever as I had more pole behind me than in front of me and the bottom end of the pipe wanted to raise up.
A second person helps in this endeavor, by holding the bottom end of the pipe down.
Raise the flagpole up to vertical and then lift the vertical pole straight up and set it down inside the pipe and onto the brick. Don't just let it crashing down inside the 6" pipe and shatter your brick. You will regret it years down the road when you can't get your flagpole out of the ground.
Use any bracing (or a helper) necessary to get the pole standing straight and true and centered inside the big pipe. Pour the sand down around the flagpole, filling it about 1/2 full. Add water until the sand is nice and damp..this packs it. Continue adding sand until about 2" from the top of the 6" pipe. Wet the sand down again and let it settle. Don't make it a sloppy wet slurry, just nice and damp. At this point, recheck your straighness. You will be ale to shift the pole over a little in the wet sand, but not much. The wet sand itself will hold the pipe in place for now.
Now, fill the remaining 2" of pipe with silicone, leaving no air gaps. Put enough in, to make a sort of dome at the top around the flagpole. This helps to shed water.
DON'T succumb to temptation of raising the flag(s) now to see how it looks.
DO let the silicone cure fully before raising any flag on the pole.
May take as much as 24 hours.
The silicone has 2 functions. It seals off the top of the 6" pipe and, it being flexible rubberized silicone, allows a cushion for days when a strong wind wants to shift the flagpole over to one side inside the 6" pipe. I did mine this way and it survived hurricanes Ike and Harvey as well as a very intense derecho in 2015 that laid down dozens of 50 year old oaks and big pines as well.
IF, you ever have to pull your flagpole out of the ground (I did to replace a broken lanyard after about 8 years of brutal East Texas weather) You just chip the silicone out (it's pretty easy) and the flagpole will generally come right on out of the 6" pipe. WAAY better than some that are solidly cemented down.
Some claim doing it this way with the silicone seal will cause the 6" pipe to be pushed up and out by ground water. I beg to differ.
Frost heaving? I can't speculate on that possibility..
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82-T/A [At Work]
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NOV 13, 06:19 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by maryjane:
Frost heaving? I can't speculate on that possibility.. |
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Oh man... I remember when this happened.
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maryjane
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NOV 14, 12:25 PM
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One of only 3 times in 29 years I ever saw tears in my Jane's eyes. The others were at funerals.
She was not sad about the material damage or loss. She cried for the cows we knew were drowned, especially the week old one she had taken a liking to.[This message has been edited by maryjane (edited 11-14-2023).]
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82-T/A [At Work]
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NOV 17, 10:11 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by maryjane:
One of only 3 times in 29 years I ever saw tears in my Jane's eyes. The others were at funerals.
She was not sad about the material damage or loss. She cried for the cows we knew were drowned, especially the week old one she had taken a liking to.
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Ah man... I wanted to ask about that, but didn't think it would be appropriate. Now I have my answer. I forgot about that. That sucks...
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cliffw
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NOV 25, 05:15 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]:
Hey, stupid question. I leave my flag out on the pole in front of my house 24x7. I don't have a direct light shining on it, but my house has a street lamp directly in front of it... about 20 feet away. Does this count (the street lamp stays on all night)? |
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Flag Pole Light / Solar
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