OT Telescopic tube in pruners, lopers, etc.
 

How do the tubes lock together (and unlock easily) in telescopic lopers,
pruners, etc.
e.g. http://www.lidl.co.uk/gb/home.nsf/pa...escopic_Lopper

"PR" wrote in message
...
How do the tubes lock together (and unlock easily) in telescopic lopers,
pruners, etc.
e.g. http://www.lidl.co.uk/gb/home.nsf/pa...escopic_Lopper

They all work just about the same, except for the locking element itself.

In almost all of them, the larger tube is split for a distance - about two
diameters - into two, three, or four 'tangs'.

Some are then locked by screwing down a collet over the tangs which
compresses them all together tightly around the smaller tube.

Some are locked by a cam-actuated sleeve around the tangs which shrinks in
diameter, and pulls the tangs in tightly to the smaller tube.

Camera tripod legs lock in the same manner.

LLoyd

PR wrote:

How do the tubes lock together (and unlock easily) in telescopic lopers,
pruners, etc.
e.g. http://www.lidl.co.uk/gb/home.nsf/pa...escopic_Lopper




Sometimes not well enough...

A couple of years ago I couldn't resist buying one of those little
Remington electric chain saws on a telescoping pole so I could play Paul
Bunyan in the back yard and trim some overhanging tree branches.

The #$@&X$% telescoping lock just wouldn't hold, even when I tightened
the collet with Channelocks. (Something the instructions said NOT to do.)

The upper pole kept twisting relative to the lower one, because the saw
blade at the top was off center and exerted a torque when pulled down
against a limb in use. That and the vibration from the saw made the
joint twist. Since the lower pole had a pistol grip handle with the
saw's trigger switch on it, I couldn't just move my hands around the
pole and ended up with my wrist and forearm coiled up well before I got
through anything but the skinny branches. Then I had to lower the damn
thing and readjust the handles.

I got so mad at it I returned it to Home Cheepo the next day and took
Don Foreman's advice about getting a high limb rope saw:

http://www.right-tool.com/right-tool/higlimhancha.html

It's really sort of fun to use, you just have to remember not to get so
entranced by what you're doing that you forget to dash away when the
limb falls off. G

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"Truth exists; only falsehood has to be invented."

I use a swimming pool pole for the branch trimmer. It isn't perfect but
the tubes lock or unlock with a twist and have never jammed.

A bargain store near here is selling extension poles for painting with
a fiberglass lower section and aluminum inner/upper tube that lock with
a button-operated pin.

jw

Jeff Wisnia wrote:
[...]
I got so mad at it I returned it to Home Cheepo the next day and took
Don Foreman's advice about getting a high limb rope saw:

http://www.right-tool.com/right-tool/higlimhancha.html

It's really sort of fun to use, you just have to remember not to get so
entranced by what you're doing that you forget to dash away when the
limb falls off. G

Jeff

Ok, but how does the cutting side of the chain always end up against
the branch?

Dave wrote:

Jeff Wisnia wrote:

[...]
I got so mad at it I returned it to Home Cheepo the next day and took
Don Foreman's advice about getting a high limb rope saw:

http://www.right-tool.com/right-tool/higlimhancha.html

It's really sort of fun to use, you just have to remember not to get so
entranced by what you're doing that you forget to dash away when the
limb falls off. G

Jeff


Ok, but how does the cutting side of the chain always end up against
the branch?


If you look at the photo in the link I posted you'll see a skinny black
rectangle emanating from where that upper rope joins the chain. That's a
strip of steel loosely riveted to the last link of chain, with stops
that force it to stay on the "tooth side" of the chain only.

Gravity does the rest.

Trust me it works.

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"Truth exists; only falsehood has to be invented."

In article .com,
"Dave" wrote:

Jeff Wisnia wrote:
[...]
I got so mad at it I returned it to Home Cheepo the next day and took
Don Foreman's advice about getting a high limb rope saw:

http://www.right-tool.com/right-tool/higlimhancha.html

It's really sort of fun to use, you just have to remember not to get so
entranced by what you're doing that you forget to dash away when the
limb falls off. G

Jeff

Ok, but how does the cutting side of the chain always end up against
the branch?


If the makers were smart they would use chain with teeth on BOTH sides
;)

--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

On 1 Sep 2005 19:28:15 -0700, the blithe spirit "Dave"
clearly indicated:

Jeff Wisnia wrote:
[...]
I got so mad at it I returned it to Home Cheepo the next day and took
Don Foreman's advice about getting a high limb rope saw:

http://www.right-tool.com/right-tool/higlimhancha.html

It's really sort of fun to use, you just have to remember not to get so
entranced by what you're doing that you forget to dash away when the
limb falls off. G

Jeff

Ok, but how does the cutting side of the chain always end up against
the branch?

Teeth are put on the OUTside of the chain, runners on the inside,
Dave. /smartass comment (IOW, it cuts from the top or bottom.)


..-.
Life is short. Eat dessert first!
---
http://diversify.com Comprehensive Website Development

Nick Hull wrote:

In article .com,
"Dave" wrote:


Jeff Wisnia wrote:

[...]
I got so mad at it I returned it to Home Cheepo the next day and took
Don Foreman's advice about getting a high limb rope saw:

http://www.right-tool.com/right-tool/higlimhancha.html

It's really sort of fun to use, you just have to remember not to get so
entranced by what you're doing that you forget to dash away when the
limb falls off. G

Jeff

Ok, but how does the cutting side of the chain always end up against
the branch?



If the makers were smart they would use chain with teeth on BOTH sides
;)



It looks to me that they use off the shelf saw chain teeth and links,
but the chain is assembled with alternate cutting teeth facing in
opposite directions. That way it cuts on both rope pulls.

That little gravity strip thing is probably cheaper than the extra parts
needed to assemble a chain with teeth on both sides.

Jeff (Who didn't really think you were being serious....)

--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"Truth exists; only falsehood has to be invented."

On Thu, 1 Sep 2005 19:06:00 +0100, "PR"
wrote:

How do the tubes lock together (and unlock easily) in telescopic lopers,
pruners, etc.
e.g. http://www.lidl.co.uk/gb/home.nsf/pa...escopic_Lopper


The swimming pool poles that I like have an eccentric at the end of
the smaller tube. With enough of a twist they hold pretty well,
probably wouldn't hold with a vibrating chain saw though.