One of our “ Top 30 ” goals for 2012 was to uprise the old iris magnetic pole that used to fly at my Mom and Dad ’s home . My dad had built the flagpole from recycled Fe piping in 1976 – and I can call back lift up and down the flag hundreds of time farm up . It proudly flew the American Flag until sometime in the other 2000 ’s , when the pole rusted through at the base during a summertime storm and fell over .
The flagstone pole before sanding , priming and painting
Every undivided one of my brothers and sisters , and even my oldest niece recollect the magnetic pole – and how we put our hand print into the concrete the day my dad poured the foundation . Dad then inset a 1976 Bicentennial quarter into the concrete to go steady the occasion . In fact , the old concrete base with the handwriting prints is still in the priming today at the theatre – and you may still make out all of those trivial fingers in the concrete .
The flag pole before sanding, priming and painting
When we took down my Dad ’s barn last fall – we found the 25′ pole up in the top of the barn rafter , and we knew at that instant it had to become part of our “ new ” old barn ’s landscape . So we hauled it back to the farm – and put it on the “ to do ” listing for the coming twelvemonth .
The flag celestial pole grounding muddle – dug deep to add strength
see there was no better time than the 4th of July – we get down the operation of putting the rod back up . We buy a 6′ heavy responsibility length of 2 1/2″ galvanized pipage to secure into the ground . And after digging down about 42″ – we mixed and poured the concrete and level the base pipage of the new flag terminal . While I dug out the hole – Mary sand down the older rod and primed it before adding two coat of in high spirits glossary black key to make it “ brand newfangled ” again .
The flag pole foundation hole – dug deep to add strength
We created a straight form for the top – and – to reward the inheritance of the pole – placed another bicentenary quarter in the concrete – along with a 2011 poop to commemorate the new barn project start last twelvemonth . Since our base was a little smaller at the top , we opted to put just our ovolo prints into the concrete .
The 1976 and 2011 Quarters along side our thumb prints
I ’m always amazed looking back at my Dad ’s ingeniousness – but as Mary sanded down the pole – she realise he had made the top “ ball ” ornament of the flag perch out of an old wooden orchis – plausibly re - used from something he had found 🙂 – but as with everything he did – it looked and worked bully !
The 1976 and 2011 Quarters along side our thumb prints
After drying and curing – we slid the one-time terminal down inside the base – installed a new Mexican valium and pulley – and at 5:35 promethium on July 4th – we rise the American Flag up the pole once again .
With Dad ’s sure-enough flagpole in place- the farm originate to take shape . It ’s hard to believe just four stakes were in position a year ago to mark where the barn would go .
Preparing the rod – Probably the scariest minute was beak up the pole to slither it into the base . Once done – we secured the new rope and the project was all over !
With Dad’s old flagpole in place- the farm starts to take shape. It’s hard to believe just four stakes were in place a year ago to mark where the barn would go.
Preparing the pole – Probably the scariest moment was picking up the pole to slide it into the base. Once done – we secured the new rope and the project was complete!
