Fill flagpole gap?

[wkearney99]

I've got a flagpole on our Eastbay that I'd like to use in a new mount. The new mount is a little larger in diameter internally. I'm wondering what kind of spacer or "something" would be suitable to get the pole mounted properly?

One solution, I suppose, would be to find someone to chuck it up into a lathe and turn it to fit the new mount. I'm not opposed to that but would rather not lose the extra few inches on the post that would be lost.

I don't need the pole to be removable from this mount. I just want to avoid it getting pulled loose when flapping in the breeze.

The mount is hollow. That is, I can get to the bottom of the post through the mount. So I could potentially have some additional fastening scheme that bound the pole to the mount. Another piece of wood or PVC in the bottom with a screw through it up into the pole, for example, is one idea I've considered.

The post is stepped like that, and a piece is missing, presumably from the previous mount, which was removed to accommodate a new sun fly over the aft cockpit. I'm moving the flag up to the stern rail of the flybridge. The transom location was never idea as it always ended up flapping against the dinghy or in the faces of people using the swim platform.

 

[AusCan]

You could build up the diameter and repair the cutout piece with epoxy & filler then sand it back for the perfect fit, although it would a bit of time and work.

For a quick fix, check if you can get a piece of PVC pipe from local hardware store to do the job. Maybe DWV pipe or PVC pressure pipe or irrigation pipe. You might find a lucky fit to act as a sleeve to increase the pole diameter.

 

[wkearney99]

Some electrical conduit might have a better wall thickness than regular white PVC. I think the grey is a little thinner? I've not taken an exact measurement of the diameters but a rough eyeball on it says the gap might be too slim for the regular stuff.

I've done epoxy filling and re-coring for through deck fittings and know what you mean regarding time and work. I just don't know how much 'torsion' an epoxy band around this would tolerate. I don't expect to be yanking on it but would prefer to avoid something unable to withstand some accidental pressure on it. It'd probably be pretty easy to just seal up around the top where the pole meets the mount and pour in some epoxy from below. Just enough to make for a cylindrical plug without become a permanent blob. I've not used any sorts of release agents, is there something I could slather on the inside of the metal that would help prevent it from making a permanent bond to it? That way I'd be able to slide it out if it ever needed replacing.

There's a screw hole on the side not shown which would hold the pole into the mount.

 

[STB]

This isn't structural. I'd clean it up good and then use an epoxy /putty/ from Home Depot or Lowe's. Get it approximately right and fine tune it with a dremel, sanding block, or file as needed.

It'll cure in an hour and totally be done in an hour thirty, start to finish, including clock time. And, you can keep as much taper as you'd like.

 

[FF]

Wrap thin line on the shaft bedded in epoxy. Paint the end white.


IF it takes a walk some night , it will be EZ to ID.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

Build it up with Marine Tek and file it down.

pete

 

[OldDan1943]

For a permanent fix, get a stainless staff.
With wood, what fits today will not fit tomorrow.
You wish to tinker with a perfect fit for a wooden staff, good luck.
I hang a smaller flag on the center line, from my funky, small spreader.

 

[bayview]

Since you don't need it to be removable just glue it in with resin or Sikaflex or even 5200 to fill the gap. It looks like it originally had some sort of sealer on it.