cavelamb wrote:

You know those magic telescoping poles that can lock?

Useful for boat poles, spinnaker and jib poles, or changing light bulbs.

Anybody have a clue how these things work?

Um, with a clamping mechanism to lock the sections in position?

There are at least four completely different mechanisms in common use.

- Spring loaded locking pins
- Eccentric cams
- Screw down collet
- Lever / knob tightened clamps