[NWH]

I have the solution to stopping all this sticking and have used it on modular poles for a while now,if you go in halfords you can buy male velcro one sided sticking tape,it`s about 2.5 " wide.Put your pole together by that i mean all of it,wrap a strip of this tape on the top section where it meets the next 1,what happens is that the section can only butt against the velcro as it acts as an end stop.The reason it stops it sticking is because the velcro also has width to it which stops the section going in any further than you would want,the only trouble with this is you can`t store all the sections in one pole ie if you have say 8-9 sections you`d have to store them in 3 separate containers as the tape stops them going inside each other,apply superglue to the sticky side for extra stick and all your pole sticking problems will be gone for good.

[Paul Coleman]

Make sure that you twist the lower section clockwise when separating the joints (on all but the top joint) as they have been designed with a spiral weave which will unwind when twisted in correct direction.

In standard use these joints will not need a tape stop. For prolonged heavy duty use then it may be of use.

Thanks for the reply Alex (and everyone else).  I will grab some gloves for this then.  I was wondering how you define "lower" section.  Would this be lower as in "lower numbered" section or lower as in "the section closer to the ground when the pole is standing up".  I'll assume it means lower number though I will check the weave visually to see if that holds a clue.  I will probably have gone out to work before there is a response to this.  Tell you what though, it's a great pole to get up to those very high, difficult windows.

[frames to panes]

Pair of Marigolds should do it. I took it that the lower sections meant the fatter one closer too the ground when i did it.

[Paul Coleman]

Make sure that you twist the lower section clockwise when separating the joints (on all but the top joint) as they have been designed with a spiral weave which will unwind when twisted in correct direction.

In standard use these joints will not need a tape stop. For prolonged heavy duty use then it may be of use.

Thanks for the reply Alex (and everyone else).  I will grab some gloves for this then.  I was wondering how you define "lower" section.  Would this be lower as in "lower numbered" section or lower as in "the section closer to the ground when the pole is standing up".  I'll assume it means lower number though I will check the weave visually to see if that holds a clue.  I will probably have gone out to work before there is a response to this.  Tell you what though, it's a great pole to get up to those very high, difficult windows.

Replying to my own question here but having given it some thought, clockwise is clockwise whichever way I look at it LOL if you think about it a bit.
That may be part of the problem because when thinking about how I gripped the pole yesterday, it is more natural for me to turn it anti-clockwise.

[Paul Coleman]

Pair of Marigolds should do it. I took it that the lower sections meant the fatter one closer too the ground when i did it.

LOL.  Never thought there could be more than one definition of "lower"   
However, if you grip and turn clockwise, it would still be clockwise whichever end you work from because the pole would be turned around if you worked from the other end anyway.

[Jeff Brimble]

Unless you turn it upside down.

[Alex Gardiner]

Make sure that you twist the lower section clockwise when separating the joints (on all but the top joint) as they have been designed with a spiral weave which will unwind when twisted in correct direction.

In standard use these joints will not need a tape stop. For prolonged heavy duty use then it may be of use.

Thanks for the reply Alex (and everyone else).  I will grab some gloves for this then.  I was wondering how you define "lower" section.  Would this be lower as in "lower numbered" section or lower as in "the section closer to the ground when the pole is standing up".  I'll assume it means lower number though I will check the weave visually to see if that holds a clue.  I will probably have gone out to work before there is a response to this.  Tell you what though, it's a great pole to get up to those very high, difficult windows.

The lower section means the one nearest the ground.

[Pj]

following this kind of topic isn't making it any easier for me to commit to buying a modular pole you know!  The effort it is saving you seems to be getting somewhat lost in trying to get the thing together and apart again!

On the other hand  I may have to get one so that I can follow exactly what on earth you're on about

[Captain Scarlet]

the negatives far outweight the bad points, Luke

[Dean Aspects]

the negatives far outweight the bad points, Luke

Should that read the POSITIVES far outweigh the bad points 

Dean

[frames to panes]

 
Unfortunately nothing in life is perfect, but the Superlight pole is heading in the right direction.

[Paul Coleman]

Well I could see from the weave and by feeling how much easier it felt by turning t clockwise.  Unfortunately, my numbers 3 and 4 sections are still welded together in spite of the best efforts of two burly guys.  I tried the hot water treatment to, to no avail.  At least I managed to get the thing home anyway.  I wedged it onto the roof bars under the brackets that used to sport a pole holder and strapping it tight to the adjacent ladder.
I don't think I've helped my cause much by my previous efforts as it is more natural for me to turn it anti-clockwise.  I'm not sure but wonder if this is due to my left handedness.
This has caused me to wonder why natural stops weren't included in the mould for the pole sections - or are they just not made that way?
It's starting to look like I will need to buy a few intermediate sections for the S2.  Now that I know a bit more about the pole's quirks, I will be able to work around them better.  Looks like when I'm on a very big job and need to work a bit vigorously on the first clean, it would probably be an idea to disassemble the pole once in a while at natural breaks in the work.  It's no hardship but I do wish I had been aware of this from the start.
Just for good measure, I used my telescopic fibre glass pole on a part of the job (the bit where I needed something between 10 and 20ft ), and I ended up with the pole hose splitting and soaking me LOL.
In spite of my best efforts, I actually managed to finish the job.  Probably my best ever paying weekend, even allowing for needing some pole sections.  To put things in perspective, there were windows on that job that I don't think could have been done without a high, very lightweight pole so, in spite of the hassle, it's earned its money.

[Kev R]

I was considering getting a super light pole but I have heard this problem mentioned a few times now. As I work on my own two men with rubber gloves etc is not my idea of fun.  

Surely working vertically at height will compress the pole, sticking tape to it would really annoy me especially after spending my hard earned cash. Should the manufactures do something about this problem instead of suggesting tape!

If somebody suggested sticking tape to a new car you just bought to correct a problem, would you all be so accommodating then?

Would a screw fit be better like the Unger modular pole?

[frames to panes]

Tape is dead easy you only need to do it once in a while. Mine jammed within ten minutes of use - probably because i picked the sections up from wet grass. No doubt about it it is still a problem with modulars unfortunately.

[Wayne Thomas]

Thank goodness there's a telescopic version out soon. I have a supalite pole but only use it for the MOST AWKWARD of windows, (which is once every couple of months for a few minutes, if I really have to as a last resort), because it's an awkward pole to work with, no offence to anyone who uses one.
It's my opinion and I'll stick with telescopics regardless of how much praise other users give this pole.
This pole is light with the lightest of brush heads, but, if you wish to put an alternative brush on, then the pole is awkward to work with because it's top heavy. The USP of this pole relies on using the lightest of  brushes available, otherwise it's just another run of the mill pole except that it's awkward being modular and too time consuming.

[TennetClean]

Spray? WD40? Marigolds? sections "welding" together?

I wont be buying one anytime soon.  Its obviously not fit for the purpose.

[Jeff Brimble]

Wayne, polite question,  have you tried working any current telescopic 60ft pole other than the modular S2 ?
One day soon there may  be a 6.5oz brush.

Quote. "This has caused me to wonder why natural stops weren't included in the mould for the pole sections - or are they just not made that way? By Shiner.

If you think it through, its a natural thought but if you do fit a permanent stop or screw on the pole then as the pole wears it will become loose and spin -  say after 2 years. The fixed stop cannot be moved, so you need another pole. But tape can be removed and used lower down.

Kev,
Rolls Royce apart, do you put accessories in a new car. The tape is a neccessary accessory much like a tom tom if you drive a lot, if not you dont need one.

[Jeff Brimble]

Hi Tennet, eventually you may change your mind, whats the max  height you currently need to work at ?

[Paul Coleman]

Spray? WD40? Marigolds? sections "welding" together?

I wont be buying one anytime soon.  Its obviously not fit for the purpose.

Funnily enough, in spite of the problems I've been having, I do actually like using the Superlite 2 - but only on certain types of job.  Now that I've discovered a few dos and donts the hard way, I feel that using it in the future will be a lot easier.  Naturally I would prefer that it was telescopic but I don't think there is a telescopic pole around of that height that is so light.  It sounds like the SL-X will cover that up to 30ft (if telescopic extension piece is included) but I would have preferred one that goes rather higher as that would save the need to go modular at all.  On the job I've been doing this weekend, I needed to use a 40ft pole length for some bits and most of the top floor needed a 35ft length.  The SL2 coped admirably with it without my body going through too much strain even though some of the high work was at a tricky angle.  The bits where I missed having a long telescopic pole were when I had to break the pole down to get under some telephone wires and trees.
I'm starting to regret this thread in case it sounds like I'm being overly critical of the S2.  A pole like this was made for the work I've been doing this weekend.  If I had used a heavier pole, it would probably have meant returning next weekend to complete the job and would have been more strain on my body.

[Kev R]

Kev,
Rolls Royce apart, do you put accessories in a new car. The tape is a neccessary accessory much like a tom tom if you drive a lot, if not you dont need one.

Im not sure tape should be considered  an accessory in this case Jeff.

I have been cleaning windows with water fed poles for some time. The majority of my work is commercial. I have several jobs that I use a 60 ft carbon X-Tel pole for. There is no doubt it is heavier than a fishing rod, However by applying common sense and good working practices I clean all sorts of buildings with no strain or difficulty at this height. It does not take longer if you clean in manageable sections. It is also hard wearing. I have to say having a lighter pole would be a good thing but having used modular poles in the past I dont think this is the way forward. They are hard in use and fragile and they stick together.  Just by applying common sense it is obvious a push fit joint will compress under pressure. 

I look forward to the arrival of the new super light telescopic pole but thankfully due to forums such as this one I will have several good or bad reviews to go on before I chose to spend my cash or not.