everymansaved 0 #1 May 12, 2008 So the DZ got some new wind blades, and I've been given the task of getting them set up. I've been racking my brains, (and searching the forums) trying to think of what to use as the pole that holds them up. I found one post that mentioned using "black widdow" fishing poles, but the only thing I found on the web by that name said it was 20' long! I have yet to see these blades, but I've been told that they're 8 or 10'. The only other idea we've had is using 1/2" or 3/4" PVC pipe. What has everyone else been using? What works best? Anything to avoid at all costs? Thanks!God made firefighters so paramedics would have heroes...and someone can put out the trailer fires. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #2 May 12, 2008 Carbon rods. (carbon fibre rods?). Get them in Thailand at good prices. .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #3 May 12, 2008 http://www.kcltackle.com/6647501.html http://allwatersfishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=10005 http://all-in-general.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=279&products_id=11478&osCsid=6a9fafe35d2f47907c6c1be36365d32c The 13' model is what is used for a standard 10' wind blade.---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
everymansaved 0 #4 May 12, 2008 Cool, thanks for the links. I haven't seen the blades yet, so it might be exceedingly simple, but why is a 13' used for 10' blades?God made firefighters so paramedics would have heroes...and someone can put out the trailer fires. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #5 May 12, 2008 MAybe so you can dig it into the ground by 3 inches without digging in the material as well? .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
everymansaved 0 #6 May 12, 2008 That would be 3 feet, not 3 inches. That's pretty deep to plant one of those suckers!God made firefighters so paramedics would have heroes...and someone can put out the trailer fires. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #7 May 12, 2008 My bad, but not really.... Those things take a fair beating by the wind, You would have 2 feet buried and one foot exposed. Seems about right considering the area of material that is being attacked by wind. .Karnage Krew Gear Store . 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,050 #8 May 12, 2008 Crappie rod and a tent stake. Wal-Mart Loop on bottom of wind blade around tent stake so the blade doesn't blow right off the rod.Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 14 #9 May 12, 2008 PVC will bend and take the curved shape unless you are using something like 1 1/2 inch or larger. Even that size will stand stright up for a while and then it too will bend and take that shape but that might occur over an entire season. The issue with 1 1/2 PVC is if someone runs into it, then its like you planted a steel pole in the landing area and someone will get hurt on it. Any crappie pole will work, Wal-Mart sells them in sizes from 8 feet to 20 feet. The last segment in them is really flimsy and will snap on you under a good load, using the slightly longer poles then not use the last section seems to work well too.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NickDG 23 #10 May 12, 2008 A little Wind Blade History . . . Wind Blades are everywhere these days so most don't give them a second thought. But they were invented in about '93 or '94 in the Perris Ghetto by an Aussie named Reggie Estaugh (sp?). Reggie was a very creative and talented jumper who up to that point was doing skydiving related sculptures with metal and a blow torch. Among other things he did, jumpers who had metal rods removed from their limbs would give them to Reggie and he makes them a very cool keepsake. He also did many other skydiving related pieces that hung in Square One and the Bombshelter and some of these sold for pretty decent money as they were that good. One day coming home from work at the DZ I saw the very first wind blade he made. We were used to seeing weird things from Reggie but still I had to say, "What the hell is that thing?" "It's a windsock for the drop zone." He said without fanfare. "Wow, that's kinda neat," I said. We opened some beers and rolled a fatty and we sat there staring at it. I was at the time creating advertising for several gear manufacturers and Reggie asked me to do one for these to run in PARACHUTIST and SKYDIVING. "What are you going to call them? I asked. "I don't know yet," he replied. "Well," I said, "It looks like a sail to me. How about calling it a wind sail?" "That's not bad," he said, "see what you can do with that." So the next morning I had an advert ready for Reggie to look at calling them Air Sails with a photo and the tagline, "Wind Direction from the 21st Century" "That's cool," Reggie said when he saw it, "but I thought of a better name last night. I'm going to call them Wind Blades. And like any good Ad-Man I argued for my idea. "Look, you could sell one of these to every DZ in the country, or you could sell one to every new car lot in the country. In that case, with a logo on them, you could call them Air Sales. Get it?" It was at that moment the light bulb went on and we both realized these things had the potential to be much bigger than just skydiving. And the next prototype Reggie built was indeed double sided and meant to be lighted from the inside. At night it was a sight to behold. "How much for the advert," he asked. "A hundred bucks," I said. "I don't have a hundred bucks, he stated. "How about you invest the hundred in the company?" "Yeah, right Reggie, I need to be involved with another flopped skydiving business like I need a hole in my head." But that decision turned out to be a big mistake on my part. Not as big as not lending Tony Dominico some money when nobody had yet heard of Square One, but right up there. "Okay, I'll owe you the hundred," he said. Reggie did indeed get a patent and the original Wind Blades are still being manufactured in the Perris Ghetto by a partner Reggie later took on. However there are knock offs being built all over the world. But I still smile when I see one flying in places other than on the DZs. I saw a photo in the paper of this years golf Master's tournament and there were Wind Blades all over. They've been in the Olympics, at ski resorts, beaches, and almost anywhere else you can think of, I've even seen a few at new car lots . . . NickD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #11 May 12, 2008 The "spine" curves down wind and ends up horizontal when it terminates at the top of the blade, so it's just a bit longer than the 10 foot finished height.---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
erdnarob 1 #12 May 12, 2008 I used a 9 feet (or so) electrical grey PVC one inch diameter tube (cost 8.00$) plus I put inside that PVC tube another electrical one in metal of a 3/4 inch diameter to make the assembly more rigid. For the crest of the wind blade use an adaptor with a 3 feet long flexible fiberglass rod you can find in a hobby shop. Total cost is less about 20$.Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skydive2 1 #13 May 12, 2008 Use the black widow poles. There cheap, and usually last at least 2 seasons. They usually sell in sizes from 10' up to 20'. Check out: http://allwatersfishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=9488 They have the best prices I could find (only $4.99 for a 10 footer), and there shipping is super fast. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
everymansaved 0 #14 May 12, 2008 Cool, thanks JP. None of these online vendors seem to want to ship to Canada, so I guess I'll go see if the local Wal-Mart has any. Thanks everyone else, and thanks for the History Nick!God made firefighters so paramedics would have heroes...and someone can put out the trailer fires. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
everymansaved 0 #15 May 13, 2008 Damn. So much for getting them for 4.99. The cheapest I can find is $13 for the same type of thing.God made firefighters so paramedics would have heroes...and someone can put out the trailer fires. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
