UKH

Hi

Elastic through one of the poles on my family tent is kapput. Any tips on rethreading it? Thin cord with a coat hanger first then pull some shockcord through? 3mm? It has 8 or 10 sections so will be quite a ball ache... thanks

In reply to iksander:

Use gravity and drop in a safety pin on thread to pull new cord through?

In reply to iksander:
I've done this loads of times and you'll find the shock cord can be pushed through the poles with a sligt twist as you go.

Use the existing elastic as a guide for length.

1) Thread through first pole and tie off one end of the elastic to sop it pulling through..

2)Thread through remaining poles one at a time until the length of elastic is too short to go through the remaining poles without stretching.

3) Pull elastic tight and clove hitch the tensioned elastic onto something like a pencil. This should allow you to push the un-tensioned elastic through the next pole length. You can also push a big safety pin through the elastic to stop it retracting.

4) Holding on to the elastic slide the clove hitch off the pencil.


Repeat 3) and 4) until everything is threaded and then tie a knot in the elastic to stop it retracting.

It should be no more than a 10minute job.

Gavin

In reply to Gavin:


Thats what I thought.

All good tips but I would add

Neatest knot to tie repair together is a single fishermans but make sure it does not catch on the narrowest part of the pole section. Once tightened it is not easy to untie. More a problem with narrower light weight alloy poles.

See if the shock cord is tied into a removable end piece on the pole, this is often just lightly glued in. You can then replace all the cord.

Keep any poles off old tents, always come in for repairs.

In reply to iksander:

if it refuses to thread through you can use a long piece of bent wire, old coathanger or thinner as a threader, what the man in the vango factory used when he did mine.

In reply to Brownie:


The pole kits I've bought have come supplied with a piece of long, thin, stiff wire...

In reply to captain paranoia:

The only thing I could get through the fiberglass type pole was heavy sea fishing nylon line. The last time I went sea fishing with it was more than 30 years ago, but I'm guessing it was 30lb breaking strain line.

It works quite as you can tie the shock cord onto the end of it and it is easy to push through the pole.

In reply to iksander:

Some very positive comments but success depends on the type of pole (metal or composite) and size of the hole (big or small) through the pole.

Of which most have covered the metal and large pole section.

If the pole has a small diameter and the elastic is very tight, you'll need a needle, and the strongest yarn that fits through the needle and pole.

Heat seal the elastic end, larks foot and sew the sew a section of yarn that is longer than the pole to the elastic as near to the end of the elastic as possible so it pulls straight.

Use the needle as weight and gravity to draw it through the pole, once at the other end, turn and slowing draw the yarn/elastic through the pole. Keep cordage and pole in line so as not to damage the pole end or abrade the yarn as it will snap (later) if you do, a steady firm pull will see it through...and repeat

Happy camping

In reply to iksander:

If you still have the old elastic inside the pole, could you attach the new bit to the end of that and pull it through.

In reply to iksander:

When i bought some part to repair a pole it came with a piece of wire to feed through attached to the elastic and strong enough to pull it through

this link is for example only

http://www.amazon.co.uk/GELERT-SHOCK-ELASTIC-BUNGEE-REPAIR/dp/B0046ZAL04

In reply to iksander:

Try what anglers call a diamond eye threader - http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/pole-diamond-threader-p182152 - it's used to thread elastic through a fishing pole so it should be ideal.