Whisker Pole, Act One: The Makening.

Yesterday we discussed the cast of characters, main characters. I didn't mention the nuts and bolts I found laying around the garage, but they do play a role.

So, step one: Cut off the ends of the extension pole.
Both the handle and the threaded fixture will be replaced by the snap hooks, so we just cut off the factory supplied ends. I ended up having to use my jig saw for this. Far from ideal, but I'd recently "organized" the garage, making appropriate tools such as a screw down pipe cutter or hack saw. I didn't take exact note of the dates, but I imagine it took less than a week for me to find both of those tools after the whisker pole was complete.

or·ga·nize

verb \ˈȯr-gə-ˌnīz\

: to arrange and plan (an event or activity)
: to arrange or order things so that they can be found or used easily and quickly : to put things into a particular arrangement or order

: to gather (people) into a group that will work on something together

The garage was "organized" in that the pipe cutter was between a cricket bat and a shotgun and the hack saw was under a car seat for an infant. We don't have children. You tell me how that got there and I'll tell you about how the history of post-industrial America can be summed up in a single painting by Norman Rockwell, Breaking Home Ties.

Well, the seal is broken now. We're on the road less traveled so, continuing down that path, we'll discuss the wrong turn.

Pic 2

Pic 1

I was hoping I could just position the snap hook within the hollow of the pole, pour epoxy in from a hole I drilled closer to the middle of the pole and, Robert's your mother's brother, whisker pole. Nyet. Several problems ensued. First, no amount of masking tape kept the epoxy from dripping into the spring action of the snap hook rendering the snap, and therefore, hook, worthless. re: pic 1. Second, there was not nearly adequate holding power to keep the hook embedded, re: pic 2.

Pic 3

Step two: Drill a hole fully through the pole about an inch from the ends. Through this hole will pass whatever bolt you can find. The bolt is load bearing in that it will keep the snap hook from being pulled out of, or pushed into the pole under loads. Pic 3. You want this hole to be as close to center line of the long axis, and perpendicular to the long axis of the pole as possible. I found that if I grab my bench top drill press and use it as a kind of saw horse while hand drilling I get it pretty straight.

Pic 4

Step three: Cram something lightweight that you don't need into the pole so that it fills up the pole cavity just below the hole. I used paper towels but you could use pages from Catcher in the Rye or your god awful ex-wife's wedding dress. Can you believe that frigid harpy once fit in that thing? This stuff will allow us to control the depth of the epoxy we will pour into the pole in step 5. Pic 4.

Pic 5

Step four: Insert the new snap hook you had to buy when you ruined the first one during the wrong turn described above. Also insert a bolt you find laying around through the pole hole, snap hook eye and back out the other side of the pole. Hang all this jazz from the garage door track. Re: pic 5. The screw sticking out of the top of this assembly is an attempt to keep the snap hook in the column of the pole while the epoxy is curing.

Step five: Cover everything you don't want covered in epoxy with something. Wax paper, masking tape and paper towels. See step three for other options, re: pic 6. Then start pouring epoxy into the top, re: pic 7. Remember the epoxy is really just a bushing, or shim. It's acting to keep the snap hook centered in the pole, but the bole through the snap hook eye is really holding it in place.

Pic 7

Pic 6

 Step 6: Wait for it to cure then repeat at the other end of the pole. Then either add a nut to the bolt or cut it off. If you decided to cut it off and can't find your hack saw, check under the baby's car seat.

 

Tomorrow, finishing touches.