Pin-Punches for electronic stakes

[Dave M]

Hi All,
I've just received a nice new set of lightweight stakes for hosting our SI units (BSF6 and 7s). It still seems to be a requirement to mount traditional pin punches on these stakes (at least for District & Regional events) so that, in the case of a unit failure, the compeititor can punch his/her map as proof of visiting that control.
These's just enough room to mount a traditionally-sized pin-punch on the underside of the SI unit plate but really my opinion is that these pin-punches are a bit big. Does anyone know of a supplier of small/mini pin-punches that I could use instead?. Compasspoint don't have anything apart of the old-style pin punches.
Ta in advance,
Dave

[Kitch]

sounds like a niche in the market
a good idea

[mharky]

or you could just by some string down the pound shop

[180 minute man]

If they are the same as the one's SIman showed me a few months ago they look really good.
I get to a limit at about 10 T-bars, but could put lots more of those in a rucsac.
I thought that I would hang the punch from a piece of string on the same hook used to attach the flag.

[Zokko!]

I've just received a nice new set of lightweight stakes for hosting our SI units (BSF6 and 7s).

Could you tell me where you obtained your lightweight stakes? I am assuming they are the ones with a glass fibre or similar pole, and the SI unit mounting plate on top.

[haloite]

I've just received a nice new set of lightweight stakes for hosting our SI units (BSF6 and 7s).

Could you tell me where you obtained your lightweight stakes? I am assuming they are the ones with a glass fibre or similar pole, and the SI unit mounting plate on top.

Likewise - we are looking to replace some club equipment and one of the things that puts me off planning is lugging about the heavy and cumbersome green stakes we bought when we initially purchased our Si kit. £20 per stake seems a little expensive ( the yellow fibre glass canes from SportIdent ) - anyone managed to source something cheaper that does the job?

We have the mounting plates for our Si units b.t.w. so it's just lightweight stakes we are looking for.

Cheers.

[NeilC]

String is what we use. The punches come out for the few regional events we do each year and stay in the garage for all the other local events. Not that we have had any failures with our BSF8 units yet.

[Barny of Blandford]

We use electric fence stakes that farmers use for animals

They come in various sizes and the size we bought cost about £1.20 each - also come in a number of colours but we choose dark green. Bought from our local Countrywise store

Our boxes are fitted sideways as we use them for schools events a lot and they are easier to carry around. It is also possible to fit the plates on the top. A couple of self tapping screws about No 6 or 8 x 20mm are ideal - I bought a box from Screwfix.

In an ideal world someone would design and make a plastic plate (like the emit stake tops) that fits on the top of such post as the only problem with ours is that legally they do not have a proper size number displayed - only the number on the box which is about 25mm in height

Very much cheaper than others - we spent about £70 in all doing about 60

We also fitted pin punches on them all (used up old ones) and used electric cable ties for this job - about £3 for a couple of hundred

Hope this helps

[EddieH]

Plastic poles may be fine for Dorset clay, but I think we'd struggle in rockier ground.

[mharky]

They have a 5 inch nail sticking out the bottom of them Eddie, which is much easier to get into rocky ground than any metal stake i've ever had to put out

[Barny of Blandford]

Eddie

You will be amazed what they go in - Marky is right that the spike on the bottom is something like 12mm hardened steel - they go into anything - they are designed for farmers to use in any conditiions - they have a foot bracket at the bottom so that you can stamp them in the full depth of the spike with you wellies

The only one we have ever had damaged was set on fire by the local clientel - then the top plastic melts