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Sagging takeup/payout poles
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Joined: Aug. 26, 2008
Posted: Oct. 20, 2007, 3:01 PM
Hi all,
I had the problem of sagging aluminum poles (especially toward the center) with my HQ pro aluminum poles when I rolled and tightened my top and backing. My husband came up with replacement poles that eliminates that sagging amd makes everything much sturdier and I thought I would share.

Buy four 10 ft long 1" diameter electrical conduit pipes and one 10 ft long 3/4" diameter electrical conduit pipe. You'll also need some steel screws and four 2" long cotter's pins.

Cut the 3/4" pipe into four equal sections (Lowes or Hemo Depot will do this for you if you don't have a steel saw blade - DH did it himself because he has all the tools).

Hammer one piece of the 3/4" pipe into one end of the 1" pipe - leaving about 12" or so of the 3/4" pipe sticking out at the end.

You'll then need to secure the two pipes together so that the 3/4" pipe doesn't move inside the 1" pipe when quilting. Drill a hole about 3" in from the end of the 1" pipe (making sure you drill deep enough to get through the 3/4" pipe) and screw in a locking screw through the hole - this will secure the two pipes together. Cover the screw by wrapping around the pipe over the screw with electrical tape so the screw doesn't become an issue when quilting. Also, cover the 1" pipe's threads and where the joined pipes come together with electrical tape.

Now it's just a matter of drilling two holes toward the end of the 3/4" pipe in order to attach the plastic locking gear and cotter's pin. On the idle pole, you don't need to drill a hole for the locking gear, you just need one hole for the cotter's pin. You'll need to drill the hole all the way through the 3/4" pipe in order to insert the cotter's pin. You can look at the handiquilters poles for placement of where to drill the holes.

After drilling the holes, remove the plastic locking gears from the HQ poles and screw to the 3/4" pipe where you drilled the hole for it. Now insert the 2" cotter's pin through the hole you drilled for it. Do NOT use the locking pins that came on the HQ aluminum poles - they are not long enough and the pipe may slip out - use the 2" cotter's pins!

Ta-dah, you're done!
Cyndee