DIY Flagpole, just in time for the 4th

Inspiration for this article came from a video by DIY Tyler on Youtube. Tyler makes interesting and informative videos. If you haven't already, go check him out.

I had been shopping for a flagpole for a while, but wasn't happy with what I was finding. Most kits consisted of several sections of aluminum tube that slip together. My home is on a somewhat rural area with little to block the wind. I'm pretty sure that those sectioned-pipe kits would have folded in half in no time. Then I'd be left with a flag on the ground, a hunk of concrete in the ground, and about $125 wasted. I built this whole setup for about $80 and it is solid galvanized pipe with about 18 feet of above-ground height. It is cheaper and better than commercial alternatives, plus I get the satisfaction of building it myself.

For my version of the this project I special-ordered a 21' piece of 2" galvanized pipe from Menards. I also picked up a galvanized threaded cap to close up the top, a pulley, some rope, a stainless eye-bolt and some related miscellaneous hardware. The pipe had to be shipped to the store, and it took about a week and a half to arrive. It was a challenge to get home - luckily I have mostly back roads between Menards and my home. The weight of the cement mix bags helped steady the pipe in the trailer.

The first step was to add the pulley hardware to the top of the pole. I first drilled holes, about an inch down from the threads, with a small pilot hole and then a step bit.

Once the holes were drilled, I put in the stainless eye-bolt and secured it with three nylock nuts. Two of the nuts are inside the pipe to keep the eye bolt from moving around excessively in the wind and wallowing out the hole over time.

Here is the completed pulley fixture with the pipe cap sealed in place.

DO NOT FORGET TO RUN THE ROPE THROUGH THE PULLEY BEFORE SETTING THE POST!!! That seems pretty obvious, but sometimes you get excited about the project and the progress you're making and you forget small, yet critical steps.

I built a simple brace system with some scrap 2x4. The post is set into the ground about 3 feet with a bit of gravel at the bottom of the whole. Make sure to check for plumb when adjusting the braces. I let the cement set overnight before taking down the braces.

The rope cleat is a composite plastic part from Menards. It is meant to be a dock accessory, but works perfectly for this application as well.

Here is the completed project. There was a slight breeze today which made the Flag wave perfectly on Independence Day.

*I don't have a picture of it handy, but I added a solar-powered light to the pole about a week later. I am now able to fly the flag 24x7.