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[Edward Pinniger]

Anyone know if it's possible to buy hollow wood dowel (i.e wood tubes) of about 4-8mm external diameter and at least 8-10cm long? I need to make some flagpoles for my motor yacht, and would prefer to make them from stained + varnished natural wood rather than painted plastic or metal - however, wood poles would be a bit fragile (especially considering their position at the front + back of the boat) so the best solution would seem to be wood with a central reinforcement of brass wire. They're too long to easily drill out by hand, so ready made hollow dowel would be an easier solution.
A Google search for "hollow wood dowel" and "wood tube" didn't turn up much.

[Patrick Henry]

I know it's not wood, but B&Q sell alloy tubing which you may able to paint to make it look like wood?



Rich

[tt1]

Hi Edward, there are some very good wood veneers about now that are extremely flexible. you may then use alloy/plastic tube as the base.

        Regards, Tony.

[snowwolflair]

Use Walnut its as strong and tough as metal - Mantua Models in Windsor stocks it and also 4D models in London - probably many more.

[tigertiger]

Alloy tube or carbon fibre rod/tube can be painted and grained to look like wood. But at most scales wood grain would not really be visible.

You can get fibreglass or carbon fibre fishing rod sections, and these will have a small taper, if that is what you want.

The other advantage of a tube it that they can be easily mounted/dismounted for transportation, if you slip them over a short rod at the base.

[malcolmfrary]

Bit of sidways thinking - how about hunting for bamboo in the garden centre.  It might be possible to find a section between knuckles of the length you want, and to sand it down to the wanted outside diameter.  I seem to recall an article a good few years ago where small yacht booms were made from bamboo sections, ***HSE AND THE SQUEAMISH LOOK AWAY AT THIS POINT*** and had superglue rubbed into the surface by finger end.  The author reckoned that this was natures equivalent of carbon fibre. ***HSE CAN LOOK AGAIN***

[tonyH]

Or you could get the dowel (check the grain 'cos it's VERY often at an angle), split a length with a Stanley blade, cut grooves and insert brass, glue together with epoxy (to hold the brass in place) and then spin the whole thing in the drill with sandpaper to suit the taper.

Tony

PS Bamboo takes a stain very well and once you've sealed the surface to get rid of the loose fibres (as per Malcolm), it doesn't look bad atall.

[Edward Pinniger]

Thanks to all for the advice. I think what I'll probably try is drilling out the lower part of a piece of dowel, then inserting a brass reinforcing peg, the other end of which will fit into the deck socket (the flagpoles will be removable). If this doesn't work, I'll just have to use solid brass, either polished or painted in a solid colour such as black. Though I'm reasonably good at painting metal or plastic to look like wood (as I've built quite a few plastic sailing ship kits), "painted wood" never looks right next to the real thing. The model is (about) 1/18 scale.

[howie55]

Edward
why don't you go to a fishing tackle shop, they quite often have odd ends of broken rods they dont want,these are hollow and perfect for what you need.
I have used fishing rods for the masts on my schooner so I know they are strong enough for your flag
Geoff

[tassie48]

Edward i use the fiberglass Tent poles sold in Kmart over here in OZ 1/2 meter long 4 in a pack $10.00 from 6 mm up to 15 mm turns up well on a lathe or a electric drill clamped down to the bench ideal as mast,gun barrels,my little yacht has them as the mast and booms worth a try and about the right modellers price tassie48.