Wind Flag Types

[AlNyhus]

When I was shooting Benchrest competitively, I tried a lot of flag styles.

Hood doubles with RC props I fitted with bearings:

For me, these airfoil flags worked best:

A triangular single vane also works well. Like a lot of things, once you get past a certain point where the basics are met, additional stuff just complicates things.

Good shootin'. -Al

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I like orange and white

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I like orange and white

I make orange/fluorescent yellow. Pics never really catch the tru color for me. It's really close to the color of safety vests etc, worn by hwy workers

 

[JMayo]

My golf ball fetcher repurposed with delrin pin holder & walking Cain foot. I made it to Go up to 12 -15 feet. I could add another 6' if I wanted.

 

[dc.fireman]

The only wind flags I've ever used have propellors at one end and a vane & tail at the other. Never have used the type that have a 2-colored ball instead of the propellor. Frankly, I've never found the propellor to be particularly helpful since it spins into a blur at almost any wind velocity above dead still. I'm considering trying the ball, which I suspect might be easier to read. What do you think?

I made, and use the ball type for smallbore outdoor prone. I use two different sizes, the medium sized ball @ 100 yards, and the small sized ball at 50M. I use two fishing swivels on the top and bottom of the styrofoam balls, and cut a heavy duty white vinyl shower curtain in 2" x 18" strips, with the little brass ring centered on the 2" part. This is what connects the fishing swivel to the ball.

I painted the balls into two hemispheres, blue, and white, so that I could pick them up against the green background of my clubs berms, which are covered with old growth pine , beech, and oak trees.

I connect the upper fishing swivel to a cut-off property boundary flag, which is bent into a loop on one end, and then drill a pilot hole into the top of a fiberglass driveway marking stick. The end of the flag gets bent at a 90º angle, and stuck in the hole on top of the driveway marker.

I originally used a craft store bead necklace thing to connect the swivels to the styrofoam balls, but I've seen some people use a heavy duty staple, with a little hot glue, which I think is a more secure method.

All of the supplies came from Ace Hardware, except the styrofoam balls, which I got from Hobby Lobby. I'll post the pic in a second, when I can find it.

Total cost of each flag was about $25 worth of materials, and an hour or so of my time.

 

[Lesloan]

I made, and use the ball type for smallbore outdoor prone. I use two different sizes, the medium sized ball @ 100 yards, and the small sized ball at 50M. I use two fishing swivels on the top and bottom of the styrofoam balls, and cut a heavy duty white vinyl shower curtain in 2" x 18" strips, with the little brass ring centered on the 2" part. This is what connects the fishing swivel to the ball.

I painted the balls into two hemispheres, blue, and white, so that I could pick them up against the green background of my clubs berms, which are covered with old growth pine , beech, and oak trees.

I connect the upper fishing swivel to a cut-off property boundary flag, which is bent into a loop on one end, and then drill a pilot hole into the top of a fiberglass driveway marking stick. The end of the flag gets bent at a 90º angle, and stuck in the hole on top of the driveway marker.

All of the supplies came from Ace Hardware, except the styrofoam balls, which I got from Hobby Lobby. I'll post the pic in a second, when I can find it.

Thanks--I'd like to see them. I was thinking of modifying one for trial by replacing the prop with a fishing bobber.

 

[dc.fireman]

Thanks--I'd like to see them. I was thinking of modifying one for trial by replacing the prop with a fishing bobber.

I tried the fishing bobber, but it was just so-so. Not much surface area, and tougher to see down range. I added the pics to my first post.

 

[dc.fireman]

I know of a really thrifty old prone shooter, who used a cotton ball, some string, and a straightened out coat hanger once when he forgot his windmill at home... talk about basic!

 

[Lesloan]

I know of a really thrifty old prone shooter, who used a cotton ball, some string, and a straightened out coat hanger once when he forgot his windmill at home... talk about basic!

Any old port in a storm, eh? Pretty clever, I think!

 

[Mulligan]

When I was shooting Benchrest competitively, I tried a lot of flag styles.

Hood doubles with RC props I fitted with bearings:

For me, these airfoil flags worked best:

A triangular single vane also works well. Like a lot of things, once you get past a certain point where the basics are met, additional stuff just complicates things.

Good shootin'. -Al

I noticed the Hood flags did not have tails? Is that yarn on the foil flags?

Thanks
CW

 

[AlNyhus]

I noticed the Hood flags did not have tails? Is that yarn on the foil flags?

Thanks
CW

Just didn't have the tails on the Hoods. Yarn on the air foils.

 

[Mulligan]

Just didn't have the tails on the Hoods. Yarn on the air foils.

Thanks Al,

The original heavy ribbon on my Hood flags are the bomb!!! I need to make a few more.
The yarn looks like a great idea.

CW

 

[JMayo]

Get some sail tails !

 

[quest450]

Graham flags are really nice and Matt @Mr.Spradlin is a site sponsor, potential buyers should consider that before making a purchase

 

[Dimner]

Since I have spent/allocated my gun budget for the next few months, I have been trying to think up a cheap DIY wind flag that will do better than my survey tape tied to a driveway marker. I want to make some windflags that are better than I have. But I also want to spend next to no money because I will eventually buy real flags.

So the style I am trying to make is like this one (I found the photo via google image search)



I have two questions.

1) what are the requirements for the ball on the front? Is there a specific weight or weight ratio requirement?

2) I do not have anything on hand that will serve as the white part in the photo. Does anyone know of a method for a decent bearing, or bushing or something like that for use on top of a driveway marker or other small diameter stick?

I already have supplies from other projects that I think will be sufficient, I'm just not smart enough to figure out the easy spinning.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Since I have spent/allocated my gun budget for the next few months, I have been trying to think up a cheap DIY wind flag that will do better than my survey tape tied to a driveway marker. I want to make some windflags that are better than I have. But I also want to spend next to no money because I will eventually buy real flags.

So the style I am trying to make is like this one (I found the photo via google image search)

View attachment 1535716

I have two questions.

1) what are the requirements for the ball on the front? Is there a specific weight or weight ratio requirement?

2) I do not have anything on hand that will serve as the white part in the photo. Does anyone know of a method for a decent bearing, or bushing or something like that for use on top of a driveway marker or other small diameter stick?

I already have supplies from other projects that I think will be sufficient, I'm just not smart enough to figure out the easy spinning.

A small diameter pin where it rotates and light weight are big factors. A bearing pressed inside does very little and the lighter the flag, the less a bearing does to help. While small roller bearings sound great, they actually slow a light flag down. Most of the drag comes from the side, not the pointed rod on top of the pole, etc. That's why a small pin makes a big difference

 

[JMayo]

I made some with 4" styrofoam balls from Walmart. Painted black on one side so i could tell if it was pointed away or not. Straight on its tough to tell some time.
But i finally broke down and got ezell flags from @gunsandgunsmithing

 

[Mr.Spradlin]

Graham flags are really nice and Matt @Mr.Spradlin is a site sponsor, potential buyers should consider that before making a purchase

Thank you for the kind works @quest450!!!
@Dimner I sent you a PM