05-May-2016, 12:06 PM (This post was last modified: 23-May-2016, 02:57 PM by Carlos Costa.)
Hi!
If you are a scrooge like me you will eventually find a way to make the things you need without spending a ton of $$.
Case in point, the cheapest turn flags you will be able to do without breaking a sweat.
You will need:
1 travel fishing pole (3 or 4 meters)
1 pound shop flag (the biggest you can find the better material you will have)
1 stapler
That's it!
I got my travel fishing pole in Decathlon for a whooping 2.99£ and the flag for 1£ from some poundland shop. I managed to make 6 turn flags from just one flag.
Step 1
Grab your pole firmly and gently extended it while securing it with both hands.
You will find that once it's fully extended it becomes bendy but still quite hard.
Step 2
Cut the flag or fabric in a banner shape like thingy.
Step 3
Fold ever so carefully, a full edge of the flag or fabric as to create a tight tunnel where you will be inserting your hard, rigid, extended pole.
If you are good at sewing and have nothing better to do with your life, sew it. I used a stapler
Step 4
It's time. Gently, but firmly thrust your fully extended pole into the flag crevice forcing it all the way through.
Zip tie (or staple) the end so as not to perforate the end of the flag hole.
Take a break.
You deserved it.
If the flag is not sticking to the ground because you spend too much time sitting in your couch doing these DIY and not exercising and you are not able to push it in enough do not to worry. Get an old fiberglass section off an old tent (or a stick in the woods) and stick it in the floor. The pole unscrews from the bottom and you can push the pole in the stick and secure it that way. Get that stick on stick action if that is your thing.
BUT WAIT
Are you so poor you can't afford milk, yet you really one of these flags?
No problem.
Time to break out that old tent you have laying around in your garage since 1983 that you told yourself that you are definitely going to use next year when it's warmer but you "never got around to it".
I'm sorry to tell you but, it's time to deface that tent!
Use the same process as above for the fabric and you will probably be able to get a gate out of it as well!
Old crappy tents normally have two fiberglass spars that break down into smaller sections with a elastic that secures everything together.
These are much weaker then a fishing pole so you won't be able to make such a large turn flag.
- I cut the elastic and rethreaded it with only 3 sections. Each section was 50cm which means my flag is 1.5m
- I used the other spar as a gate. If you have old tent fabric you can cut and roll it around the spare it to make it stand out (or you won't be able to see it) otherwise use a piece of flag.
NOTE: If money is not a problem and you are used to splurging in fancy restaurants like McDonalds and buying only the finest materials from Primark you might also consider purchasing replacement fiberglass camping poles from THE eBay.
Here's the result after f'ing up a lot of tents!
If you have some extra cable laying around you can also use it to secure the gates in a windy day.
And for extra stabilization, use an elastic band from your grandma trousers to better secure each end of the gates to the floor.
Here is the whole thing packed and ready to use.
And this is what it looks like racing them!
If you are a scrooge like me you will eventually find a way to make the things you need without spending a ton of $$.
Case in point, the cheapest turn flags you will be able to do without breaking a sweat.
You will need:
1 travel fishing pole (3 or 4 meters)
1 pound shop flag (the biggest you can find the better material you will have)
1 stapler
That's it!
I got my travel fishing pole in Decathlon for a whooping 2.99£ and the flag for 1£ from some poundland shop. I managed to make 6 turn flags from just one flag.
Step 1
Grab your pole firmly and gently extended it while securing it with both hands.
You will find that once it's fully extended it becomes bendy but still quite hard.
Step 2
Cut the flag or fabric in a banner shape like thingy.
Step 3
Fold ever so carefully, a full edge of the flag or fabric as to create a tight tunnel where you will be inserting your hard, rigid, extended pole.
If you are good at sewing and have nothing better to do with your life, sew it. I used a stapler
Step 4
It's time. Gently, but firmly thrust your fully extended pole into the flag crevice forcing it all the way through.
Zip tie (or staple) the end so as not to perforate the end of the flag hole.
Take a break.
You deserved it.
If the flag is not sticking to the ground because you spend too much time sitting in your couch doing these DIY and not exercising and you are not able to push it in enough do not to worry. Get an old fiberglass section off an old tent (or a stick in the woods) and stick it in the floor. The pole unscrews from the bottom and you can push the pole in the stick and secure it that way. Get that stick on stick action if that is your thing.
BUT WAIT
Are you so poor you can't afford milk, yet you really one of these flags?
No problem.
Time to break out that old tent you have laying around in your garage since 1983 that you told yourself that you are definitely going to use next year when it's warmer but you "never got around to it".
I'm sorry to tell you but, it's time to deface that tent!
Use the same process as above for the fabric and you will probably be able to get a gate out of it as well!
Old crappy tents normally have two fiberglass spars that break down into smaller sections with a elastic that secures everything together.
These are much weaker then a fishing pole so you won't be able to make such a large turn flag.
- I cut the elastic and rethreaded it with only 3 sections. Each section was 50cm which means my flag is 1.5m
- I used the other spar as a gate. If you have old tent fabric you can cut and roll it around the spare it to make it stand out (or you won't be able to see it) otherwise use a piece of flag.
NOTE: If money is not a problem and you are used to splurging in fancy restaurants like McDonalds and buying only the finest materials from Primark you might also consider purchasing replacement fiberglass camping poles from THE eBay.
Here's the result after f'ing up a lot of tents!
If you have some extra cable laying around you can also use it to secure the gates in a windy day.
And for extra stabilization, use an elastic band from your grandma trousers to better secure each end of the gates to the floor.
Here is the whole thing packed and ready to use.
And this is what it looks like racing them!