what i have been up to, thus far.

On my pole, (i am using it has a flag pole) there are already pins that hold the sections of the telescope up. The pins only go in two ways (180 degrees from each other) The pole i linked to you is a cheap model and therefor probably only has one pin, which means it will only go together one way. On the base, you set what that way is by rotating a first leg and screwing in a set screw.