Noisy Flag Pole

StevieC

StevieC

Joined
Aug 21, 2008
Messages
25,104
Location
ON, Canada eh?
Apparently my flag pole that I have had for almost 6 years is too noisy. I can't hear it with the windows open in the summer and I know my neighbours on both sides aren't the ones that complained because they would have told me straight up given our good relationship we have.

I guess I'm happy that they sent me this letter instead of calling the city first, but they could have just knocked on the door.

I took it down until I can modify the ring at the bottom that rides up/down the pole with the flag. I'm thinking maybe a woven nylon band similar to what you would find in a Dog Leash.

Ideas for mods?




20181204_181552.jpg
 
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Maybe you don't hear because you are so used to it. Sorta like people that let their dogs bark for hours on end. At least it was a nice and respectable letter.
 
Originally Posted by Bud
Maybe you don't hear because you are so used to it. Sorta like people that let their dogs bark for hours on end. At least it was a nice and respectable letter.

I did go out into the driveway tonight to listen for it. There is always wind here because I'm near the lake. It was flapping away and I could hear minor clanging but you would have to listen for it sort of thing. It's definitely not leaving the property tonight, I strolled up/down the sidewalk to have a listen at various points. So unless there is an all out wind storm I don't see how this could be an issue. Especially after 6 years of no one else complaining. The post it's riding up and down on is also plastic coated steel so there is a deadening effect to it.

Nevertheless I'm being the good neighbour and took it down and will modify.
smirk2.gif
 
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Sounds like some well placed rubber would work. Either on that ring or on the pole itself. It would be sacrificial so maybe a annual chore. I wouldn't change the metal ring. The forces will be too strong for any other material.

Sound has a odd way of traveling sometimes.


Edit: wemay's suggestion is a good one.
 
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Some pictures would help us come up with a solution.

The letter is civil enough, but one wonders why they were unwilling to identify themselves. Do you look like a mean guy, LOL??? Do you go around the yard bashing squirrels with a baseball bat???? Again, LOL. Maybe you are flying the confederate flag of the southern U.S.? I imagine you as a person that would probably shake the hand of this neighbor and tell him that you appreciate being notified so that you can rectify the issue asap. Oh well.

Maybe the sound is somehow resonating/amplifying as it enters his house??? Maybe he has sensory perception issues? My autistic grandson is very sensitive to certain noises.

Good luck with this. The sadistic part of me (of good nature) might tempt me to fix the flag pole and then purchase a few good crowing roosters to occupy my yard!
 
Frankly my first question is why didn't a good neighbor come over knock on the door and just say Steve I need to talk to you? No it's not the noise my feeling is a common problem these days this guy is offended by flags. Nothing short of stopping flying this flag is going to satisfy him.
 
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Sounds like the individual just got a new hearing aid and now can hear anything if you have not had any issues for 6 years.

You can try putting an old piece of water hose over the claps, or put a pool noodle on the flag pool, but the sun will destroy that with in a year so not sure what else to try.
 
Originally Posted by JohnnyJohnson
Frankly my first question is why didn't a good neighbor come over knock on the door and just say Steve I need to talk to you? Not it not the noise my feeling is a common problem these days this guy is offended by flags. Nothing short of stopping flying this flag is going to satisfy him.

Some people don't want to create hostility. Nobody knows how the other will react to the other. I highly doubt they are upset with him flying a flag unless it was offensive.


Op, maybe the sound is a higher pitch. Some people can hear it a lot easier than others.
 
Originally Posted by Blkstanger
Can you dip the metal ring in Plasti-dip?

That's an idea... Thanks for that.

Originally Posted by doitmyself
Some pictures would help us come up with a solution.

The letter is civil enough, but one wonders why they were unwilling to identify themselves. Do you look like a mean guy, LOL??? Do you go around the yard bashing squirrels with a baseball bat???? Again, LOL. Maybe you are flying the confederate flag of the southern U.S.? I imagine you as a person that would probably shake the hand of this neighbor and tell him that you appreciate being notified so that you can rectify the issue asap. Oh well.

Maybe the sound is somehow resonating/amplifying as it enters his house??? Maybe he has sensory perception issues? My autistic grandson is very sensitive to certain noises.

Good luck with this. The sadistic part of me (of good nature) might tempt me to fix the flag pole and then purchase a few good crowing roosters to occupy my yard!


It was already dark when I got home. I'll have to do that tomorrow.

Originally Posted by JohnnyJohnson
Frankly my first question is why didn't a good neighbor come over knock on the door and just say Steve I need to talk to you? No it's not the noise my feeling is a common problem these days this guy is offended by flags. Nothing short of stopping flying this flag is going to satisfy him.

My point exactly. Not like we aren't friendly, and we know just about everyone on the street with the exception of a couple. We exchange Christmas baking sort of thing.
21.gif


Originally Posted by FordBroncoVWJeta
Op, maybe the sound is a higher pitch. Some people can hear it a lot easier than others.

Possibly and that is why I took it down, I don't want it to be annoying anyone. I was just making the claim that I can't hear it and I'm usually pretty good at hearing things most can't. But this doesn't seem to be audible inside even with the windows open. Maybe it's just the way the sound is traveling like someone else suggested.
 
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Don't be hard on the neighbor, some people just can't do any sort of confrontation. Pretty far stretch calling the guy a flag hater considering how civil his letter was. He could have gone to the city with his complaint and tried to get the flagpole taken down.

Why do you need a ring at all? The flag on the 20 foot pole at work is on a halyard with 2 snap hooks that's kept tight with a rope cleat. It's kind of a half granny knot holding the snap hooks and they never slip.
 
Hey, I do not know what the offending part looks like. But a possible 30 second fix would be to cut a long strip of electrical tape and wrap it.
 
The one at my work makes a racket. It's the rope hitting the pole as well as the clasps that hold the flag to the rope.

Sound can travel in ways we don't understand. I'm a mile from a park with a lake.there is a gully that leads from the lake right past my house. I can hear the frogs at the lake ribbitting if thats a word.I can also hear them telling the Fisher people that the lake will be closing in 30 minutes. If I walk a few yards
From the gully I can't hear anything.
The letter you got was written with care. They didn't threaten you or call you names so it appears that they don't want trouble.
 
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The plastidip idea has merit but it might only change the sound. A easy way to test would be to tie a strip of rubber like a piece of old inner tube and see what happens. I think you need something soft yet durable. Rubber and leather would work but leather will have its limitations.

Is this a tall pole? Hollow? Halyard clips?
 
Originally Posted by AZjeff
Don't be hard on the neighbor, some people just can't do any sort of confrontation. Pretty far stretch calling the guy a flag hater considering how civil his letter was. He could have gone to the city with his complaint and tried to get the flagpole taken down.

Why do you need a ring at all? The flag on the 20 foot pole at work is on a halyard with 2 snap hooks that's kept tight with a rope cleat. It's kind of a half granny knot holding the snap hooks and they never slip.


It's a flag pole I built with 2 different sized fence posts plastic coated. One driven into the ground and the other sits inside it higher up. Then I have a pressed in bearing at the top with an threaded ring at the top through the center of the bearing that allows the flag to clip to the top but spin around the pole as the wind direction changes. The ring making the noise is the ring that rides on the pole and is clipped to the bottom of the flag. It's a heavy ring to keep it weighted down. I did it this way because it was like a $25 flag pole that is super sturdy versus the $160 they want for the actual kit. Aside from being noisy it works perfectly.
 
Originally Posted by DeafBrad
Hey, I do not know what the offending part looks like. But a possible 30 second fix would be to cut a long strip of electrical tape and wrap it.

I thought of that but with the nasty winter weather that electrical tape won't last long before it starts loosening or discolouring. Ask me how I know about electrical tape in our nasty weather.
lol.gif
 
"It's a flag pole I built with 2 different sized fence posts plastic coated. One driven into the ground and the other sits inside it higher up. Then I have a pressed in bearing at the top with an threaded ring at the top through the center of the bearing that allows the flag to clip to the top but spin around the pole as the wind direction changes. The ring making the noise is the ring that rides on the pole and is clipped to the bottom of the flag. It's a heavy ring to keep it weighted down. I did it this way because it was like a $25 flag pole that is super sturdy versus the $160 they want for the actual kit. Aside from being noisy it works perfectly."




Those the bottom ring encircles the pole and it is that which is making the noise? This is not the usual setup. Any kind of padding or sound isolation might hinder the travel of the ring up and down the pole.

My Coast Guard thinking is that you could wrap small line 1/4 " around the ring using contact cement to keep it on the ring. The seam would have to be secured somehow. Then a coat of varnish or paint would seal the deal. If you have been on a ship you may have seen handrails done like this. It's called coxcombing.

http://www.frayedknotarts.com/rails.html
 
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