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Camping, Hiking and Outdoor Activities Camping, hiking, and other outdoor activities within.

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  #1  
Old 09-19-2013, 6:04 AM
Crazyhorse Crazyhorse is offline
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Default Need Suggestions Homemade Tent Stakes

So i want to make something almost identical to a tent stake. It will be angled metal (thinking alum but not sure it can handle the stress) cut to a spike at one end. I want to use a mini sledge/drill hammer to drive them in the ground 1 to 1 1/2 feet.

Three questions

Would 1/8 thick alum handle the stress of being beat with a mini sledge?

What should I cover the stakes in too help protect them from the weather? I know the end getting driven into the ground will get beat up but was thinking maybe Rust-Oleum or Krylon might help the top half not rust, look nicer, and if it's orange hi-vis factor.

The way I'm trying to get this to work the end getting beat on with the mini sledge would need to stay very smooth and not scratch anything hitting it. Any ideas on this? I was thinking I could dip it in liquid rubber but after a few uses I think the sledge would destroy just about any coating put on it. I might have to tweak something to get this to work as I'm not coming up with any ideas.

CH
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  #2  
Old 09-19-2013, 7:18 AM
x-007 x-007 is offline
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Aluminum will bend and flatten when hammered into the ground. About the best is the longest, thickest nail/spikes that you can buy at Home Depot. Put a bright colored balloon over the head AFTER you've pounded it into the ground for visibility.
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  #3  
Old 09-19-2013, 8:32 AM
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Why don't you just buy those long steel nail type tent stakes that cost 99cents?
I use those for camping and they are tuff and take a beating!

Sorry I didn't answer any of your questions. If you want weather resistance, buy the aerosol can of duracoat.

Last edited by supermario; 09-19-2013 at 8:38 AM..
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  #4  
Old 09-19-2013, 8:39 AM
Crazyhorse Crazyhorse is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by x-007 View Post
Aluminum will bend and flatten when hammered into the ground. About the best is the longest, thickest nail/spikes that you can buy at Home Depot. Put a bright colored balloon over the head AFTER you've pounded it into the ground for visibility.
Has to be angled metal like:



Maybe I'll have to try both steel and alum and see what will work.

Thanks,
CH
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  #5  
Old 09-19-2013, 2:25 PM
Branden967 Branden967 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by supermario View Post
Why don't you just buy those long steel nail type tent stakes that cost 99cents?
I use those for camping and they are tuff and take a beating!

Sorry I didn't answer any of your questions. If you want weather resistance, buy the aerosol can of duracoat.
+1 on the above. I just added so orange para cord to the head so I could easily pull them out or keep the kids from tripping on them too.
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  #6  
Old 09-19-2013, 6:43 PM
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20 penny nails or cut and sharpen some rebar
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  #7  
Old 09-19-2013, 7:02 PM
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Look for old GI surplus pup tent stakes. They are 9" or 12" long, bent just as you described, with small 'ears' at the top/hammer end. Also have a couple of holes in the ear area for tying line to.
http://store.colemans.com/cart/tent-...ed-p-1997.html
http://www.colemans.com/campingtent.htm
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Last edited by easy; 09-19-2013 at 7:06 PM..
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Old 09-19-2013, 11:14 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thomashoward View Post
cut and sharpen some rebar
That's what i did. Cheapest way to make a bunch of stakes. I got some 20' pieces of 3/8 rebar and cut into 12" and 16" lengths


Welded a 1" piece to make a ' T '

Heavy duty and Tough as nails, hell they are nails , big ones

Not much for lookin, but why do you need pretty tent stakes??
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  #9  
Old 09-20-2013, 5:33 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Crazyhorse View Post
So i want to make something almost identical to a tent stake.

CH
I guess I should have made the title a little more accurate but I though I was running out of room. This is just for a component of my larger master plan!

I do really like some of the suggestions though.

Thanks all,
CH
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  #10  
Old 09-20-2013, 9:30 PM
canative canative is offline
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Try the ones that look like regular nails but are giant! About a foot long and thick. They will take a pounding from a sledge.
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  #11  
Old 09-20-2013, 11:25 PM
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I use nails that are 8-10" long and originally intended to hang rain gutters with.
They work awesome in hard ground, wont bend, and are easily pulled up with any claw hammer!

Whoops, Great minds think alike...

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Try the ones that look like regular nails but are giant! About a foot long and thick. They will take a pounding from a sledge.
^^^THIS^^^
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  #12  
Old 09-21-2013, 12:14 AM
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+1 on the rebar and orange paint.
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  #13  
Old 09-21-2013, 12:22 AM
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rebar and send it into the ground use a heavy hammer and make them flat against the ground. Always pre tie a piece of nylon rope to pull them out later. Unless weight is a factor Then use EMT and drill a hole 6" from the top for a hook with a bright piece of fabric for a flag. Then remove the hook and use a bar through the holes to help remove the EMT from the ground.
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  #14  
Old 09-24-2013, 11:15 AM
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aluminum stakes nice and light, but overall suck for hard ground. They bend even with rubber mallets. Angled aluminum would just make your stakes weigh as much as a the typical steel stakes, except they'll take up more room. They'll also get dented up pretty fast.

For $3, these harbor freight steel tent stakes are hard to beat. Sure they're heavy, but really easy to set up and pound into hard ground.
http://www.harborfreight.com/10-inch...six-96534.html
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  #15  
Old 09-29-2013, 8:37 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vlad 11 View Post
That's what i did. Cheapest way to make a bunch of stakes. I got some 20' pieces of 3/8 rebar and cut into 12" and 16" lengths


Welded a 1" piece to make a ' T '

Heavy duty and Tough as nails, hell they are nails , big ones

Not much for lookin, but why do you need pretty tent stakes??
This is what I have done many times.
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  #16  
Old 09-29-2013, 8:43 PM
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is weight a factor you can buy 11 inch nails

you can buy the cheap metal fence posts and cut them into 10 inch sections sharpen the end
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  #17  
Old 09-30-2013, 8:08 PM
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use angle iron instead of aluminum.

It will be a little heavier but you'll gain strength.
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  #18  
Old 09-30-2013, 8:33 PM
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if you go with rebar you can always use those big orange plastic mushroom shaped safety heads that you see at construction sites and they sell at all the Home Depot type stores.I think that that meant to take a beating and stay on the top so no one gets stabbed by the rebar.they may even work for other things like the nails or the aluminum rods.
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  #19  
Old 09-30-2013, 8:47 PM
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As long as the weathers nice you could use bungie cords. Tie off to trees/bushes.
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Old 10-01-2013, 10:53 AM
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Can get em premade from Major Surplus, they also have non painted versions and bulk pack.

http://www.majorsurplus.com/9-GI-Sty...ck-P14333.aspx

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