Colored Poles

[carolinacrownguardboi]

Hey everyone! I feel kinda dumb asking this question but, I am posting in hopes that someone will be able to help me out. I have marched Drum Corps and Independent winterguard for 4 years now and we always use the colored flag poles. My question is...is there some sort of wrapping around the pole to make it that specific color? We always have the colored poles but, i've never had to do anything to make them a certain color...(if this makes any sense at all). Thanks

[SBrancheau]

Hey there!

Back in the good ol' days, when aluminum poles were just coming into vogue, we took metallic tape and taped the poles vertically to get color...gold, red, blue...whatever! Nowadays, I'm sure you can get aluminum poles in every color and then some!

Fiberglass poles were also done this way.

[Malibu]

Like Sally said, back in the day the only color that was offered for poles was silver, black or gold. Now Fred J. Miller offers poles in white.....which makes a lot of sense and saves on white contact paper.

Now if you want to change the color or "look" of your pole, you can purchase contact paper in a variety of colors. One year I wanted my guard to look like they were spinning wooden poles, so I bought contact paper that looked like real wood. Many people in the stands were fooled!

Best way to "wrap" it with contact paper is to cut a 3 - 4 inch strip and carefully place it on your pole all the way down......make sure you don't get creases or air bubbles.

Hope this answers your question....good luck!

Edited July 13, 2004 by Malibu

[surfrose]

Yep, contact paper is the key, done just like Malibu said. I would make one addition, though. If you want a color that you can't find contact paper in, buy white and then spray-paint them in whatever color you want.

[lymabean]

Whereever I've marched that has had colored poles, We've used electric tape . It makes the pole a bit heavier.... but it lasts a pretty long time. And they have every color imaginable!

[FeverGuard]

You can also paint the pole any color you want, then apply clear contact paper, this way you can even mix your own color, while protecting the paint and the hands of the spinners.

[zackiedude]

You can also paint the pole any color you want, then apply clear contact paper, this way you can even mix your own color, while protecting the paint and the hands of the spinners.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

....if I have to spraypaint one more pole and put clear contact paper one it.......

Luckily this past season we had regular poles for practice and contacted poles for shows. Last season we repainted and contacted every pole like 5 or 6 times.. it was such a pain in my rear

[bill]

You can also paint the pole any color you want, then apply clear contact paper, this way you can even mix your own color, while protecting the paint and the hands of the spinners.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

....if I have to spraypaint one more pole and put clear contact paper one it.......

Luckily this past season we had regular poles for practice and contacted poles for shows. Last season we repainted and contacted every pole like 5 or 6 times.. it was such a pain in my rear

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Scott Jones (Kilties guard guru since mid season) had the poles taped. If you find the right outlets, a lot of different colors can be found.......lot easier than painting.

[hayleyfly]

....if I have to spraypaint one more pole and put clear contact paper one it.......  

Luckily this past season we had regular poles for practice and contacted poles for shows.  Last season we repainted and contacted every pole like 5 or 6 times.. it was such a pain in my rear 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

even worse is when you have to strip the poles' previous coverings so that you can put new colors on. when i was in high school, all i knew was contact paper, though there were a few painted poles floating around. but in order to keep things from getting too out of balance, we would only use one layer of contact paper. this meant stripping the poles if we wanted to change colors.

which is precisely what what my instructors did my senior year. we had to get more poles and cover them with wood-grain contact paper (+brown-taped end caps and cheaters, the best look on mat or field, IMO). well, this white contact paper had been on the poles for YEARS, so not only did we have to strip the old stuff off, but we had to get all the sticky residue off the poles before recovering them. the stuff we used must have been acetone based because it smelled AWFUL. lotta elbow grease was needed in that.

i've seen plastic transparent poles, so that spinners can put glitter or glo-sticks inside. I'd always thought it would be a cool idea to put glo-sticks in and then turn the lights out ... catching would be an issue, of course ... maybe blacklight then? I'll suggest it to Fantasia, heh. But has anyone used these? i'd expect them to break more easily, especially with a good swift wack to a person/instrument.

[Malibu]

even worse is when you have to strip the poles' previous coverings so that you can put new colors on.  when i was in high school, all i knew was contact paper, though there were a few painted poles floating around.  but in order to keep things from getting too out of balance, we would only use one layer of contact paper.  this meant stripping the poles if we wanted to change colors.

which is precisely what what my instructors did my senior year.  we had to get more poles and cover them with wood-grain contact paper (+brown-taped end caps and cheaters, the best look on mat or field, IMO).  well, this white contact paper had been on the poles for YEARS, so not only did we have to strip the old stuff off, but we had to get all the sticky residue off the poles before recovering them.  the stuff we used must have been acetone based because it smelled AWFUL.  lotta elbow grease was needed in that.

i've seen plastic transparent poles, so that spinners can put glitter or glo-sticks inside.  I'd always thought it would be a cool idea to put glo-sticks in and then turn the lights out ... catching would be an issue, of course ... maybe blacklight then?  I'll suggest it to Fantasia, heh.  But has anyone used these?  i'd expect them to break more easily, especially with a good swift wack to a person/instrument.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, when contact paper has stayed on a pole for a while, especially in heat, when you go to strip it off it is sticky. The best thing I have foung to easily remove the "gunk" is Goo Gone. You can find it in just about any store....even a Dollar Tree store has it. Just wipe it down good with a towel but make sure the pole is clean and dry before adding more contact paper to it or the paper will not stick to it.

Now as far as "lighted poles" I used them once for a night parade. They are very cool but can be expensive to make. I went to a local company that specializes in Plastics. I purchased a clear tube 6 feet long, 1 inch diameter, then put christmas lights down the inside of the tube. Use lights that run on small batteries. Also, make sure members do not drop the poles.....it will break the bulbs......so tosses are out! B)

Edited October 9, 2004 by Malibu