Putting up my first permanent flagpole

[Bull Jones]

OK folks, the time has come for me to put up a permanent flagpole in the front yard. There are NO issues with the community or the local regs. I do, however, live in Mobile, AL where storms off the Gulf can be rough - or deadly!

I've looked at hundreds of sites and in the range which I can afford all the pole seem kind of flimsy. There is one telescoping pole from Telepole that seems better than the rest - but - I'm not too unhandy with tools and have the option of making my own as long as welding isn't involved. I'm thinking of using galvanized pipe set in concrete. What is your thought on the matter?

I'm wanting a above ground height of twenty feet. I thought I'd go with a section of 2" and step down to a 1.5" and top it off with a professionally made truck. Should I step down or go all the way up with 2" pipe?

Thanks!

[NAVA1974]

Dear Bull,
Welcome to the forum. Your planned step-down should work, but you may wish to make your "permanent" pole one that can be easily pulled out and set aside when storms approach. You may do this by casting a 2 1/2 inch pipe in the ground in concrete, and slide your flagpole down into it. When the need arises, simply pull the pole out and place it in a safe location 'till the storm passes. This also makes it much easier if your halyard breaks - placing a ladder up to a 2-inch diameter pipe would not be a good idea.
Nick

[Bull Jones]

Thanks for the reply!

I have been reading all I can on the various options that have come to mind. Where I'm having trouble is locating pricing on either black iron pipe or galvanized pipe via the Internet. Electrical conduit has also been mentioned as a possibility, but I have no experience with it at all.

What have the other members here used?

[NAVA1974]

Electrical conduit has also been mentioned as a possibility

Conduit is not made to take loads that a flagpole would undergo. "Schedule 40" pipe is the stuff they use for chain link fenceposts and I would expect that to be adequate. You might also check the specifications of the poles that flagpole makers / retailers use. I bet its somewhere on the internet.