Stake Boom

[Alamosa]

Alamosa, I like your way of thinking. I'll Send you an idea via a PM when I get back from a 3 day campout.

I'll look forward to it.

Here's my version.


Now all I need is a ti gimlet. (Is this the birth of the Dutch Stake?)

I used a 1/8" drill bit to put the angled hole in this stick, but quickly tired of twisting it with my fingers, so I cheated and used the drill.

This thing really holds great. I would like to find a lightweight gimlet or else make one by modifying one of these (Mountainfitter's) stakes.

Dutch stake?

Fronkey

WV, love the implementation. I agree on the tail being a possible issue.

Dutch Stake????? Giving my idea away already?

I am not all that familiar with the various properties of Ti stakes (which is ironic given that I have written a lot of software for the company Titanium Metals). It would be very interesting to see how this would pan out in titanium.

[Dutch]

Wow, I went away for a couple days camping to find this has turned really negative.

To those that showed support and offered suggestions, thank you.

I tried to make it perfectly clear in the original post that I have a specific project that these are needed for. I tried very hard in my explanations and depictions to work through the need and development process to demonstrate the theory of why I made them and how they work.

These stakes are not just academic or theoretical. It is also not because I can't pick a spot or hang a tarp. Rest assured that I am not setting up a tarp in a wind tunnel at the sand dunes at the end of a 20 mile uphill trail. Some people have really jumped to some conclusions and then made disparaging comments about how ridiculous it is to use a stake boom in the scenarios they provided.

The physical implementation shown was again due to my actual needs and the materials I had available. Of course the theory can be applied to different materials and scale based on need. That is one of the things I find very interesting about it.

So, before posting disparaging or condescending comments, please be patient and give me an opportunity to post the project that these were developed for. If you want to blast it at that point, at least you will have the information to know why I made them.

I really didn't see the negativity in anyones post. Nothing was disparaging to you that I could see.

[WV]

Hey, Alamosa! Roll with the punches. Those comments weren't vicious, just mildly insensitive, and even they had useful info, if not tactfully offered. There've been a lot of good ideas in this thread. Let's get back to the business proposed by the OP. (Wait a minute - that's you.)

Now that that's out of the way, I need to provide some more info. I tried Gqgeek's suggestion of cutting a notch instead of drilling a hole, and it works great:

I used my little DIY saw, which I carry to cut wood for my stove. (Stopped carrying the leatherman because it weighs 6 times as much.) The saw kerf is smaller than the diameter of the ti stake, so I just angled the cut each way at the bottom of the kerf. The stake will slide in, as if going through a drilled hole, but won't slip out the side - perfect!

Will I use this every time I stake a tie-out? No, rocks are good, too. But this is a good tool to have when necessary. (Rocks don't grow on trees. )
It's especially good for me because it uses stuff I carry with me anyway.

Now this:

Dutch Stake????? Giving my idea away already?

No, your idea is the stake boom; my idea was a stake/gimlet that allows me to drill a hole in a trailstick to make a boom, and thus implement your idea. (Dutch misunderstood, too - probably a first.)

Everybody happy? I am.

[Gqgeek81]

Nifty WV

Now I'm waiting to see what the original idea was for

[zukiguy]

http://www.pullpal.com/aboutPP.html

Here's the very non-backpacking version. Try and pull this one out.....

[Dutch]

[QUOTE=WV;485547
No, your idea is the stake boom; my idea was a stake/gimlet that allows me to drill a hole in a trailstick to make a boom, and thus implement your idea. (Dutch misunderstood, too - probably a first.)

Everybody happy? I am. [/QUOTE]

I didn't misunderstand i was eager to help as it looked like a neat idea. I have a piece of ti tubing that would fit the bill if you would like me to fashion something.

[WV]

I didn't misunderstand i was eager to help as it looked like a neat idea. I have a piece of ti tubing that would fit the bill if you would like me to fashion something.

Thanks, Dutch. I'm happy cutting notches in sticks, but Alamosa gets the credit for the tubular boom, so maybe he should get the ti prototype. If you'll drill 1/8" holes in the tube, I'll donate one of my Mountainfitter stakes. What do you think for the guyline attachment at the other end, another hole with a loop of cord through it?

[Dutch]

Thanks, Dutch. I'm happy cutting notches in sticks, but Alamosa gets the credit for the tubular boom, so maybe he should get the ti prototype. If you'll drill 1/8" holes in the tube, I'll donate one of my Mountainfitter stakes. What do you think for the guyline attachment at the other end, another hole with a loop of cord through it?

The holes might be more like slots because it is real hard to drill on round TI. In any case it will be 2 holes on one side that go at about a 45 degree angle and a hole on the other side. I'll try to make something tonight.

[Lepmeister]

I great idea here... with STLs being used a flying stake is not a good look

[Alamosa]

The holes might be more like slots because it is real hard to drill on round TI. In any case it will be 2 holes on one side that go at about a 45 degree angle and a hole on the other side. I'll try to make something tonight.

OK, I am not quite picturing this. The angled hole is definitely the toughest part of making these. I don't have the machine shop you do, but I found it nearly impossible to successfully drill at an angle. It would be very easy to break off a bit. Note: the clerk at the store will give you a strange de-ja-vue look when you purchase your second bit in about 15 minutes.

The main concern is you have to end up with contact/pressure on the boom at the front on the top/head end of the stake and back at the bottom/exit side of the stake. Thus maintaining the 45* angle. I am not picturing how any kid of slot associated with drilled holes will give you that. Unless you are talking about something along the lines of the slots WV cut into his wood booms.

I ended up drilling two offset holes so they ended up at 45* angles. Then I heated the pipes until I could stick a stake through and bend the pipe from each hole until it would pass through. This would not work in a solid round bar and don't know if it would work with ti at all.

Interesting side note: recently did the metalworks MB with my scouts and we visited a blacksmith. He noted that machinists use micrometers and blacksmiths use eye-crometers. Turns out I follow the blacksmith rule. It if looks right, it is.

Something will be needed at the end of the boom to keep the cord from slipping off. A simple hole or even a groove will work with a larkshead. This assumes the tensioning is being applied at the other end.