Once Again, Another Wind Flag Question

C

cwood3

Guest
What I witnessed out at the Crawfish this weekend was short of amazing. Wait a minute, no, it was truly amazing. What a great time. I sincerely appreciate all the people who have been helping me learn and the new people I met this weekend. I think the most important thing that I walked away with was how important a good set of wind flags are, and how important it is to understand the information that they provide. I'm slowly getting my stash of equipment up to speed and the next item on my list of to do/to get is wind flags. Soooo......because of my anal tendencies and my true desire to do everything the hard way, I will be building my own. I have some ideas about how I will do the pivot and the daisy wheels. I have a few drawings of vanes. What I'd like to know is what shooters consider "an average total area" ought be....just roughly. I sketched what I thought looked like a compromise of every vane I've seen and it worked out to about 40 sq. in. . Can you get it too small and the flag becomes less sensitive, and can ya get too large and you end up with a whirligig-perpetual-motion-machine?? I found a place here locally where I can get Coroplast in 4'x8' (4mm thk) sheets for $11 (white). They also have Delrin rod stock and think they have colored vinyl film. Have tripods located for veery cheap ($10). So I'm gonna get started and build 1 prototype. Yes, it'll look a lot like all the others, but hey, why reinvent the wheel? So on those vanes, what are ya'll's thoughts...???

Thanks,

Curtis
 
Curtis. You shot this past weekend using my flags which I made. I would be more than happy to give you all the details if you want to duplicate them. Just call me.
russell m
 
I'll do that.........................and those flags are great. I just wish they spoke my language. Wait a sec, ok, it's me.:D
 
hate to hijack your post but I am also new and in need of tripods for flags and $10 sounds great. Where can I find some?

Larry
 
Actually, go to the Targus website. Go to "camera equipment". They have 3 models of suitable tripods. Look at them. Google tyhem and you will see that Amazon.com has them for cheap. Now, as an alternative, these are the same that Radio Shck stocks. RS has them for $14.99. May be cheaper and more convenient that way to save shipping. I'll give more info as I progress.

curtis
 
I'll AutoCAD another and see if it's in that range. BTW, if anybody needs drafting/AutoCAD work done casually for our needs, I'll do it, no charge. I'd like to be able to give something back for all the help I get here.

curtis
 
Think twice about tripods. They are much cheaper, but will not stand straight on uneven ground without shimming one or more legs.

I use poles rather than tripods. The last ones I bought were from Bill Dittman in Jasper GA. Very light weight, but also very stiff and have a foot rest so you can push them into the ground with your foot. They are quite pricey, but this is one of those "cry once" situations.
 
Radio Shack

CptKaos said:
hate to hijack your post but I am also new and in need of tripods for flags and $10 sounds great. Where can I find some?

Larry
Click to expand...

Got my Targus tripods @ Radio Shack for $9 on sale. Keep an eye out for their flyers......
 
DIY flags and comment about stands

Ed Watson, a Benchrest Hall of Famer and fierce competitor, used simple flags as described in the following link:

http://benchrest.com/articles/articles/8/1/Make-your-own-wind-flags/Instructions.html

Concerning flag stands/poles, if you intend to travel very much the $10 tripod will be money lost. Bite the bullet and get some poles made specifically for benchrest shooting. Certainly, if the $10 tripod is adequate at the ranges you shoot then by all means buy the tripod.
 
Steve Lee,
Get some Giotto swivel ballheads from B&H Camera and you can level any flag regardless of stands. Model MH1004.
Butch
 
flag stands

Before you buy stands consider where you will be shooting. If ever you plan to shoot in Sacramento, DO NOT - I repeat - DO NOT buy the step-in type stands. The only value those stands have is the entertainment you'll provide for others as you try to drive the point into ground that is harder than concrete during the summer. I played the butt end of that joke one too many times. I now use Smith Victor Raven RS 6 tripod stands. See http://www.digitalfotoclub.com/product-features.asp?id=964760167. They're not cheap but they are very well-made and will go lower than most of the other tripods - a necessity for shooting 200 yards at Visalia.
 
One little item I was also considering (tell me if I have gone over the edge) was a circular level. Those little quarter-sized levels. My pivots are gonna be made of Delrin. So what if I get these little round bubble levels and glue to the top of each pivot? (The adjust set screw is on the side of my plan, not on top.). Dang, this is gettin' real interesting. You guys are great for stating what ya like and don't like, that's why God gave me 2 large ears and 1 mouth, and I use them in that same proportion...........:)

Thanks,

Curtis
 
............oh yea, one more question. I do have access to balsa wood in wide enough sections to make vanes with as well. Covered with vinyl, they would be waterproof. If I remember correctly, balsa is approx. .06 lbs/cu. ft where Coroplast is almost twice that, but not quite. Anybody have balsa vanes.....???? (used to do a lot of plane building).

curtis
 
Curtis I will check radio shack, thanx. no go with radio shack, but thanx Butch for the BH photo idea, I already had 2 victor smith stands I used for my chrono that I modified for dual use with my home made flags. I ordered another and some of those swivel heads, should work fine.
windflag.jpg

As for using balsa cross laminating thin sheets will be much stronger and resistant to warping than using thick sheets

Larry
 
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Well, I guess

cwood3 said:
............oh yea, one more question. I do have access to balsa wood in wide enough sections to make vanes with as well. Covered with vinyl, they would be waterproof. If I remember correctly, balsa is approx. .06 lbs/cu. ft where Coroplast is almost twice that, but not quite. Anybody have balsa vanes.....???? (used to do a lot of plane building).

curtis
Click to expand...

they might semi-water-resistant.....But not anywhere as much so as the coroplast. My first flags were Balsa vaned Smileys, REALLY old. I ended up coating them w/ wing silk and then doping the heck out of them. They gained quite a bit weight as a result, but were a lot more durable and weather-resistant. And then I went to coroplast for the vane. Never looked back.
 
David, I was kinda figuring that. What the heck, $11 for 4'x8' Coroplast is a steal. I can spray paint or vinyl coat. I'm thinking spray paint. Heck, with a 4'x8' sheet, I can make a lifetime worth of vanes.....eh? Bottom line, I just wanna end up with something that delivers the information. KISS....keep it stupid simple. Well, maybe there's some other issues......those Aussie pinwheels make a lot of sense in my book.

curtis
 
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