I have vertical slatted blinds across two separate sets of patio doors; the
blinds were made to measure just over a year ago and seem to be of good
quality.

One of them has developed a fault in the mechanism which draws the slats
sideways (as opposed to the one which rotates them): though the slats move
very smoothly in one direction, in the other they are extremely difficult to
shift, to the point of sometimes jamming completely.

The online repair instructions I've found all suggest that the fault is with
the leading top block, the first one of the bits that slide along the rail.
But the videos are all so badly made and so poorly narrated that I'm having
trouble following them.

I have discovered that the block seems to have more rotational slackness
than the others: if when it gets stuck I move it gently on its vertical axis
I can often free the movement, even if only for a few inches.

This end block is also the only one which has a screw on one vertical face:
for tensioning, maybe? But adjusting it appears to make no difference.

I'm going to ring the supplier on Monday but wondered if anyone here had any
preliminary thoughts as to what might be wrong and how to fix it. If it is
that end block, can it simply be replaced?

Many thanks.

On 30/06/2018 21:18, Bert Coules wrote:
I have vertical slatted blinds across two separate sets of patio doors;
the blinds were made to measure just over a year ago and seem to be of
good quality.

One of them has developed a fault in the mechanism which draws the slats
sideways (as opposed to the one which rotates them): though the slats
move very smoothly in one direction, in the other they are extremely
difficult to shift, to the point of sometimes jamming completely.

The online repair instructions I've found all suggest that the fault is
with the leading top block, the first one of the bits that slide along
the rail. But the videos are all so badly made and so poorly narrated
that I'm having trouble following them.

I have discovered that the block seems to have more rotational slackness
than the others: if when it gets stuck I move it gently on its vertical
axis I can often free the movement, even if only for a few inches.

This end block is also the only one which has a screw on one vertical
face: for tensioning, maybe?Â* But adjusting it appears to make no
difference.

I'm going to ring the supplier on Monday but wondered if anyone here had
any preliminary thoughts as to what might be wrong and how to fix it.
If it is that end block, can it simply be replaced?

Many thanks.


I sprayed lubricant on a difficult curtain track. Worked a treat. I
can't remember what I used, but nothing oily. Possibly Teflon?

On 30/06/2018 22:06, GB wrote:

I sprayed lubricant on a difficult curtain track. Worked a treat. I
can't remember what I used, but nothing oily. Possibly Teflon?



Found it. Silicon Spray.

On 30/06/2018 22:16, GB wrote:
On 30/06/2018 22:06, GB wrote:

I sprayed lubricant on a difficult curtain track. Worked a treat. I
can't remember what I used, but nothing oily. Possibly Teflon?



Found it. Silicon Spray.


Sigh. Silicone.

This stuff can go very sticky after a time and needs to be cleaned off and
re applied.
Its normally dry heat that does this. I'm not an expert on vertical blinds,
but in this case the issue sounds more like either premature wear or poorly
fitting parts.
Brian

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"GB" wrote in message
news
On 30/06/2018 22:06, GB wrote:

I sprayed lubricant on a difficult curtain track. Worked a treat. I can't
remember what I used, but nothing oily. Possibly Teflon?



Found it. Silicon Spray.

GB wrote:

I sprayed lubricant on a difficult curtain track. Worked a treat.

Thanks for the thought but my impression is that this isn't a problem of
friction. But I shall try it.

On 30/06/2018 22:53, Bert Coules wrote:
GB wrote:

I sprayed lubricant on a difficult curtain track. Worked a treat.

Thanks for the thought but my impression is that this isn't a problem of
friction.Â*Â* But I shall try it.


I was going to suggest lubrication as well, but it sounds to me as
though you may have identified a genuine mechanical issue.

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On Sat, 30 Jun 2018 22:06:58 +0100, GB wrote:

I sprayed lubricant on a difficult curtain track. Worked a treat. I
can't remember what I used, but nothing oily. Possibly Teflon?

I find difficult tracks respond just to - well - being cleaned. Furniture
polish works, but not because it's slippery - other stuff works too.
Isopropyl alcohol works too!

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Bert Coules wrote

I have vertical slatted blinds across two separate sets of patio doors;
the blinds were made to measure just over a year ago and seem to be of
good quality.

So why aren't you making them fix it ?

One of them has developed a fault in the mechanism which draws the slats
sideways (as opposed to the one which rotates them): though the slats move
very smoothly in one direction, in the other they are extremely difficult
to shift, to the point of sometimes jamming completely.

The online repair instructions I've found all suggest that the fault is
with the leading top block, the first one of the bits that slide along the
rail. But the videos are all so badly made and so poorly narrated that I'm
having trouble following them.

I have discovered that the block seems to have more rotational slackness
than the others: if when it gets stuck I move it gently on its vertical
axis I can often free the movement, even if only for a few inches.

This end block is also the only one which has a screw on one vertical
face: for tensioning, maybe? But adjusting it appears to make no
difference.

I'm going to ring the supplier on Monday but wondered if anyone here had
any preliminary thoughts as to what might be wrong and how to fix it. If
it is that end block, can it simply be replaced?

Many thanks.

Rod Speed wrote:

So why aren't you making them fix it?

I didn't say I wasn't. I *did* say that I'll be speaking to them on Monday.

I think this is his intention but if its just an adjust mint then it might
be a simple fix.
The worry is without understanding the issue, they can fix it and another
year down the line off we go again.
Brian

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"Rod Speed" wrote in message
...
Bert Coules wrote

I have vertical slatted blinds across two separate sets of patio doors;
the blinds were made to measure just over a year ago and seem to be of
good quality.

So why aren't you making them fix it ?

One of them has developed a fault in the mechanism which draws the slats
sideways (as opposed to the one which rotates them): though the slats
move very smoothly in one direction, in the other they are extremely
difficult to shift, to the point of sometimes jamming completely.

The online repair instructions I've found all suggest that the fault is
with the leading top block, the first one of the bits that slide along
the rail. But the videos are all so badly made and so poorly narrated
that I'm having trouble following them.

I have discovered that the block seems to have more rotational slackness
than the others: if when it gets stuck I move it gently on its vertical
axis I can often free the movement, even if only for a few inches.

This end block is also the only one which has a screw on one vertical
face: for tensioning, maybe? But adjusting it appears to make no
difference.

I'm going to ring the supplier on Monday but wondered if anyone here had
any preliminary thoughts as to what might be wrong and how to fix it. If
it is that end block, can it simply be replaced?

Many thanks.

Brian Gaff wrote

I think this is his intention but if its just an adjust mint then it might
be a simple fix.

Yeah, certainly easier to do it yourself if say its just a
squirt of the appropriate lubricant or something and
that lasts for years like it has with the other poster.

The worry is without understanding the issue, they can fix it and another
year down the line off we go again.

But they might have just forgotten to spray that
one themselves given it works fine one way.

"Rod Speed" wrote in message
...
Bert Coules wrote

I have vertical slatted blinds across two separate sets of patio doors;
the blinds were made to measure just over a year ago and seem to be of
good quality.

So why aren't you making them fix it ?

One of them has developed a fault in the mechanism which draws the slats
sideways (as opposed to the one which rotates them): though the slats
move very smoothly in one direction, in the other they are extremely
difficult to shift, to the point of sometimes jamming completely.

The online repair instructions I've found all suggest that the fault is
with the leading top block, the first one of the bits that slide along
the rail. But the videos are all so badly made and so poorly narrated
that I'm having trouble following them.

I have discovered that the block seems to have more rotational slackness
than the others: if when it gets stuck I move it gently on its vertical
axis I can often free the movement, even if only for a few inches.

This end block is also the only one which has a screw on one vertical
face: for tensioning, maybe? But adjusting it appears to make no
difference.

I'm going to ring the supplier on Monday but wondered if anyone here had
any preliminary thoughts as to what might be wrong and how to fix it.
If it is that end block, can it simply be replaced?

Many thanks.

I'm pretty certain that it's not a lack-of-lubricant issue. The dead stop,
when it happens, is an abrupt halt, not an increasing-resistance petering
out of movement.

I'm not sure exactly how these blinds function but there's a curious runner,
unlike any of the others and not attached to a slat, which appears to be
playing a part in the problem. I just tried to upload a picture to my
website but discovered that my FTP program doesn't seem to be working any
more.

Bert Coules wrote

I'm pretty certain that it's not a lack-of-lubricant issue. The dead
stop, when it happens, is an abrupt halt, not an increasing-resistance
petering out of movement.

I'm not sure exactly how these blinds function but there's a curious
runner, unlike any of the others and not attached to a slat, which appears
to be playing a part in the problem.

Yeah, very likely. How does that compare with the other one that still works
fine ?

I just tried to upload a picture to my website but discovered that my FTP
program doesn't seem to be working any more.

Very easy to use dropbox on your phone instead.

Rod Speed wrote:

How does that compare with the other one that still works fine?

In appearance and slideability it seems to be identical. The only
difference I can see is that in the problematic blind this individual runner
always comes to rest (when the blinds are fully opened) in the exact centre
of the runner, whereas in the other it's very slightly off-centre.

Very easy to use dropbox on your phone instead.

I don't use a phone for the internet, but I do have a Dropbox account;
thanks for the thought. Here's the link:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mjmsadg2zl...unner.jpg?dl=0

But I'm not sure that the image is very informative.

"Bert Coules" wrote
Rod Speed wrote:

How does that compare with the other one that still works fine?

In appearance and slideability it seems to be identical. The only
difference I can see is that in the problematic blind this individual
runner always comes to rest (when the blinds are fully opened) in the
exact centre of the runner, whereas in the other it's very slightly
off-centre.

Very easy to use dropbox on your phone instead.

I don't use a phone for the internet,

But presumably do for the photos.

but I do have a Dropbox account; thanks for the thought. Here's the link:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mjmsadg2zl...unner.jpg?dl=0

But I'm not sure that the image is very informative.

Yeah, the description in your first para is more useful.

Rod Speed wrote:

But presumably do for the photos.

Ah, I see your point. Yes, and then I have to transfer the pics to my
desktop PC to take them any further.

I have to admit that the mechanism for these blinds has me stumped. And
that odd-one-out runner makes no sense to me at all.