Tipi pole help

[R.I.Jerolmon]

Just finished cutting and peeling Poplar poles. Within 48 hours most appear to have been "dyed" a washed out red color. Research shows that Indians of Canada (Cree) traditionally have used Poplar but I have found no mention of colored poles. Anyone with experience? :idunno:

 

[rijerolmon]

:idunno: Whatever the cause it is going away when exposed to sunlight :bow:

 

[tenngun]

oxidation of the new wood. It will grey soon. Be careful with them. The can take o lot of tension , but dropping one can cause the end to snap off.

 

[satx78247]

Our BSA Council's OA Lodge has numerous tipi poles that are well over 5 decades old (that the Lodge still routinely uses) & they are all now a "bleached bone" color. - I suspect that your poles will "bleach out" from Sunlight, too.

yours, satx

 

[BillinOregon]

I live in the land of lodgepole pine, so named for a darned good reason.

 

[Hermit]

I'm still using aspen poles that I've had for more then 25 years, they will last a long time if you can keep them dry, they fad out to a light brown/ white color.
Hermit

 

[Rifleman1776]

For my lodge (not a tipi) I used plain ole pine. No treatment. But, between uses they were stored inside dry. Light as a feather and no rot after more than 20 years. Wood is an incredible material.

 

[Crewdawg445]

This is interesting, yesterday I spoke with the gentleman I'll be purchasing my 14' tipi from and I asked him a similar question on coating my 22' poles. Besides trying to figure out how I'm going to transport them... I was thinking over time the resin from fires would coat the poles towards the top that are exposed, leaving a natural protective coating. He mentioned he personally did not coat his poles and in over 40yrs has never had any issues and colors come and go with each batch of poles. :idunno:

 

[satx78247]

IF you season your lodge poles as our OA lodge did (I was a boy member then.) long ago, you will peel them while freshly cut & store them on a supportive rack of some sort, so that the poles dry straight.
(We used our 2x6 lumber "canoe racks" for that purpose & have stored the poles on the same racks for decades.)

yours, satx

 

[Crewdawg445]

I'm having issues deciding on the 14' or 12'.... Any suggestions?

 

[satx78247]

IF you're asking me, I would say the 14 foot, inasmuch as a lodge tend to attract friends & there is a GREAT deal more room for guests in a 14.= 154SF for the 14 versus 113SF for the 12.
This of course presumes that:
1. You have enough help to set up a large lodge,
2. You can transport a 14 footer
and
3. that you WANT that much company.

Fwiw, I like BIG lodges.

yours, satx

 

[LaBonte]

I'd have to agree with satx - IMO you'll be happier in a 14'. Also most of your "living" area is below the liner and is on a taper.
As for setting up - I've set up lots by myself and anything up to a 16' is pretty easy as long as the wind doesn't blow hard. :shocked2: I once set up my 18' by myself at 3:00AM during a storm with 40 mph gustsand temps hovering around 40°. Got in late and could have just bivouacked but I got ticked off and determined - so hold my beer and watch this was my motto. :thumbsup: My "friends" just watched and laughed ti it hurt, but three hours later it was up (usually took about a half hour to set it up)and I was one happy (and warm) camper.
Poles - living in the Rockies I've always used lodge pole pine. Pole length - while the Laubins and others have touted the extra long poles are "correct" that's true only in more modern times. The original poles started out longer, but became shorter over time due to being dragged along the ground when moving. Average life spa back then was about two years.

 

[Crewdawg445]

My only issue is transporting the 22' poles... don't have a truck or trailer and I certainly won't be buying one just to haul a tipi. That's were the 12' is appealing, I can manage 16' poles nicely on my car. Deciding on a lodge is becoming a challenge!

 

[Black Hand]

Another challenge is: Would a person in your time and place have had a lodge?

Tipis - great to live in, a pain to put up and transport AND primarily limited to the western areas/tribes...

 

[Crewdawg445]

Your points are exactly the other reasons why I'm having issues deciding. I'd bet the majority of eastern woodlands tribes never laid eyes on a western style tipi. Honestly, between the transportation issues and cost, a diamond shelter seems to keep coming back around as a useful shelter.

Yet, the sight of a tipi alone is just way neat!

 

[Black Hand]

Look into a wedge tent.
Appropriate for many times/persons. I have a Museum Wedge from Tentsmiths when I bring the Lady along to events or a piece of canvas that I fold in half and use as a blanket cover/groundcloth far more often than I do a "roof" overhead when in the woods with the guys.

A well-appointed Tipi is indeed a sight to behold...

 

[tenngun]

:thumbsup: A wedge will be correct and excepted at any event from 1607 to 1945. Tipis are very place and time specific. Pyrimeds, bakers other styles may be banned at some camps. Marquess and wall tents too are time specific. Tipis may not be welcome at any eastern event. Tipis are the very best tent ever designed...but are a pain in the hind end to transport, and when bigger become hard for one person to set up. 10-12 footers are hc but don't fulfil the job we expect in a tipi.

 

[Crewdawg445]

Thanks Black Hand and tenngun, I've entertained the thought of a wedge, actually all of the choices... I do agree that a wedge is a good fit, but certainly very bland. I only figured a diamond would be a good choice due to its simplicity and ease of transport. However, I do like the thought of a wedge with an optional stove hole for winter events...

Well on second thought, a wedge probably would be just as simple to set up.

 

[Black Hand]

3 poles of a reasonable length vs. 15-20 poles....

 

[tenngun]

You can even section the poles. Panther primitives show a photo of a camp stuck in some sort of sub compact car. I don't recall if it was a wedge or not but it had section poles.