Make a Long Tarp Pole (125cm 105g)

Most tarp users rely on a hiking/trekking pole as a tarp pole. I very rarely carry a trekking pole and so need a lighter alternative.

The ideal material would of course be rolled carbon-fibre tubing but I've had trouble finding a supplier who can actually supply. Instead I've just used stock Aluminium tubing from B&Q.

Tarp Pole Design

This is the simplest design of pole that you can have and in fact you can buy this type of pole (in very heavy aluminium) in most camping stores.

A 10mm diameter tube seems to be as small as I can go in stock aluminium without suffering flex for a long pole. 12mm tubing is much stronger but far heavier.

This pole has been cut to lengths based on the size of my pack and is painted black to make it easy for using when Stealth Camping.

The overall length of 125cm has been chosen because for my tarps this gives me a pole that is 20+cm taller than the tarp which helps with the fabric and guyrope tension.

For this project you will need some basic metalworking skills and access to some basic metalworking equipment - either a drill press or a metalworking lathe. DO NOT ATTEMPT WITH A DOMESTIC DRILL.

Tools Required

• Drill Press
• Metric drills - 8.5mm, 4 or 4.5mm
• Machine Vice with vertical V-groove (for use with drill press) + Fixing bolts
• tube-cutter or hacksaw
• Flat file
• Hammer :-)

Materials

Notes:

1. If you want to save a little cash then just purchase a 1m length of 10mm tubing and a 1m length of 8mm tubing and make the final section of the tubing with a section of 6mm tubing so that you get a mini-tower - just like I did on the short tarp pole.

Tubing and round stock is normally purchased in standard sizes. Typically this is 1M lengths or multiples of this. I tend to buy my tubing from B&Q Wharehouses simply because there is one near my house and one near my office. See Metal-Working tips

• 125cm of Aluminium 10mm tubing (wall thickness is about 1mm)
• 19cm of Aluminium 8mm tubing (wall thickness is about 1mm)
• 1.5cm of 8mm Aluminium round stock (i.e solid) for a plug
• 3cm of 4mm Aluminium round stock (i.e solid)
• Araldite (or another epoxy glue or hot melt glue. NOT Superglue)

Instructions

See Metal-Working tips

1. Cut the 10mm tubing into 3 lenths - 45cm,40cm and 40cm.
2. Set up the drill press with an 8.5mm drill and a depth of 5cm. Use lubrication (e.g. 3in1)
3. For the two short sections of the 10mm tubing drill both ends to a depth of 5cm with the 8.5mm drill. Use lubrication.
4. For the top section of the 10mm tubing drill one end to a depth of 5cm and the other to a depth of 1.5cm.
5. Fit the 4 or 4.5mm drill into the drill press.
6. Drill a hole in the centre of the plug that is maybe 1cm deep (i.e not all the way through.
7. Glue the 4mm solid piece into the 8mm plug.
8. Glue the 8mm plug into the topmost piece of 10mm tubing.
9. Clamp the 10mm tubing into the machine vice, centre the tubing on the drill and secure the machine vice to the drill press table
10. Cut the 8mm tubing into two lengths of 9.5cm. [This is less than the total depths of the two holes that it will fit into so that it does not jam]
11. File any rough edges on the tubing.
12. Glue the 8mm tubes into one end of each of the two 10mm tubes.
13. Allow to dry overnight
14. Paint if desired - use a metal primer.

Notes:

1. 1. If you have used lubricant on the drill you will need to remove it before the glue will take. The easy (but not very safe way to do it) is to heat that section of tube over a naked flame and basiclly just burn it out.
2. You may if you wish block off one end of one of the tubes to form a base pole. Just glue another plug in.