 Danny Kaifetz reviews photos shot at each new "home" for his flagpoles. |
PORT KENT — Adirondack Flagpoles, a design center, workshop and office for Danny Kaifetz, a local craftsman, sits high on a promontory overlooking Lake Champlain. Kaifetz is now working on his 71st commission, a set of nine traditional wooden flagpoles destined for a revamped Veterans Park in Poway, an urban suburb of San Diego. The flagpoles are scheduled for delivery, intact and in perfect condition, by Nov. 1. The park will be rededicated on Nov. 11, Veterans Day. "I'm on a seven-day-a-week project," Kaifetz said. "I was asked to do it with only 35 days notice." Only four traditional wooden flagpole makers exist in the United States. Kaifetz was selected and commissioned for the project, an honor in his view. He sees the products made by his business as an indication of how many fine craftsmen work in the Adirondacks. Kaifetz opened Adirondack Flagpoles just six years ago. "There isn't a day that goes by that I don't recognize how fortunate I am to be doing what I'm doing," he said. "I'd spent years working in the forest-products industry and previously as a surveyor. I used my skills and knowledge of geometry and forest products and moved on to craft flagpoles." |
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He said that a lot of space is needed to create flagpoles. The poles are usually 24 to 36 feet long. "At any one time, I have a number in various stages of completion," he said. "I keep unfinished wood inside and ready for use." Kaifetz has the help of a forester who scouts out, cuts and delivers hardwood from the northeastern forests. He uses oak, as it is open-grained and thus absorbs the epoxy used to glue the sections together. "Once I'm aware of the proposed location and the intent of the user, I begin the meticulous planning and give attention to the detail, the exacting alignment of the sides, precision cutting, sanding and then the exacting preparation and application of the epoxy," he said. "I use some standard woodworking tools, but with required modifications I have constructed over the years." Kaifetz emphasizes that you have to be a firm disciplinarian with wood. You have to make sure that the various components used will stay where you put them. "I use something I term 'biscuits' all along the vertical members of a flagpole," he said. "These are wood discs dropped and slipped into a cutout of a matching pole and tying the sides of two poles together. The use of the biscuits with the epoxy makes an extremely strong bond. The finished sides of a pole can withstand hurricane-force winds and weather." Kaifetz initially got help and suggestions from Norm Abrams of the televised series "This Old House" on flagpole construction. They concurred that the use of biscuits was an efficient method of handling the need for strength and durability. Once his models for the flagpoles are perfected, Kaifetz acknowledges that the work is repetitious from flagpole to flagpole. But Kaifetz enjoys that aspect of his work as well. |
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When a flagpole is finished and ready for delivery, he contacts a trucking company and at each stage the pole is handled entirely by hand. There is no lifting apparatus. The flagpoles arrive at their destination unscathed."You get a lot of exercise building flagpoles," Kaifetz said. "I'm on my feet all the time. I run back and forth beside the length of the pole as each stage unfolds." Kaifetz's flagpoles must endure for the long run. To prevent any kind of rot on the interior surfaces, he even puts epoxy on the sides to deter moisture and rot. "I call that encapsulating the interior of the flagpoles," he said. To prevent moisture from entering the wood flagpole in the area where the wood is pierced for the rope used to raise and lower the flag, Kaifetz inserts a stainless-steel bushing to hold the pin used in the process. Just one more precaution to ensure longevity. No books, no written guides of any sort have been published to describe the process of making a flagpole. It's a craft Kaifetz developed over time. "No master carpentry skills are involved," he insists. "It's a one-person operation requiring skills somewhat similar to those involved in marine boat woodworking. This isn't a factory. Each flagpole is crafted one at a time by hand." |
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Kaifetz has found immense satisfaction in running American Flagpoles. "When I started getting recognition, and when your work starts to make a difference to you, that's a real bonus," he said. Of even greater importance is one of Kaifetz's primary motives for doing the work he does. Every year, he'll donate one flagpole to an organization or association needing one but unable to afford the cost. Given the materials, the time and commitment he invests in each flagpole, Kaifetz's donations are valued at $3,000 and up. With ever more frequency, individuals and associations from across the country contact Kaifetz for a flagpole. A Vietnam era former Marine, he is particularly interested in work needed by veterans' groups. "I feel more than ever interested in their needs," he said. "I want to give something back." Poway, the city suburb of San Diego, commissioned Kaifetz to construct flagpoles as an element in a new park design, a fitting memorial to honor all American veterans. A compass rose surrounded by flags representing all branches of the military describes the design. Within this circle are the words, "Some gave all, and all gave some." As with all of his completed work, Kaifetz expects to be present at the dedication. His daughter, Nicole Delcore-Kaifetz, frequently accompanies him. Kaifetz refers to his trip to Poway as "a privilege and an honor … such a perfect fit for what I do and what I believe in." He has also donated flagpoles to local victims of cancer and ALS, all in the spirit of giving back. From November to March, Kaifetz leaves his large, unheated, spacious studio. During the winter months, he uses all leftover wood scraps to make furniture. The smallest pieces are tossed into his wood stove. Nothing is wasted. Kaifetz leads a full life "disciplining wood" to serve others. For additional information visit http://Adirondackflagpoles.com or call (518) 834-9901 or 518 (534)-4033.
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