FAQs
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Q. What are the main differences between wooden flagpoles and others?
A. Wooden flagpoles look quite different as they have a traditional square base for the first 4 to 5 ft with a transitional octagonal portion before going into the cylindrical section, which is gently tapered. The grain of the timber can be seen through the paint or varnish so they look natural and unique and not artificial and plastic. They are just as strong as other materials and customers have the reassuring feelings and beliefs that they have purchased a traditional hand crafted product.
Q. What sizes are available in wood?
A. Any size the customer requires.
Q. Who typically buys wooden flagpoles?
A. Organisations where the cost is not the most important factor and the need for the genuine product is essential. Historic houses, military bases etc.
Home owners who want a “real” bespoke product that has been hand made especially for them.
Q. Why is wood more expensive?
A. The time involved to make the flagpole by skilled craftsmen, together with the cost of top quality timber which is then selected and laminated to give flexibilty, strength and a long life.
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Q. How long will wood last?
A. 50 to 100years if treated every 3 to 5 years with a gentle sanding and new coat of paint or varnish.
Q. Why does wood last much longer now?
A. The materials used are of a much higher quality and traditionally wooden flagpoles were made from one piece of timber which meant that some knots and defects were hidden inside the timber. Because we laminate the wood, we individually select each piece to ensure there are no defects. The supporting tabernacle ensures the flagpole does not come into contact with the ground so they cannot rot from the ground up as they used to. The tabernacle allows the flagpole to be lowered for maintenance quite easily.
Q. How much maintenance do wooden flagpoles require?
A. A gentle sanding and one coat of gloss or varnish every 5 years.
Q. Do glass fibre flagpoles need any maintenance?
A. Yes. They also need repainting as the frost can cause the fibre to split and eventually break down completely. They also suffer from weather damage and discolour, as do all flagpoles.
Q. Can the flagpoles be delivered and installed?
A. Yes. We can do everything for the customer. We do not outsource any aspect of the business to a third party.
Q. Can you copy the design of an old or existing flagpole that needs replacing?
A. Yes. We can copy any design, size and length.
Q. What is the meaning of all these technical terms?
A. The following glossary may help you and it can be fun to use some of them when you are talking about your flagpole.
Glossary of Terms to do with our Flagpoles (many of them with old nautical connections)
Bent - a nautical term used to describe the action of having tied a ‘halyard’ onto a flag.
Chamfer - is formed when the corners of the square butt of the flagpole are bevelled to provide an octagonal transition between the square and circular cross sections.
Cleat ¬- a metal fitting provided with two arms so that the ‘halyard’ can be made fast by taking two or three turns under and over the arms.
Douglas fir - a light reddish brown softwood that has high stiffness and crushing strength, and high bending strength. These are ideal properties for a flagpole and ‘lamination’ enhances these properties.
Eye - a loop formed in the end of a ‘halyard’.
Finial - a decorative piece at the top of a flagpole often turned into an ‘ogee’ shape.
Fly - the horizontal length of a rectangular flag in use, see ‘hoist’.
Halyard - a braided flexible ‘rope’ that is ‘bent’ to a flag and used to ‘hoist’ it. The old version of this word is ‘haulyard’ which indicates its original nautical use on board ship.
Hoist - the vertical height of a rectangular flag that is next to the Flagpole, see ‘fly’.
Hoist - the action of raising a flag.
Lamination - a woodworking technique where layers of timber are glued up into a solid block. The benefits are that we have absolute control over the quality of the final product because we can select flawless boards to make the final product. This allows us to achieve the strength and flexibility that is necessary for a reliable flagpole.
Ogee – a solid that is defined by double ‘s’ shaped curves like the top of a minaret.
Rove - when the end of a ‘halyard’ is passed through anything it is said to be ‘rove’ through it.
Sheave - a small pulley wheel that is fitted in the ‘truckhead’ sometimes referred to as a ‘truck’.
Toggle - a wooden pin in the form of an elongated barrel that is attached to a flag. It is passed through a loop or ‘eye’ in the halyard to connect them together.
Tabernacle – is a fabricated mild steel structure that supports a flagpole vertically. The lower part is sunk below ground level. Two ‘ears’ project above ground so that the flagpole can be supported vertically, it is gripped between them by means of two bolts. When the top bolt is removed it is a simple matter to lower and raise the flagpole for routine maintenance.
Truck - see sheave
Truckhead - a circular wooden cap fitted to the top of the flagpole which can be fitted with one or occasionally two ‘sheaves’ or ‘trucks’ through which the halyard is ‘roved’
If you have any other questions, please contact us on: 01823 400610, peter@woodenflagpoles.co.uk
The square base, transitional octagon and circular section can be clearly seen in the first photo.
The second photo shows the final fine hand sanding after the flagpole has been power sanded with and without the lathe rotating at slow speed simultaneously.
