need to change some poles in awning- ideas

[jayjay]

Hi! My movelite awning got a few poles damaged at the last meet, I have spares, but can't for the life of me work out how to attach them and keep the elastic that joins them altogether! Is it possible, and if so, how?

If poss I'd like to keep them altogether with the joining elastic inside so I know how they go when I get there. Just cut the elastic, shove new poles in and tie the elastic?

[caz]

You need to undo the knot in the elastic at one end, un thread the poles, take out the broken poles and replace, then re-thread & re-knot. I think you can get a special tool in camping shops to help, but when I did it on a tent pole, the elastic was stretchy enough to do it without. Don't cut the elastic or you won't have enough left to do it. I found it was easiest to re-thread the poles by holding them vertically and pushing the elastic downwards, so gravity helped.

[jayjay]

Thanks Caz! I just need to figure out how to undo that elastic at the end - seems to be welded in there!

[barry5933]

We had to do this last year and it is fairly easy IF you have one particular gadget and some clothes pegs.

First - THE GADGET. I don't know what it is called, but it is used for picking up small objects (electrical components, screws etc) and consists of a small plastic tube with a plunger button at one end which pushes down three wire hooks which open out as they extend. It may be a Maplin Electonics product, I borrowed my son's. This is used to grab the knot on the end of the elastic inside the end ferrule of the awning pole. But before reaching for the knot ...

THE CLOTHES PEGS. The elastic in the poles has to be stretched out the give slack at the knotted end. Assemble the pole - pull the sections apart to expose bare elastic - grip it with a clothes peg to prevent it retracting again - repeat until sufficient slack is obtained to enable the knot to be gripped with the Gadget and pulled out. Untie the knot, remove pole sections until the damaged piece is reached and taken out.

Now for the reassembly. The loose end of the elastic has to be threaded back through the poles. I attached a heavy needle (a sailmakers triangular if I recall correctly) as a weight and used gravity to pull the end of the elastic DOWN through each tube in turn. Replace the clothes pegs as you go in order to keep enough slack to add the last tube and re-tie the knot (I believe the knot is backed up with a small washer. This washer is vital, don't lose it) Having re-tied the knot, remove pegs and job is done.

Eezee Peezee.

Well I hope it is, because I now have to do it again this year having broken two pole sections in a gale on Skye.

Barry

[barry5933]

I needed o replace SIX sections yesterday following the gales on Skye.

Some had split and others were seriously bent at the ends of the metal ferrule.

The only slight problem I had was that the poles I bought (Kyam) were slightly thicker in wall thickness with a smaller diameter hole through the middle. The elastic only just pulled through using button thread wound round the end and pulled by a stout needle.

All done now - until next time.