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Flag Stand

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This is a project I did for the local cub scout pack. The pack has a "pack flag" that they bring to ceremonies, but all they had for a stand was two 2x4s nailed together with a hole drilled in it, and it fell over often.

The requirements were that the stand had to be able to hold a 1 1/4 inch diameter pole without tipping, yet be able to reduce in size for storage.

Here you can see how the stand starts to "unfold". When folded, it's about 10 by 14 inches, and about 3 inches thick. The hinges started as a single 1" by 30" piano hinge that I cut in thirds with a Dremel tool. The orange squares in the previous pictures are rubber gasket scraps which become rubber feet when unfolded.
Here's a closeup of the hinges at work. Note the dados that each leg will eventually seat in. I had to sand the "far" side of each dado (the side closest to the edge of the board) back at an angle, else the plywood veneer would get plucked off each time you fold the stand.
It's almost open all the way. Each leg fits into the dado to take some of the stress off the hinges. What you don't see is four 1/4" diameter by 1" long dowels at the bottom of the hole, one in each leg, which prevent the flag pole from hitting the floor. I wanted the weight of the flag to hold the stand down.
Here it is completely unfolded and latched. At this point, it's ready for the flag and has a footprint of about two feet.
Closeup of the interlocked legs. The dado is only 1/8 inch deep; just enough to hold the legs in position. You can also see how one edge of the closest dado is angled back a bit to protect the veneer. The actual opening is 1 5/16, so it should be a close fit - again, to reduce tipping.

Note: I often get requests for plans or measured drawings to use as patterns for making your own flag stand. Sorry, I'm not that kind of woodworker - I tend to work "on the fly" and use whatever size and shape wood I have on hand. If you want to make a flag stand for your pack/troop, be creative and use these instructions as guidelines instead of fixed rules. Be thrifty! See what you have available and make it work. As long as the hole for the flag pole fits your pole, and the pieces are all the same size and shape, it should work. I mean, come on, it's just four planks and some hinges....


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