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Go-Bars (improv)

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Mike OMelia

Post subject: Go-Bars (improv)

Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:27 pm

Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:12 pm
Posts: 6983
First name: Mike
Last Name: O'Melia
City: Huntsville
State: Alabama
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro

I was in Lowes the other day and I found these fiberglass poles used to hold reflectors at the ends of driveways (avoid ditches, etc). 48" long. Rubber cap on one end. 5/16" diameter. Over in the hardware department, I found matching rubber ends for the other end. Total investment per rod, ~$2.25.

I plan to go back and buy the whole box of them.

(appologies to providers of same product at $5 a rod, but what can I say? The folks that made the most money during the Gold Rush(es) were the provisioners, always kind of bothered me)

Mike

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Chansen

Post subject: Re: Go-Bars (improv)

Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:41 pm

Koa

Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 3:31 am
Posts: 587
Location: Tacoma, WA

Been there, done that. I saw the same post about 7/8 months ago so I ran out and bought about half as many as I thought I needed. I didn't want 48" so I figured I'd cut them in half and get twice as many 24"... well after you nip off the reflector they are more like 23" each and waaaaayyy too stiff. I used them for the back braces but it was kind of scary how much pressure there was. When one would pop off WATCH OUT! They would probably work ok as 48" or even 36", just don't make the same mistake I did. I then went to Into The Wind per Todd Stock's suggestion. These 48" rods can be cut down and are just about perfect.

http://www.intothewind.com/shop/Repair_ ... -16_FG_Rod

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Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils - Louis Hector Berlioz

Chansen / C hansen / C. Hansen / Christian Hansen - not a handle.

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SkyHigh

Post subject: Re: Go-Bars (improv)

Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:42 pm

Cocobolo

Joined: Fri Nov 16, 2007 6:06 am
Posts: 329

slackkey_mike wrote:

I was in Lowes the other day and I found these fiberglass poles used to hold reflectors at the ends of driveways (avoid ditches, etc). 48" long. Rubber cap on one end. 5/16" diameter. Over in the hardware department, I found matching rubber ends for the other end. Total investment per rod, ~$2.25.

I plan to go back and buy the whole box of them.

(appologies to providers of same product at $5 a rod, but what can I say? The folks that made the most money during the Gold Rush(es) were the provisioners, always kind of bothered me)

Mike

Is there a reason why you just don't buy rods from one of the kite stores? I think it comes out to less than a $1 per rod. Matter of fact, I got like 100 of them and each is less than 60 cents... if my math is correct.

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Rod True

Post subject: Re: Go-Bars (improv)

Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 1:04 am

Contributing Member

Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 10:03 am
Posts: 6680
Location: Abbotsford, BC Canada

I still wonder why people pay for go-bar rods at all when you can use scrap pieces of hardwood. Go to a flooring store and see if they have any pieces of maple flooring in 24" lengths kicking around. Cut them to 1/4" wide and you have your go-bars really cheap.

I have about 4 dozen which I got from my neighbour when he was putting in new maple flooring. Didn't cost me a thing and they work just fine. Now David's isn't bad at $0.60 a piece. Getting closer to free anyway.

Those driveway reflectors have been talked about before. Seems that they are to thick as Christian has mentioned.

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Mike OMelia

Post subject: Re: Go-Bars (improv)

Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 7:37 am

Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:12 pm
Posts: 6983
First name: Mike
Last Name: O'Melia
City: Huntsville
State: Alabama
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro

Ooops! Nothing new under the sun. OK. I'll check out the Goodwin rods. Thanks for the tips.

http://www.goodwindskites.com/merch/lis ... fiberglass

http://www.goodwindskites.com/merch/lis ... nylendcaps

Mike (Todd, thanks!!)

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SkyHigh

Post subject: Re: Go-Bars (improv)

Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:12 am

Cocobolo

Joined: Fri Nov 16, 2007 6:06 am
Posts: 329

ToddStock wrote:

There is a tradeoff between force applied and ease of use. Most folks find that the 3/16" rods are about right for a 24" rod length and 1/4" rods for a 32" to 36" rod. The driveway reflector rods are a little stiff for a 24" deck, but work fine for the higher ones. Goodwin sells 72" x 1/4" rods for $1.32 per for 24 or more, so cost per rod is down around $.75 with ends caps. If you can buy a driveway reflector rod and put end caps on for less than that, go for it.

FWIW, Goodwind will cut rods to length for a small charge.

On the wood rod or dowel issue, it's a preference thing...I've used dowels, hickory scraps, and glass rods, but prefer the glass.

OH man! Only if I knew they have cutting service. I just hate fiber glass. Got too much of that stuff putting insulations on Aircraft walls.

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SkyHigh

Post subject: Re: Go-Bars (improv)

Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 3:54 pm

Cocobolo

Joined: Fri Nov 16, 2007 6:06 am
Posts: 329

I just found out that the they charge 25 cents per cut.

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Bill Greene

Post subject: Re: Go-Bars (improv)

Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 5:43 pm

Koa

Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2005 6:35 am
Posts: 1325
Location: Kings Mtn., NC, USA
First name: Bill
Last Name: Greene
City: Kings Mountain
State: North Carolina
Zip/Postal Code: 28086
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur

Might be worth it though...fiberglass eats up a bandsaw blade (if you're using that to cut them). Don't ask me how I know this. gaah

gaah

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Mike OMelia

Post subject: Re: Go-Bars (improv)

Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 9:25 am

Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:12 pm
Posts: 6983
First name: Mike
Last Name: O'Melia
City: Huntsville
State: Alabama
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro

Well, I finally got mine on order... 24 of the 72" x 1/4" glass rods with end caps. It says right at the top to use a dremel cutoff blade to cut them. My guess is thats what they do also.

Mike

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Michael Dale Payne

Post subject: Re: Go-Bars (improv)

Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 1:58 pm

Old Growth Brazilian

Joined: Tue Dec 28, 2004 1:56 am
Posts: 10707
Location: United States

I buy mine and have been for at least 5 years from the other big box home improvement store. I pay just $2.00 per 48" length and get the reflector free (whoopee) I get the plastic caps for free through a friend that builds custom closet fixtures. I have bought through the on line kite suppliers but after shipping I don't save anything and I can pick them up locally so for me it is a why bother. I do have to say I recently was given a bunch of 3/16" x 3/4" wide fiberglass flat bar and cut them into 24" long strips. I like them better for brace clamping but like rods better for almost every else.

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Mike OMelia

Post subject: Re: Go-Bars (improv)

Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:33 pm

Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:12 pm
Posts: 6983
First name: Mike
Last Name: O'Melia
City: Huntsville
State: Alabama
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro

Michael, I think thats how this thread got started....

Mike

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Kim

Post subject: Re: Go-Bars (improv)

Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 10:40 pm

Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2005 2:21 am
Posts: 2924
Location: Changes when ever I move..Australia
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur

Cut ur rods with a fibre disk in a dremel, too eazy.

Cheers

Kim

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Lillian F-W

Post subject: Re: Go-Bars (improv)

Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 7:24 am

Koa

Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:23 pm
Posts: 1694
Location: United States
First name: Lillian
Last Name: Fuller-Watson
State: WA
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur

I used a hacksaw on the ones I got from Goodwinds. Four, maybe five strokes and I was done. Set up a little jig and was done in less than 10 minutes. Wear gloves. I was dealing with invisible slivers for days.

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Bobc

Post subject: Re: Go-Bars (improv)

Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 9:21 am

Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2004 9:42 pm
Posts: 4217
Location: Buffalo, NY
First name: Robert
Last Name: Cefalu
City: Buffalo
State: NY
Zip/Postal Code: 14217
Country: US

I wrap masking tape in a few places to make up a bundle of a doz or so and I swipe of the chop saw.

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SteveCourtright

Post subject: Re: Go-Bars (improv)

Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 2:50 pm

Koa

Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2006 6:17 am
Posts: 1937
Location: Evanston, IL
First name: Steve
Last Name: Courtright
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur

I will tell you why I like the fiberglass (kite) rods, they glow in the dark! Seriously, they are nice and narrow, and stiff for their cross section, so one can fit a lot of the rods with some serious pressure in a small place. I believe, on a cross sectional basis they exert more force than wood ones. But I have no objective data.

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Guest

Post subject: Re: Go-Bars (improv)

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 4:10 pm

ever thought about using bamboo?

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Mike OMelia

Post subject: Re: Go-Bars (improv)

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 8:21 pm

Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:12 pm
Posts: 6983
First name: Mike
Last Name: O'Melia
City: Huntsville
State: Alabama
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro

You can use anything you want, I spose. My "deck" is my bench and cabinets (above). See no need build a rig... I saw another good maker use the same thing.

You may need to order different sizes of plastic tips for the bamboo.

Mike

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