Forums > Other Toys > Looking for weighted cord

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ieuanBRONZE Member
holy man
110 posts
Location: Upstate, NY, USA


Posted:
I did a search and couldn't find anything specific(perhaps I didn't look far back enough). I want to make a set of flags, but I can't find weighted cord or rope anywhere on the net(or local for that matter). I've checked hardware, fabric, and sporting goods stores to no avail frown I supposed I could use lighter weight chain, but I thought that might be too heavy. Anyone have suggestions?(or point me to the link if it has been discussed before-which I'm sure it has). biggrin.

Thanks heaps!

J

Gather your harps from the willow trees, dust off the ancient strings. Call the bards and prophets, let them sing healing and freedom. Let light and love flow from the strings, colors of revelation.


musashiistarring Skippy the green llama
1,148 posts
Location: Seattle, WA


Posted:
I bought the marching band swing flag chains, but it's a different feel from regular weight flags

First intention, then enlightenment..
Ars Pyronomica

" Life is programmed. Whether death is programmed or not is yet to be determined."


ieuanBRONZE Member
holy man
110 posts
Location: Upstate, NY, USA


Posted:
I forgot about that. I will have to look into that. Thanks!

J

Gather your harps from the willow trees, dust off the ancient strings. Call the bards and prophets, let them sing healing and freedom. Let light and love flow from the strings, colors of revelation.


LyraSILVER Member
spiny norman
314 posts
Location: Cincinnati,damn it, USA


Posted:
oh god i went through hell looking for that stuff and my the time i found it i had already finished my flags

i ended up useing small fishing weights, i made a hem, fillded it with the weights, and sew(?) it up, it worked great until to many people tryed them and draged them against the ground and the sem opened and all the weights skattered into the shrubbery eek

anyways, good luck mate

if you think that our kiss was all in the lips, come on you got it all wrong man, and if you think that our dance was all in the hips then, oh well, do the twist -The White Stripes


vanizeSILVER Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,899 posts
Location: Austin, Texas, USA


Posted:
Ok, I know you said you tried fabric stores, but try again because they really do have it. I forget exactly what it is called, but it is for curtains. that means if the fabric store sells drapery or furniture material, they will amost certainly have what you are looking for somewhere in the store. I can't beleive fabric stores in NY are so different from ones in Texas for that not to be true. but often employees will have no idea what you mean when you try to ask about it. Maybe look for a fabric store that specializes in furniture fabric?

that reminds me, spritie supposedly made me a set of tie-dyed flags - I wonder whatever happened to them?

-v-

Wiederstand ist Zwecklos!


spritieSILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
2,014 posts
Location: Galveston, TX, USA


Posted:
You never acted like you wanted them, so they have been sitting upstairs in my apartment even before you came to visit....

vanizeSILVER Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,899 posts
Location: Austin, Texas, USA


Posted:
well, I had a bizziolion thinkg to worry about when I was there and forgot - sorta figured you'd give them to me without having to ask anyway!

gonna pack them for the trip then?

-v-

Wiederstand ist Zwecklos!


FabergGOLD Member
veteran
1,459 posts
Location: Dublin, Ireland


Posted:
i think these might be what you're looking for. as far as i know they're just called curtain weights.

gnor made a lovely pair of flags for me and used small coins to weight the ends. it does the same job.

vanize is right though , it's more than likely a case of the shop assistant not realising what your looking for. any shop that sells curtain fabric will definitely stock them.

there's also something called "upholstery cord" that can be used in a similar way, except that the cord is stitched along the length of the fabric, whereas curtain weights are generally just stitched into the corners. i'm sure it can also be found on the net but i'm afraid i don't have the time to look.

let me know how you get on..... smile

My mind not only wanders, it sometimes leaves completely smile


vanizeSILVER Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,899 posts
Location: Austin, Texas, USA


Posted:
the weighted (lead) cord that comes wrapped with cloth is definitely the cleanest feeling weight for flags, but the curtain weights are easier to find probably.



ok, got it - it is called lead-weight tape (though that name also applies to other products that are not what you want).



Here is a link to show you what I mean - the bottom two products. the lighter one is probably more appropriate to use for flags. sorry that it is a UK link, but I'm sure if you look a little harder you can find some where online in the States to sell it if you really can't find it locally.



edit: Here is one in canada (again at the bottom of the page)
EDITED_BY: vanize (1093952002)

-v-

Wiederstand ist Zwecklos!


vanizeSILVER Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,899 posts
Location: Austin, Texas, USA


Posted:
and for what it is worth - I think triangular (as opposed to sqaure) flags spin the best. and sew in the lead-weight tape along the leading edge and slightly to the rear at the bottom (so that the tape is in a tall "L" type shape).



using a swivel and poi-handles works well too, but is of course not neccisary as long as you are ok dealing with the twisting-up of the material you'll get at the base as you spin if you just hold the fabric.



ok, everyone probably already knows all this... rolleyes

-v-

Wiederstand ist Zwecklos!


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
Yes, but square is prettier and more traditional.

And the thing about true flags is that you shouldn't twist them because you shouldn't be doing any move that's higher than two beats. That's what makes flags a different art from poi. You're a lot more constrained in flags. They're pretty, they're sexy, they're fun...but there's just not a heck of a lot of really technical stuff you can do with them. I generally get bored after spinning them for 3-4 minutes. Poi I can do for hours.

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


rbmnycBRONZE Member
lurker
194 posts
Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA


Posted:
I found them in my local fabric store. It took a while to get them to know what I was talking about ... I think I said something about "weighted curtain cording" ... but basically I just asked to speak to the owner and described what I was trying to do, and he pulled a dusty roll off of a lower shelf in the back room.

I'm pretty sure most fabric stores have the stuff - the problem is that your basic cashier or stockperson generally won't have a clue. Make sure to ask someone who knows the store well.

SterlingspiderBRONZE Member
Senator by day, Sith Lord by night.
128 posts
Location: Suffolk, New York, USA


Posted:
I'm on Long Island, but I managed to find them pretty easily in Joannes in the upholstery and curtain stuff.

I used the weight layout of these directions with some added help from these other directions and I luuuurve my flags.



Nice sig incedentally biggrin

"If the human brain were simple enough for us to understand, we would be too simple to understand it"
-Emerson M Pugh


rbmnycBRONZE Member
lurker
194 posts
Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA


Posted:
Thank you for the links to the websites with directions. I never bothered to do that - I was just winging it.

Flagboinewbie
4 posts
Location: Toronto, Ontario


Posted:
Curtain Cord is fantastic for weighting Flags


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