I own a yankee flipper as well and it has lasted many years - probably going on 5 now against the elements which is pretty respectable. It is a bit pricey but when you average it out based on how long it lasts and that it's so well built it is worth it. Here is the link to it on amazon. http://amzn.to/1UdB714 Also, there is a variant that doesn't use batteries called the yankee whipper. Instead of a spinning ring it has spring loaded perches that collapse when squirrels get to them. Probably not quite as entertaining as the flipper but still a good brand and very well built. http://amzn.to/1rvQiIc 

We have a triple tube feeder hanging from an iron crook type pole. It has 2 baffles to deter the squirrels. In addition I greased the iron pole. I put food on the ground to keep the squirrels from thinking too much about the bird feeder. Yesterday I saw a blue jay hanging around. The other birds were telling him to stay away, but he looked a bit bedraggled so I put out a bunch of raw peanuts for him in a bowl. I don't know if the blue jay got any, but I had 3 exhausted looking squirrels and an empty bowl when I checked back an hour later. Here it was 100 degrees out, and I had given them this chore. One of the squirrels was actually wading in the bird bath, soaking his tummy in the fresh cool water, his little sides just heaving. Durn squirrels.

I don't have a pic at the moment, but a squirrel has never made it onto my platform feeder since we put it up many years ago. It is made of threaded iron pipe hammered into the ground with a screw on flange attached to the feeder. Below the feeder is a baffle made out of round metal duct probably 6" diameter and 2' long. There are some sheet metal strips crisscrossed to close off the top of the baffle tube and to give it some way to hang off the pole with another pipe fitting. The bottom of the feeder is probably a little under 5' off the ground. The pole has a clear area of maybe 4-5' all the way around. It is also a good 10' away from anything real high that they could use to jump down onto it from above. The setup is ugly as sin, but it works. I plan on trying to use a pole in an umbrella stand next so that I can move it around easily since I don't use it in the summer. I have heard that a baffle made out of 4" pvc with a cap is sufficient too. I wonder though if the plastic would not get roughed up enough over time to let them get a grip. Here are instructions for that type of baffle and it looks a lot better than mine. I'll have to try one with a nice cap and black finish someday Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.todayshomeowner.com/how-to-make-a-squirrel-and-raccoon-bird-feeder-baffle/

it's been a few years ago now. My nephew took shop and woodworking classes and they had to design and build a wood project and get graded on it, He built a wooden platform with inch high sides on it and then around all four sides drilled holes so that dowels on end about 1 1/2 inches apart and then a wooden hopper in the middle of the platform with a over hanging lid over it all to keep out rain and snow. a chain ran from the bottem thru the hopper and roof to hang it with. with a lift up cap on the hopper. he painted the whole thing with outdoor enamel with the dowels alternateing colors. the little birds learned in a hurry to fly thru the dowel spacings but the bigger birds and the squirrels could not get in. He got all a's on design and woodworking and got award for best project of the class. He gave it to me as a present and i loved it. The nexr summer a whirlwind came thru the backyard ane destroyed all my feeders and couple a never found.