• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Hitch-mounted Harbor Freight 20' flag pole

DanMan2k06

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Damascus, MD
Just in time for the 'Fourth. Heading down to the Outer Banks, NC this year and wanted to show my patriotism, while engaging in adult activities on the beach. As much as this country is in the $hitter right now, I am still grateful that I was born and raised here, rather than any other country in the world. So here it is.

You'll need:
-About 10' of 2"x2"x1/4" square tubing

-(5) #5 conduit hangers (designed for 2" sched. 40 pipe) http://www.homedepot.com/p/Raco-2-in-5-Conduit-Hanger-with-Bolt-2058-20/203671722#.UbZhz-BzodU

-A Hazard Fraught 20' telescoping flagpole kit. http://www.harborfreight.com/20-ft-telescoping-flag-pole-kit-95598.html

-A 3'x5' Valley Forge USA flag http://www.homedepot.com/p/Valley-Forge-Flag-3-ft-x-5-ft-Cotton-U-S-Flag-USB3/202555867#.UbZiC-BzodU

Note - The Harbor Freight kit comes with a super cheesy nylon printed 3'x5' American flag. Obviously chinese made. I'll support free trade and get down with a chinese-made flagpole all day. But a chinese-made American flag? Not ok. Hence why I said the USA-made Valley Forge flag is a necessity for this project. Feel free to burn the other one that comes in the kit.

Here's what I ended up with.

photo_zpse43b74e9.jpg

photo_zps7c999422.jpg

photo_zpsbb5c846b.jpg

photo_zps41af0433.jpg

photo_zps1ac2bb2d.jpg

photo_zpsfbd404ab.jpg


The base that extends out of the hitch is an 18" piece of 1/4" thick square tube. Everything else is 1/8" to save weight. The upright main tube is 4' tall, and the braces are about 15" at the long ends of the 45 degree miters. The two small gussets were the ends that fell off of the miters when they were cut. The conduit hangers are welded at 12" intervals up the tube, and fit the base of the flagpole absolutely perfectly. Weld it all together, and you've got a bomb-proof flagpole. The pole itself will snap LONG before any welds break or excessive force is put on the hitch. I love the fact that the pole is telescoping, so at night and during violent storms it can be removed completely.

I'm also going to incorporate a bike carrier into the design, but that comes later.
 
Threw on a 5x8 Star Spangled Banner flag for Flag Day that my neighbors gave me. Boy, that pole sure was waving around a lot haha. I think one 4x6, or two 3x5's are as big as I can safely go.

1012354_10200164175406832_162819387_n.jpg
 
MURICAH! :cheers:
 
As an active duty service member I wanted to say I love it and I am so going to "borrow" your idea. Keep it up and let's show the liberals they can't steal our country from us.
 
Would be sooooo useful in the mall, spot your vehicle from way across the lot.
 
I wanted to come up with some sort of night time illumination, so I started brainstorming. Of course within 5 minutes I had gone from a flashlight and rubber bands to a wired and mounted flood setup.

Then I came across these little suckers.
http://joby.com/gorillatorch/original

Ordered one, love it, and will definitely order more. 100 lumens doesn't sound like much, but against a dark backdrop it's BRIGHT! Shoot, it's bright period. The beam pattern is extremely focused which helps aid in intensity.

Commense 24 hour around the clock patriotism...

b1262a91-004a-4b61-a43b-4f845c26b4c5_zps9f9c9dc7.jpg


I have a brother down in Charleston that is a naval nuclear propulsion engineer, hopefully getting stationed on the Ford soon. A lot of this stuff I do in support of him :)
 
Back
Top