After the September 11 attack on our nation, I went out on a fruitless search for an American flag, large enough to be seen from Afghanistan. Our good patriots had already snapped up every flag larger than a postage stamp. This left me with only one choice… Make my own flag!

A Labor of Love

My home and laboratory is located high on a hill, overlooking the northern Sacramento valley of California, the perfect location to proudly display our flag in all its glory.

A flag the size of a billboard and cemented into the ground, simply just cannot be taken in at night! To properly honor our banner of freedom, it either must be taken down after sunset, or illuminated throughout the night. My display of pride shines like a beacon for all to see.

Some plywood and 4X4s, several gallons of paint, a few florescent lamps, and a lot of loving labor was my way of fighting off the tears of sorrow and rage.

A few construction details: (If you develop better methods, please let me know)

Exterior plywood, about 1 ½ sheets. (Exterior so it will weather well.)

High gloss exterior latex paint. (Actually I couldn't find the red & blue in latex, so I used an oil based red and water based acrylic for the blue.)

Three coats of white over the entire front. (About one gallon. It was warm enough here so I could do all three coats in one day.)

Masked off the red stripes and painted three coats. (Be sure and get masking tape off in the same day, so it won't bake on.)

Wait 24 hours between colors.

Masked off the entire union (star area) and laid out the star positions. (Found a scaleable star in Coral Draw and printed it out on a sheet of clear Mylar, then cut out the star template.)

Placed the star template over each star location & using a spray can of black paint, made a silhouette for each star. (Using an Exacto knife, I cut around each star, then pealed up all tape that WASN'T a star.)

Three coats of blue paint over the entire union area. (Then pealed up the star tape.)

Used an entire spray can of Krylon clear lacquer to seal the stars. (Cutting the star tape leaves a cut edge in the wood, and weather could get under the paint.)

Erected the assembly. (Painted the back, installed the lamps, attached the photo cell switch on the back, then gave it a big salute!)

My Challenge to You:

Show me up, and show your support

Make a bigger and better symbol of freedom and pride.

Go here for the dimensions, visit your local lumber store, then put your heart and soul into your work of pride. This project, with all its hard work, is very therapeutic!

Be a Betsy Ross and I would be honored to display your work here on this page. Anyone can just go out and buy a flag - But to be truly filled with pride and patriotism, make your own!   Send me some pictures, include a few words of your experience and emotions, and I will gladly show your project to the world.