Where can I find (or can I make) a fireman's pole?

[Alex Franke]

Hi all,

I'm working on a custom play structure for my kids and my 2 year old really wants a fireman's pole. I found a couple online for ~$130 and ~$80 but they're meant to integrate with specific brands and deck heights. Plus shipping is crazy expensive because it's "oversized".

Seems to me I should just be able to go to the local muffler/exhaust shop and have them bend one for me...

Any ideas or advice would be much apprecated!

[LCHIEN]

Hi all,

...
Seems to me I should just be able to go to the local muffler/exhaust shop and have them bend one for me...

I have no idea what I'm talking about - never considered it before. So take it for What its worth.
Exhaust-muffler pipe Sounds like a good idea.
Won't it need to be straight (What's this about bending it)?
Would muffler pipe be stainless Steel? Maybe good because it won't rust.
Maybe some electrical conduit pipe - comes in 10-foot lengths - Aluminum or Galvanized?.
I'd be worried about metal slivers or something - you may have to sand these down.
How about some heavy wall PVC? in 1-1/2" -2" dia may flex a little but be strong enough. You could always reinforce it by filling with concrete or conduit pipe. The PVC will stay slick and won't rust or change in the elements.
I assume you won't want your kids or their friends ( think about liability) dropping more than 10 feet anyway.

How about going to an exotic dancer/Stripper's supply store (there must be such a place).


Oh, I see from pics that the two 90° bends allow going overhead and attaching to the structure.
I would have just had a straight pole and an overhead structural member to anchor the top of the pole.

[Alex Franke]

How about going to an exotic dancer/Stripper's supply store (there must be such a place).

Hmmm... excellent idea. I suppose I should start my research while the wife and kids are still out of town

Good idea about the PVC, too. I'll have to look into that one. Can you bend PVC pipe or do you have to use those connectors?

[LCHIEN]

Hmmm... excellent idea. I suppose I should start my research while the wife and kids are still out of town

Good idea about the PVC, too. I'll have to look into that one. Can you bend PVC pipe or do you have to use those connectors?

I understand it can be bent (a little) with the aid of a blow torch but I think its more trouble than its worth.

Personally, I don't see a point in the bent ones,
Reduces the total length available for sliding.
And you're going to need to bury the bottom foot (maybe attach it to a buried concrete block) and attach the top firmly, too, I would imagine kids sliding down that thing all day will work it loose in short order.
I'd extend a 2x4 or 4x4 out from the roof or top of the structure.

Here's my best thought:
(click to enlarge). The pipe can be removed and replaced easily by unscrewing the upper flange. While its loose and free to rotate, and give a little if someone runs into it, it is held quite stoutly by the pipe flanges.
In the picture there is no load hanging from the overhead, I guess it could be a 2x4.
Another way, if you feel the need to hang the load from the beam, you could shorten the internal steel pipe, drill the steel pipe and PVC pipe and fit a 3/8" bolt through them near the top that would keep the PVC from rotating.

[Ken Massingale]

There's a strip club around here going out of business.....
Nah, nevermind, you probably wouldn't want a used pole! ;-D

[cabinetman]

On some of the commercial work I have done, I have used the real thing which is brass, for railings, poles, dividers, and fire poles. Here's one site:
http://www.slidepole.com/
It may be a bit more expensive but it's really decorative and safe. Plus, the more they use it the less polishing it needs.
.
.

[ExYankee]

Strip club was also the first thing thtat came to my mind too.

As per the PVC, you may have UV degradation and the pipe could shatter, I once built a whitewater raft frame from it and after 4 months outside high in the Colorado mountains and it completly died. I could step on it hard and it would shatter.

[davehenry]

Why not try and find a company that makes barroom supplies? They might have a brass rail used to go around a wooden bar.

[Slik Geek]

Maybe some electrical conduit pipe - comes in 10-foot lengths - Aluminum or Galvanized?.
I'd be worried about metal slivers or something - you may have to sand these down.

Oh, I see from pics that the two 90° bends allow going overhead and attaching to the structure.
I would have just had a straight pole and an overhead structural member to anchor the top of the pole.

I built one for my kids over a decade ago. I used wood for an overhead structure so I could just use a straight pole. I used EMT (standard electrical conduit), at least 1-1/2" (can't recall the exact size). I didn't have any problems with burrs or slivers. It didn't corrode in 10 years of use. And it was inexpensive! (Less than $30 now).

[Alex Franke]

Thanks for all the great in put!

I tried searching Lowes for EMT but came up with nothing. I see ABS, PVC (I know what this one is), "funny pipe", "black malleable", brass, cast iron, DWV, copper, and galvanized steel.

Any advice on which one of these would be most appropriate for this application?

I'm guessing is the galvanized steel because it "comes in sizes from 1/2" to 4""...

Thanks!

[LCHIEN]

you'll find the EMT conduit in the aisle with the electrical stuff, like junction boxes and wiring devices. Comes in 10-foot sections of different diameter.

Sounds like you were looking in the plumbing dept!

I'd take a look at the EMT first.

[cabinetman]

BRASS - USE BRASS

[Daryl]

I seem to recall something from someplace that pvc was pretty apt to cause burns when sliding on it, sorry , no more info on it.

[atgcpaul]

It's been a long time since I slid down one of those but I remember the pole
being quite stout. Similar to the diameter of metal fence posts that support
chain link fences. I don't know if they sell those in lengths longer than 6',
though. I remember something like 2" to 3" diameter on those poles. I know
one of our favorite things to do was run at the pole, jump on, and then kinda'
spin down it. I could imagine a pretty big kid maybe bending small diameter
pipe.

[wan2fly]

handy to know

Electrical conduit is very durable and relatively inexpensive.
Also it is able to be bent with a commonly availabe conduit bender if the correct size. The bender will cost more than the conduit though.
The bender can come in handy at other times too, comes in many sizes.
It would be easy to bend two 90s if you wish

If the bending takes too much of the length consider chain link fence top rail.
A fence store will sell it in lengths of 20'.
There are couplers and fittings galore for both these materials.

And if you choose the correct sizes, fence top rail nests with electrical conduit.. A very handy building trick...