Well I carved a 12 foot long flag last year to raffle off and raise money for the SC Burned Children’s Fund. It was a big hit and people loved seeing it. After the raffle, I kept getting asked where the flag was and if I was ever going to take it around for viewing. While I could go get it, load it up, and take it around, it was a bit of a chore. Well this year, the guys at the Southport Fire Department asked me if I could bring it to their 9/11 remembrance. So with a little pondering, I decided to carve a new bigger flag! One that I could keep here at home ready to go whenever someone needed a little patriotism!! I got the lumber on 8/11. I had 30 days to build the largest carved flag in the world! Well that was not a easy chore…….. I worked on that flag 7 days a week, often 12-14 hour days. Sorry to everyone I had to put off but thank y’all for understanding!! I got it finished and loaded on the trailer after dark on 9/10. The first time it was seen by the public was in Southport on 9/11/2026. I delivered on time as I had promised. Being a firefighter my whole life, 9/11 means so much to me that I had to complete my mission on time and I did. Well needless to say, it was an exciting but emotional day. Everyone loved my new flag and I was a very proud creator!!!! But I also was given the privilege to honor my brother firefighters, the first responders, as well as all the Americans that died that day. The new flag is awesome, but what it represents is beyond word!!!!!
about the flag!
This flag is made from thirty nine 14 foot long 2 by 8s. I made thirteen, 3 board beams, clamped them together and rough carved it with a chainsaw. Then I used an angle grinder with a carving wheel to contour and shape. From there I moved on to progressively lighter tools until eventually fine sanding by hand with 220 grit sandpaper! Next I used a very unique wood burning process to highlight the grain and add character. Now every thing comes apart for red and white staining! For reassembly, I used 12″ lag screws and glue to put all the beams back together to remake the flag. I use stick on stars to layout the union and do a stenciling technique with the blue to give it an antique, cloth look. I peel of the stickers and the wood burned lumber shows trough! One final sanding and then the many coats of varnish. I use the exterior, oil base spar varnish so I can get the amber colored “old” look. But still not done…… Down the back, I lag bolt on 1 1/2″ angle iron for mounts. This flag is over half a ton so everything has to be extra heavy duty! Last flag I painted the burn fund logo on the back, This one I painted up as a 14′ long flat wooden flag! Two for one!!! And of course building a cradle to hold it and mounts for putting it on the trailer. It has been a long process but every where it goes people come up, touch, look, and talk about “Ole Glory”. Absolutely I’m proud of this creation!!!!!