How to make your own ensign flagstaff

Don Fitzroy Smith finds a new way to 'raise the flag' by building his own flagstaff for his ensign

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For years I’d set my ensign off the radar gantry, but it was time for a change. I’d seen ensign flagstaff examples in the chandlery which were nice enough, but having a suitable piece of hardwood left over from a garden bench refurbishment I decided to make one myself.

I marked up and cut a 25mm x 25mm piece on my bandsaw and then got to work with the spar gauge to mark up the first stage of rounding. If you don’t have a spar gauge it’s easy to make one out of scrap and odd pieces – you can see examples of them on YouTube – but it basically involves two end stops (dowels in my case) and two sharp points evenly spaced between them.

A spar guage

Upper view of DIY spar gauge. Credit: Don Fitzroy Smith

Regardless of the width of the piece you’re working on, the scribes will always be in the right place when the dowels are touching the sides of the piece and drawn along the length of the timber.

A DOY spar gauge

Underside view of the spar gauge – note screw points just protruding. Credit: Don Fitzroy Smith

Having scribed my marks I started planing off the corners, turning from four to eight sides before repeating the planing process on each angle to end up with a 16-sided piece. From there it was easy to fair it off to a round staff. If you prefer a slight taper, mark that up earlier and cut the excess off before starting the rounding process. Then plane to four, eight and 16 sides and finally sand to a round staff.

A spar gauge being used to make a piece of wood round

Spar gauge in use on square section (1), planed to eight sides (2), then to 16 sides (3) and finally rounded (4). Credit: Don Fitzroy Smith

I now had a rounded 24mm diameter ensign flagstaff and I moved on to the button. I’d saved a small rectangular block on which I scored out a circle of 55mm diameter using a round jar cap and then cut it out on the bandsaw.

Tapered wood to make an ensign flagstaff

A tapered stock of hardwood and how it looks once rounded. Credit: Don Fitzroy Smith

From there I faired it off to remove the odd bump and saw marks. If I’d used a compass to mark out the circumference of the button I’d have the centre point already marked – but I hadn’t. So instead I used a centre marking gauge – again, you can make a simple one from scrap pieces that will work for occasional jobs (see YouTube).

In the centre of the lower surface, I drilled a 12mm-deep hole with a 25mm Forstner bit into which I could mount the staff. I faired off everything, glued the staff into the button and when set I rounded off the top for a minimalist finish on a belt sander (clamped upside down), but you could continue shaping until it was dome-shaped if you wished.

A drilled button top out of wood for the top of a wooden ensign flagstaff

Drilled button top for the ensign flagstaff. Credit: Don Fitzroy Smith

Before varnishing, I drilled a central hole through the staff close to the button to provide the means to secure the ensign with cord. I used a drill press, but with a keen eye a hand drill could be used.

Should I ever have to dip the ensign, it will be quicker to unship the staff and lower it than fiddle about with a flag halyard that only lowers it a few inches and would not be appreciated by the saluted vessel.

An ensign flagstaff

How the ensign is attached at the top of the flagstaff. Credit: Don Fitzroy Smith

I ordered a stainless steel socket that would mount on the radar gantry rails and, once fitted, I was able to mount a cleat I had in hand near the base of the staff, just clear of the mount.

To ensure a good grip on the staff by the securing bolt I drilled a shallow hole just larger than the bolt. So, there you have it; a chandlery flagstaff for more than £50 versus one made for pence from stock in hand. In either case you may still need an appropriate mounting socket which cost me £27.85.

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