Best Tone Pole Design (Or Non Basket)?

[Agarner14]

I'm relatively new to disc golf, but very much enjoying the newbie experience so far. I first started experimenting with real disc golf discs while spending some time at my family cabin in the mountains of SE Montana. We are fortunate to have a considerable amount of open, rolling grassland mixed with aspen groves and conifer forests. For the past two summers we have played with random objects as targets (gate posts, trees, wheelbarrows, etc), and now that I'm getting more into the sport, I'd like to start incorporating some cheaper, non-permanent targets as well as Islands and OB into our ever evolving course up there.

My basic question is this: What are your recommendations for a relatively cheap (<$30 (ish)/target) targets? I can brainstorm up some ideas, particularly with PVC piping and metal fencing posts, but I'd love to see some pictures if you have any as well as other thoughts. I do have some tools, but no welding experience.

Thanks in advance.

 

[sisyphus]

After pricing out metal cylinder$$$, I made these out of pvc, an old disc, some aluminum window blind slats cut to 21", 12 paper clips and two screws. Cost about $3 each if you have some old discs available. Slid them into alternate sleeves or just stuck them in the ground to try out new basket positions. Then created a blended birdie bash course. They've held up for about a year so far, once I doubled the slats to hold up better in the breeze.

 

[txmxer]

Walmart.com. YaheeTech.

$60.

Once you get one, you will buy more and forget home made.

Otherwise, youtube. Numerous home made versions that are decent. The problem is making a decent basket for less than 60$.

Here's oNe concept that's not too bad:

L shaped shelf brackets (12)
Plywood—top, basket support, base
Some type of basket—cattle panel fence could make a dandy basket.
Chains and screw eyes, S hooks
PVC pipe for center pole

You have to seal the plywood

Material costs are probably $60 range if you make multiples using all the materials.

 

[Casey 1988]

Use for targets the metal fence posts then put on top the smaller metal can all the same size like a larger bathroom garbage can size making sure the can is tin, aluminum, or some kind of stainless steel, attached using some chain and eye bolt with end nut made on permanent using Loctite on both the inner post and to the can eye bolt.

 

[Jugular]

Use for targets the metal fence posts then put on top the smaller metal can all the same size like a larger bathroom garbage can size making sure the can is tin, aluminum, or some kind of stainless steel, attached using some chain and eye bolt with end nut made on permanent using Loctite on both the inner post and to the can eye bolt.

Find a restaurant that buys large food cans that would be a near free way of sourcing metal cans for a tone pole.

 

[philstine]

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3053541

Empty 2 liter plastic soft drink (soda/pop/coke/cocola/pick your regional dialect) bottles stuck on 1/2" PVC pipe work extremely well. (Pro tip: green bottles work better than clear, even in the woods or against a grassy/bushy background. Save the clear bottles for glow rounds: drop in a glow stick, stick it on the pole, and BOOM! Or swirl fluorescent paint around in clear bottles and let it dry before mounting on the pole.) The difference in sound between a bottle hit and a pole hit is easy to hear, and the sound of a bottle hit carries a LONG way. They're also easy to build, easy to install and cost pennies to replace.

 

[Doofenshmirtz]

This has to be one of the worst example images ever.

 

[davetherocketguy]

I'm sure whatever you come up with it'll be "too easy" for some on this forum.

 

[txmxer]

I'm sure whatever you come up with it'll be "too easy" for some on this forum.

That's my bad. I didn't even realize what a tone pole was. I get it now.

Non-basket. Duh.

 

[DiscFifty]

Why a non basket? I mean it is...disc golf and there are cheap baskets around new and used.

 

[blazerico]

metal bucket, upside down and screwed on top of a 4x4 post

 

[txmxer]

Tone pole. Best hung from above.

 

[Deej]

I use empty propane cylinders on top of a piece of rebar that's jammed in the ground. Works great even if it is a bit too big of a target. Sounds good when a disc hits it anyway.

 

[Dingus]

I have always wanted to have a three piece tone pole that would sound out a chord when struck. Wouldn't be too hard to measure and construct.

 

[MarkDSM]

I have been on the lookout for a retired tall fire extinguisher cylinder for a long time. Would be classy hung or on center mounted on a lodge pole / tree stake. Likely got idea from an old thread here.

Like this but with trigger and hose removed.

 

[wolfey]

I have been on the lookout for a retired tall fire extinguisher cylinder for a long time. Would be classy hung or on center mounted on a lodge pole / tree stake. Likely got idea from an old thread here.

Like this but with trigger and hose removed.

That is precisely what I've done on my course and they work great! I salvaged a dozen fire extinguishers from a company that recharges them. Just asked what they did with the failed cylinders and walked out of there with them free of charge! After I convinced them that I wasn't going to build bombs or anything silly

I pulled the trigger/hose, cut the bottoms out with an angle grinder and cleaned 'em up with a fresh coat of paint. They are mounted on lodge poles with lag screws through the opening where the trigger was threaded. The size of the target is almost precisely the size of the catching area on a basket. And they sound really good!

I have a few other tonals made from scuba tanks that are the same size as the fire extinguishers and they sound amazing when struck. They will continue to ring for a good 30 seconds at least after being struck.

I'll post some photos this weekend. And video if I can figure that out.

 

[Agarner14]

I really like the sound of the fire extinguishers. Might have to look into that.

 

[Casey 1988]

Find a restaurant that buys large food cans that would be a near free way of sourcing metal cans for a tone pole.

More then likely those #10 cans/coffee type cans are not quite big enough.

 

[Mr.Big.Shot]

https://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Outdoor-EMT-Wind-Chimes/

Cool chimes from conduit. Look on youtube for "avocado open" for lots of target ideas.

 

[ballgolfconvert]

Why a non basket? I mean it is...disc golf and there are cheap baskets around new and used.

Tone poles were around before baskets. Too many arguments over whether or not they were hit forced the move to baskets and having to fetch the disc. I'm kinda of just making this up, but believe that are the main reasons.

Tone poles with a circle your disc must stop in would be another approach to get over the fetching issue.