Tipi poles

[jackcbr]

Hi all

Not sure this is the correct place for this, but I've got the opportunity the thin out a small pine plantation and think there might be some trees that could be used for tipi poles. But haven't got a clue what would make a good pole for length or diameter. The owner isn't interested in making a massive profit from them, more a contribution to the farm funds to replant the wood with hazel. Anyone got any tips, rather they went to a good home than bonfired.

 

[bushboy1]

i normally use 4inches diameter and 8ft tall

lewis

 

[jackcbr]

Cheers, I shall look and see how many I can get like that.

 

[Chinkapin]

Depends entirely on the size of the tipi. Native American tipis use poles that are about 10 or 12 or even 14 feet long. When they moved camp, they took their tipi poles with them. One end was hooked to a horse and the other end was just dragged on the ground. I'm sure they wore down somewhat as the year wore on.

Every year the plains indians (they were the ones using the tipi) would leave the relatively treeless plains and travel to the foothills of the Rockies and cut new poles.

 

[The Cumbrian]

i don't know how authentic they were, but I've seen tipis at festivals with poles 20 or 30 feet long. That's themain thing that's put me off buying one; I have nowhere to store poles that long, and my car is way too small to carry them.

Cheers, Michael.

 

[Chinkapin]

That is a legitimate size. I'm just like you, the length of the true tipi pole has stopped me from wanting a real tipi. By the way, YOUR car is not to small --ALL cars are too small. lol.

 

[QDanT]

back in the 70's and 80's on the festival circuit allot of the tipis we stopped in had poles about 14ft joined in the middle with a piece of aluminum pipe nailed onto one end and bolted through the other.You had to have a festival bus for the long ones. Remember one festival at Huntly Aberdeenshire back in the 70's where they'd made a huge I don't know what to call it I'd say bender but it was made out of telegraph poles and a couple of full wagon tarps with about 25 of us sleeping in it
cheers Danny

 

[jackcbr]

well now I'm totally confused as to what size to make them. That said, anyone in the Surrey West Sussex area want one (or two). Let me know what size you are after and I'll see what we've got. I won't be de-barking them as I don't really have the abilities of facilities. But if you can come and get them they're yours, all we ask is a contribution to help us introduce hazel back to the wood.

 

[deenewcastle]

I don't know if it helps Jack, but Wenka Tents (a German company on eBay) advertise 3m (10ft) Tipis for which they recommend a set of 7 main plus 2 smoke flap poles (so 9 in total) of 4.2m poles with a widest end at 6cm. They also do a 4m (13ft) Tipi which requires a total of 13 poles (11 main and 2 smoke flap) at 5.5m with a diameter of 6cm.

 

[Chinkapin]

Here is a formula of sorts that I found on the internet that is used by a tipi building company.

First, you need to know the size of your tipi. This is measured from the bottom of the front door to the bottom of the back wall. Essentially this is the Diameter.

If you want short poles: 1.2 X D

If you want medium poles: 1.3 X D

If you want long poles: 1.4 X D

If your tipi is 15 feet in diameter (a small tipi) and you wanted medium poles, the formula would be 15 X 1.3 = 19.5 ft. So, you need a pole 19 feet 6 inches long.

 

[deenewcastle]

Here is a formula of sorts that I found on the internet that is used by a tipi building company

... If you want long poles: 1.4 X D ...

That would fit with the lengths I suggested in my above post, as the site I quoted from was showing long poles

 

[jackcbr]

Cheers guys, I'll see what I can get. Think I'll work to the longest and if people want a smaller one, then I'll just cut it down.

 

[Ollie2910]

Hi Jackcbr

I would be interested, I am after some new poles, but it would depend on location etc

Ollie

 

[jackcbr]

Hi Jackcbr

I would be interested, I am after some new poles, but it would depend on location etc

Ollie

If you can get to Gatwick, then you are almost on my door step. What size are you after and how many, I'll see what we get. Thanks to the snow we've been a little delayed in doing the work.

 

[Ollie2910]

If you can get to Gatwick, then you are almost on my door step. What size are you after and how many, I'll see what we get. Thanks to the snow we've been a little delayed in doing the work.

Im just south of gatwick, so could be possible, Im after 16 poles about 17-18 feet long and around 5" diameter at the base and tapering off.

Ollie2910 kitupuk

 

[stovie]

Im just south of gatwick, so could be possible, Im after 16 poles about 17-18 feet long and around 5" diameter at the base and tapering off.

Ollie2910 kitupuk

Something like this would be ideal...

Edward s Curtis collection

 

[jackcbr]

Crikey, I'll see what we get. Not making any promises on that many, it is only a small wood. Watch this place.

 

[dorkingbushcraft]

if thers enough please could i have around 6-7 poles about 8-9 feet tall

cheers joshua

 

[jackcbr]

Cool guys, no promises, it's a very derelict wood/pine plantation and aint that big. What I'll do is see what we get out of it, photograph it and post it elsewhere with a link. Then you can let me know if you are still interested. They will be barked! Sorry, don't have the time or tools to sort them.

 

[Ollie2910]

Cool guys, no promises, it's a very derelict wood/pine plantation and aint that big. What I'll do is see what we get out of it, photograph it and post it elsewhere with a link. Then you can let me know if you are still interested. They will be barked! Sorry, don't have the time or tools to sort them.

Super, thanks jackcbr, shall look forward to it!!

Ollie2910 (kitupuk)