# Where do you buy snow marker sticks?



## LoneCowboy (Jan 2, 2007)

Everyplace around here has NOOOO idea what I'm talking about. 
You know, to mark curbs, things that stick out, etc.

TIA


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## DaySpring Services (Feb 1, 2005)

I just buy 1x3, cut a point on one end and paint the top bright orange. Cheapest way to go. If someone steals them who cares.


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## B&K LawnCare (Oct 28, 2005)

http://www.angelos-supplies.com/plowparts/catresults.pg We use to buy them from somewhere else for more and they where higher quality, but these work just as good for a fraction of the price


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## Brian Young (Aug 13, 2005)

DaySpring Services;414082 said:


> I just buy 1x3, cut a point on one end and paint the top bright orange. Cheapest way to go. If someone steals them who cares.


Thats all we do also. There is a guy who makes them for probably 95% of the plowing companies around here. They go for .57 cents ea. and we just paint the top 1/3 with florecent orage paint, eveyone has different colors around here, kinda like marking your territory I guess,lol.


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## Mick (May 19, 2001)

Central Parts Warehouse (CPW) has a banner ad on this page. You'll need to log in and look up driveway marker.

Also, Mill Supply: http://www.rustrepair.com/app2/onlinecat.htm?p=sn . Look under "plow accessories".


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## QuadPlower (Jan 4, 2007)

Home Depot, Lowes, Menards all have fancy ones for around $1.90 - $5.00 ea. 

I use the 1x3 with a point. To paint them, I buy a gallon of orange, fill a Pringles can and dip them. First time, put the stick in first and fill it with paint, pull the stick out and mark the can. When the paint level gets below the mark, fill it back up again. It think its faster than spray painting.


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## Quality SR (Oct 25, 2006)

QuadPlower;414223 said:


> Home Depot, Lowes, Menards all have fancy ones for around $1.90 - $5.00 ea.
> 
> I use the 1x3 with a point. To paint them, I buy a gallon of orange, fill a Pringles can and dip them. First time, put the stick in first and fill it with paint, pull the stick out and mark the can. When the paint level gets below the mark, fill it back up again. It think its faster than spray painting.


You beat me too it. Home Depot, has the fiberglass rods. 4' long yellow, green, and red for $.99.


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## LwnmwrMan22 (Jan 20, 2005)

I just get the little "utility flag" markers.

A 4" x 5" flag on a 21" shaft, with my company name and phone number on the flag.

1000 for $100, printed and shipped from Blackburn, another sponsor either here, or LawnSite.

I know they're not SUPER tall, but you only really need them until you get a bank of snow built up aorund the area.

Also, that includes a one time $17 setup charge for the printing, and shipping charges.

If you get non-printed ones, they're something like 1000 for $45 + shipping.


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## cjasonbr (Nov 18, 2005)

LwnmwrMan22;414237 said:


> I just get the little "utility flag" markers.
> 
> A 4" x 5" flag on a 21" shaft, with my company name and phone number on the flag.
> 
> ...


That's a nifty idea. People would probably appreciate those more than big, orange stakes.

Wouldn't be very good method for showing obstructions though.

How durable are these things? Are they pretty much invisible dog fence flag quality? Or are the stakes more substantial?

EDIT: Now that i've looked, it looks like those are those dog-fence like flags. From the pictures it looks like the post bends from just the weight of the little flag. Seems to me like they would be folded over 90 degrees at ground level after the first storm. What have your results been?


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## 6feetdeep (Sep 8, 2006)

Farm supply store, 4' fiberglass fence posts (approx. 3/8" diameter), white. Lay out the whole bunch of them on some cardboard and spray the top 8-10" with Kubota Orange paint (Conveniently found at same farm supply store). Cheaper than anything I've found at HD, Lowes, etc. I paid less than .50 cents each, in bundles of 50 or 100. If I wanted 6' lengths, it would have been about 25 cents more each. 
Hope it helps,


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## LwnmwrMan22 (Jan 20, 2005)

cjasonbr;414259 said:


> That's a nifty idea. People would probably appreciate those more than big, orange stakes.
> 
> Wouldn't be very good method for showing obstructions though.
> 
> ...


No, they stand up. Where they'll bend over is where you push snow over the curb with the plow, because the plow will bend them over. If you're just running along the curb and 'winging' the snow into the turf / off parking area, they'll stay. Once you push snow over the curb, the flag doesn't really matter anymore, since you have a pile of snow there now showing where the curb is.

At .06 / flag, you can use 300 on a property if you want, still only cost you $18.

If you head up to Menards / Home Depot / Lowes, anywhere like that, they should have smaller flagged versions for more money, something like 100 for $8. It's no different than the flags they use to mark utility lines.

The comany has 3-4-5-6 different type staffs you can use for your flags.

At the end of the season, the ones where the flag is gone, or the staff is bent, I just toss. I go through about 1000 / year on 20 accounts.

As for your question about marking obstructions, I'm not sure what you mean???


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## RBRONKEMA GHTFD (Dec 17, 2006)

I go to the lumber yard and buy furing strips, 1 by 3 and rip them in half, they come 8 ft long and i cut them in 3rds


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## MB3 (Oct 11, 2007)

*Markers*

I buy them through J-Thomas. They are flexable and around $.38 a piece and bright orange. They also look nicer than just using homemade markers, a more professional look. I have actually had other commerical places call me up and use me because of the way I mark other lots, and the way it looks to the customer who is pulling into their place. Anybody can plow, what set you apart from the lowballers is the way you look to everybody else. Home Depot is way too expensive for their markers.

http://j-thomas.com/Catalog/357.htm


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## santelikk (Sep 27, 2007)

We use 4' wood lath at work. I work at a land surveying company. Here is where we get our lath.

http://www.mmdsales.com/store/scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=180&sm=180-b


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## LwnmwrMan22 (Jan 20, 2005)

I can't use the orange markers. Two years ago I had over 200 stolen. That's when I went to the flags, I and 4 other companies in this area.


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## LwnmwrMan22 (Jan 20, 2005)

UPS brings my flags tomorrow. 1000 = 26 lbs.

I get them out and post pictures, flag my own driveway so you all can see what it looks like before you spend .30 / .50 / 1.00 on each marker.


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## Avitare (Sep 22, 2007)

*depends on the need*

we see firring strips painted or lathe -- same thing
on commercial lots
I like the idea of stencil a company name or logo
Kinda shows who has which contract -- brag a little

some of our residential markers are mini signs with our name and phone number
-- at the end of the driveway -- of course.
I get more than one new client based on these mini signs
and I sure take care that they look good and have a happy client.

posts are grey plasic conduit from big box stores cut to 5 feet 
and sand one end with belt sander to bevel edge and paint or sign on the other end
Think we are still getting plastic conduit for $2-$2.5 for 10 ft

like the pringle can idea --thanks
tc


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## Duncan90si (Feb 16, 2007)

We use the fiberglass ones from Home Depot. We used to use steel rebar. We cut them to roughly 4' or 5' the paint the last foot a bright color. (I like the pringle can idea too) I think we might go back to the rebar because they didn't bend over after the first big storm and not as many grew legs. prsport If they do bend they wont snap like the fiberglass rods or wood will and you can just bend them back straight.


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## dylan (Dec 21, 1999)

I use plastic conduit from home depot. It is flexible if you hit it and relatively cheap. the top of the pole gets wrapped in reflective tape and i install my phone number as well. I've made over 1000 of them in the last few years.


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## cjasonbr (Nov 18, 2005)

B&K LawnCare;414083 said:


> http://www.angelos-supplies.com/plowparts/catresults.pg We use to buy them from somewhere else for more and they where higher quality, but these work just as good for a fraction of the price


I bought 100 of these for .45 apiece, they came today. Not a bad buy at all. They're not fancy at all - but seem perfectly suitable for DW marking. I notice that they seem to have a orange tint to the core of the marker - so if it gets chipped it's not a white chip.


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## Kennedy81 (Oct 8, 2007)

I found the best prices by far from this place:
http://search.cartserver.com/search...IESDRIVEWAYMARKERS&keywords=&go=GO!&bool=AND1

http://www.rcpw.com/index.htm


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## mkwl (Jan 21, 2005)

Quality SR;414236 said:


> You beat me too it. Home Depot, has the fiberglass rods. 4' long yellow, green, and red for $.99.


Where in HD- all I could find were the 48" w/reflective tape for $2 each.


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## the_mayor (Dec 30, 2006)

dylan;416212 said:


> I use plastic conduit from home depot. It is flexible if you hit it and relatively cheap. the top of the pole gets wrapped in reflective tape and i install my phone number as well. I've made over 1000 of them in the last few years.


Those are the same things I use. They bend over when you hit them, they don't scratch your paint, and they never wear out. I'm on my 6th year with the same ones. I love em


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