[boshravie]

I have stripped apart the sections of my 30 ft slx to clean it of grit etc because it was sticking a bit, and as mentioned in another thread, it turned out the end stop tape was chewed up..knackered.

So I have attempted to replace end stop tape but when i prise the clamp jaws open to reinsert pole section, the tape keeps getting chewed up its a nightmare! Its not easy doing this job on your own. Im thinking of marking the pole somehow, paint or nail varnish but i dont know whats safe to use so as not to break down the carbon fibre? Im forgetting the tape for now as at the minute I feel like breaking the pole across my knee!   although i couldnt do it  

Generally a pole with joint stops will be far quicker and easier to use than a pole with joint markers. The clue to getting the joint stop tape in is not to put too much of it on the section. Best to use either a good quality insulating tape or ring us and ask for a little of the Fibre-Glass tape.

If using insulating tape then put just a single wrap of tape with just a few mm of overlap. When re-assembling the section prise apart the clamp jaws with something (I use an allen key, insert the short arm between the jaws and use the longer part to lever, really is the best thing to use) and slide the section in. When you get to the tape make sure the overlap area is at the front where the jaws are widest apart, you then need to gently twist the section so that the tape twists down into the section past the clamp. If it really will not go in then take the tape off and put just a single wrap around with no overlap. Make sure that the tape is well stuck down and try again. This should sort it for you. If using the fibre-glass tape which is slightly thicker then do no overlap the tape at all.

If you do want to paint an overlap marker instead, then you can buy an all purpose type spray paint from B&Q which can be sprayed on metal and plastic. Using masking tape mask off the pole leaving just the base 15cm exposed and spray a thin layer of paint over the whole of the bottom section. Spray lightly so that the paint does not build up at all. Leave the paint to dry overnight before use. This paint will probably have to be reapplied every month or so.

It would be a good idea to do video of it Alex 

[traps7]

Great, thanks Alex, mine's ordered.

Does it actually act as a stop now or just as a warning marker?
I had two bands, a yellow, and a red if I remember rightly. Do I replace both or just one?

[Dave Willis]

What I have done in the past and although it works and Alex won't recommend it is this .........
I have drilled a small hole in each section and used that as a marker. As soon as the hole appears I push the section back into the clamp an inch. The downside to doing this is that it's quite easy to splinter the pole inside as the drill bit breaks through and of course it needs to be inline with the clamp otherwise you won't see it.

[Alex Gardiner]

Great, thanks Alex, mine's ordered.

Does it actually act as a stop now or just as a warning marker?
I had two bands, a yellow, and a red if I remember rightly. Do I replace both or just one?

If using the joint-stop tape on an older pole that previously had colour markers, it is slightly more complicated. You basically will be replacing the red marker with tape which will then act as a joint stop preventing the pole from over extending. What you need to do is to completely remove all traces of the red marker  - scraping off with a sharp knife. Then about where the red tape was you will need to put a wrap of the new joint stop tape. Depending on how worn the pole is will dictate how much tape you can wrap around the pole section. If it is fairly worn, then you can usually put a whole wrap of tape, stopping just short of overlapping the tape. If the pole is not so worn sometime you can only get half a wrap of tape. If you can only get half a wrap of tape on the section you will need to make sure that the half a wrap is on the front of the section so that it engages/stops on the jaws of the clamp it is inside of. This then acts as a joint stop - this will not work with the older metal clamping system.

It may take a little trial and error to find out exactly how much tape is needed on each section due to differing tolerances because of wear.

[traps7]

Ok Thanks.

[Steve_c]

Ioinc poles dont jam, that's what puts me off Gardiner poles and getting black hands. I recently bumped into a windy who was using a SLX, i gave it a go and really liked it. But i whant a pole that doesn't jam, seem to get a quite few post on Gardiner poles jamming. Sorry just my opinion.

[steven ainger]

they only jam if the positive stop tape becomes damaged, i took the tape off mine, and its soooooo easy the slide up and down

[Alex Gardiner]

Ioinc poles dont jam, that's what puts me off Gardiner poles and getting black hands. I recently bumped into a windy who was using a SLX, i gave it a go and really liked it. But i whant a pole that doesn't jam, seem to get a quite few post on Gardiner poles jamming. Sorry just my opinion.

I would agree with you that everyone wants a pole that does not jam. The majority of CLX/SLX/SMAX users get exactly this. Of the 5000+  users out there the majority will have never experienced a jamming section. As far as I can recall we have only had 6 or 7 clients this year including the two mentioned on this thread who have had a jamming section. This works out at about 0.1% of all users and this issue can usually be fixed very simply within minutes.

With regard to carbon dust, then any pure carbon pole will produce dust due to abrasion of the inside of the carbon section. If it does not produce black dust then it is either not pure carbon or it is not yet worn enough.

[dazmond]

ive never had a pole section jam on me either.i do get a bit of carbon dust on my hands from time to time but a good bath at night with a scrubbing brush gets rid of it!i wear gloves in winter but when its warm a dont bother.

the slx and clx poles are the best poles ive used and is all i use now.

as for maintenance i flush my poles by directing a hosepipe into the base section with all sections opened about  a foot wide once or twice a month.i clean the pole hose with a cloth daily as well esp if the ground is wet/muddy.

i find the pole hose supplied by aqua-daptor hardly picks up any dirt and very rarely kinks which should help with pole wear.

regards

dazmond

[alanwilson]

Regards the slx poles - I spoke to a windy today who was using the new 25ft'er SLX - top section is very thin and a bit whippy, he didn't think much of it and preferred the older type like we have.

Any chance you can go back to supplying the older type Alex? as I would prefer it over the newer one.

(always someone isn't there?!)

[Alex Gardiner]

Regards the slx poles - I spoke to a windy today who was using the new 25ft'er SLX - top section is very thin and a bit whippy, he didn't think much of it and preferred the older type like we have.

Any chance you can go back to supplying the older type Alex? as I would prefer it over the newer one.

(always someone isn't there?!)

The reason we made the change was that we needed to standardise the top end of the whole pole range and up to May of last year the SLX25 still had a larger top section to match the original. For production purposes and ease of fitting I decided to bring the 25ft in-line with the rest of the range.

In actual back to back rigidity tests there is not a lot between the new 25ft and the original 25ft SLX with the bigger diameter top section. The new SLX25 is also about 15% lighter than the old one.

It is still possible to get a pole the same as the early 25ft. To do this you would need to buy a 30ft SLX and ask for a discount to have it without the top (No.1) section. Then you would need to buy and fit a Type2 quick release top clamp kit.

This would then give you an SLX25 with the same original specification that would also be fully compatible with the gooseneck range.

If enough of our clients wanted an original spec 25 we could make a limited edition run. In my opinion the extra weight saving and slimmer handle of the new one is worth the slight loss in rigidity. 

[Frankybadboy]

Ioinc poles dont jam, that's what puts me off Gardiner poles and getting black hands. I recently bumped into a windy who was using a SLX, i gave it a go and really liked it. But i whant a pole that doesn't jam, seem to get a quite few post on Gardiner poles jamming. Sorry just my opinion.

you just dont want to admit you love one in your hands.

[traps7]

Got my tape today. Wow, I think I much prefer it like that and hopefully no more painting. My first two sections are well worn because I didn't even have to spread the clamp, I just loosened it right off. The other sections I had to spread. Was easy though. I'll try it tomorrow, but it seems much better with a stop.
I might do my super max if all goes ok because it's got the coloured markers also. And I've over shot the sections at 40 odd feet before and as mentioned, it's not nice!

[CLEANCARE WC]

Got my tape today. Wow, I think I much prefer it like that and hopefully no more painting. My first two sections are well worn because I didn't even have to spread the clamp, I just loosened it right off. The other sections I had to spread. Was easy though. I'll try it tomorrow, but it seems much better with a stop.
I might do my super max if all goes ok because it's got the coloured markers also. And I've over shot the sections at 40 odd feet before and as mentioned, it's not nice!

I havent done mine yet. but i loved the inventive tape reel! off topic got a white extreme brush, went home at lunch so took it out for the afternoon...wow! well pleased with it.

[alanwilson]

Thanks Alex.

I have big hands so the original 25 base section was no problem for me.

I prefer the pole to be as rigid as possible, even at the expense of a little extra weight.

The only feasable way round this is to go carbon-kevlar, bit more expensive but thats a price I would pay.

[Alex Gardiner]

Thanks Alex.

I have big hands so the original 25 base section was no problem for me.

I prefer the pole to be as rigid as possible, even at the expense of a little extra weight.

The only feasible way round this is to go carbon-kevlar, bit more expensive but thats a price I would pay.

As outlined above if you really want a pole the same as the Mark1 then this can be done by buying an SL-X30 (asking for a discount to have the top section removed) and then paying for the quick release clamp to be fitted (Kit Type B).  This will give you exactly the same handle diameter and rigidity of the original but with improved clamps and joint stops.

The reason for not doing this pole as standard is not about cost, it is about standardizing the production process and the fittings of the pole across the range.  Personally I would not use Kevlar in the mix with carbon fibre due to it's humidity absorption capabilities.  Being used in an environment where there is constant water could lead to a break down in the composite material due to it's presence.  Also, whilst Kevlar would make the sections more bash resistant (the sections are more than tough enough as they are) it would not add much at all to rigidity or reduce weight.

[CLEANCARE WC]

I have stripped apart the sections of my 30 ft slx to clean it of grit etc because it was sticking a bit, and as mentioned in another thread, it turned out the end stop tape was chewed up..knackered.

So I have attempted to replace end stop tape but when i prise the clamp jaws open to reinsert pole section, the tape keeps getting chewed up its a nightmare! Its not easy doing this job on your own. Im thinking of marking the pole somehow, paint or nail varnish but i dont know whats safe to use so as not to break down the carbon fibre? Im forgetting the tape for now as at the minute I feel like breaking the pole across my knee!   although i couldnt do it  

All sorted now and used the fibre glass tape was so much easier today it was just bad technique prising the clamps apart.
replaced the hose and butt cap at the same time. its like brand new again.