A and B sections locked together

Rubi started this discussion · 1/26/2010

I think I've tried most every suggestion for getting the two largest sections of my XPole to come apart. The other sections come apart really easy, even with the plain old chopstick tools. I'm hoping you guys can give me some more help. What I've tried: 1. With the pole still upright, I used the regular chopsticks; one person pushing one, the other person pulling the other chopstick in the other direction. Almost bent the sticks. 2. Tried to execute the "shock" method with my assistant. It did nothing. 3. Purchased the sturdier c-shaped release tools from XPole US and waited for them to arrive. Tried the same thing as above with the new tools. Not even close. Tried a little shock method, but to no avail. 3. Frozen peas. Didn't make a difference. What I HAVEN'T tried: 1. Anything involving taking the pole all the way down and prying it apart from on the floor. I see almost every topic on this situation recommends that someone put the pole back upright and that makes it easier to get locked sections apart, so this is why I haven't bothered to take it down yet. My questions: 1. Can the shock method be executed while the pole is upright? Or is this a floor-only procedure? 2. I've heard of a couple different recommendations on how the shock method is executed, so I want to be sure I'm doing it right. With the pole upright, I have what I will call ReleaseTool1 in the hole in the top pole section (is this A or B? I'm calling it B for now, just because I don't know). I have the identical ReleaseTool2 in the hole in pole section A (lower of the long poles) with a happy helper holding ReleaseTool2 in place so the pole wont unscrew in the wrong section. With a hammer-like object, I give a good solid bang to ReleaseTool1 in the direction I want it to unscrew section B. When I do it, I hit ReleaseTool1 near the tip that is farthest away from the pole, if that matters. And then my buddy and I quickly and sharply try to push the poles in opposite directions so they'll unscrew from each other. But it never budges. Am I doing it incorrectly? Is there a better method? My mechanical knowledge is somewhat low, so please suggest anything, even if it seems like something obvious. 3. Are there any other tips/suggestions to help get sections A and B unscrewed from each other? I've heard someone mention applying heat to one end, and frozen peas to the other. Is this worthwhile? If so, which section should I apply cold to and which should I apply heat to? I've tried just freezing the whole area where the stuck sections connect, but that didn't seem to do the trick. Thanks in advance, everyone. ☀️

15 replies

Foxy_Rei · 1/26/2010
Oh boy... um, well may as well try taking the pole down and trying it with the pole on the floor (I got the impression you did all this with the pole still standing) and it seems to be the only thing you haven't tried yet! You sound like you have the right idea with the shock method, it's just you did it with the pole up - I've only ever heard instructions with it on the floor. Also, with the pole on the floor, you can lay one of the release rods (the chopstick ones) on a book to help give you better leverage, then give the other one a whack. Veena's mantra with the shock method is that it's the shock - not the force - of the strike that releases it. I haven't heard the cold peas trick... but then again I've been out of the pole loop for a while. If I have this right, cold has a shrinking effect while heat has an expanding effect, right? If so, then with the temperature trick you could try getting the pole with the male end cold and heating up the pole with the female end. (the top piece has the male end, I think if I remember correctly...) That way it's making the inserted end smaller and the other one bigger, theoretically... I'm no expert, although I do seem to give very long answers to questions like these... maybe Veena would know of another trick. We need a Veena call, like how Batman had that spotlight to call him when there was trouble. 😂
Rubi · 1/27/2010
Thanks, Foxy! I'm going to try to hot and cold tomorrow when my happy helper is feeling up to pushing/pulling this pole again. If that doesn't work I'm going to take it to the floor and try to wrestle it apart that way. Has anyone else ever had their pole stuck this badly before? I've only had it up since Christmas. It figures this would happen to me. 💣
Bellz · 1/27/2010
My pole has been stuck together since I got it- approximately a year ago. I don't even try anymore. I just lug the entire thing into the other room when I move it- being careful not to swing it around and break things. You're not the only one!!!
knutschfleck · 1/27/2010
Hi! I have had the same problem as you, my A and B sections of my pole have been stuck together for almost 10 months. I was already starting to get worried they would never come apart again. 😕 I tried everything, searched the internet, looked at forums for tips, tried everything I could think of and what people recommended but they still wouldn't come apart. By the way, I am using two extensions, and I never had a problem getting those apart, only the A and B sections were stuck like glue. Well, a few weeks ago a friend of mine had a great idea, one I've never heard of on the internet and one I defintely wouldn't have thought of on my own, but it worked like a charm! Here is what she did: We took the pole down, removed the upper dome, base and extensions and put the super release tools in the holes, one on each side. Then we turned the pole so it was no longer the pole resting on the floor with the tools up but it was the tools on the floor (at an angle) and the pole up in the air. After that my friend got on the floor and used both hands to push down really hard on the pole, right in the middle. The trick is, the tools can't go down into the floor, so they have no other way to go than out to each side and by doing that they unscrew both pole sections. I am not saying this is the most gentle way to get those A and B sections apart, but my pole was stuck so bad I figured it was the only way (for me) to get them apart! Next time I take my pole down I am still going to try one of the more gentle ways first again, but if none of these work you have to do what you have to do, right? A few tips for this method: If you have no carpet on your floor (like me), I absolutely recommend you use an old blanket or towel to protect your floor! Otherwise, when you push down on the pole, the super release tools can scratch up your floor when they go out to the side. Also, I would suggest you use only the super release tools, as the rods that are supplied with the X-Pole can bend very easily! I hope this helps and I hope you understood what I tried to explain here 🙂 I tried my best, but I am not a native English speaker (I'm from Germany) so if you don't understand some part of my explanation just ask ok 😉
Rubi · 1/27/2010
My pole has been stuck together since I got it- approximately a year ago. I don't even try anymore. I just lug the entire thing into the other room when I move it- being careful not to swing it around and break things. You're not the only one!!! You poor thing! I feel your pain. lol
Rubi · 1/27/2010
knutschfleck, that is brilliant! 💡 If the usual methods don't work tomorrow when I work on my pole again, I am going to try this! Thanks for the tip about blankets, too. I'd hate to think what those tools would do to my tile floor. 😨 I've never heard anyone suggest that before so I'm really excited that there's still hope for my pole! 🥂
MilienElayne · 1/27/2010
I've taken my X-pole apart once. A and B were stuck and the extension was (and still is) stuck to the base. For A and B I tried with the x-pole manual floor method: with books for leverage and making very sure I was turning the right way and had all the right angles etc. by obsessively matching the book diagram every time I readjusted stuff, and when that didn't work I went to the x-pole website and saw what they suggested... I lined everything up and made sure everything was flat and tight using my legs and books and the diagram (it's pretty easy to get it wrong, I found)...then I went absolutely NUTS with a hammer to smash at the chopsticky release tools until something gave and I could easily turn them by hand. Very soothing that...smashing pole tools with a hammer after wrestling on the floor unsuccessfully for two days being gentle. Not sure my neighbours appreciated the twang twang *cuss* TWANG TWANG *cheer* at 10pm, but I was quiet afterwards for two weeks not being there. Banged up my release rod something wonderful, but the pole is still perfect. Well made! For the extension and the base, I have no hope because there are no good points for leverage except the hex screw bits, and I don't want to break those. But I don't care because I only had to get it apart enough to fit in the car, which it now does. Do you need it to come apart? Anyone seen one of the new ones with the x-joint?
Rubi · 1/27/2010
I'll have to look for that diagram; I bet I'll do it wrong without it. 😂 Like you, I was hoping to get my pole to fit in my car. My friend wants us to play on it together up at her house. And of course, it's the giant sections that won't come apart. Story of my life. I'll bet those new X Joints are easier to manage. I wonder. Maybe someday I'll get one, but my pole is still rather new so I'm going to stick with it for a good while. By the way, I can do the shocking all by myself, right? My assistant is busy today and I really really want to get this apart. 🤸
Foxy_Rei · 1/27/2010
We took the pole down, removed the upper dome, base and extensions and put the super release tools in the holes, one on each side. Then we turned the pole so it was no longer the pole resting on the floor with the tools up but it was the tools on the floor (at an angle) and the pole up in the air. After that my friend got on the floor and used both hands to push down really hard on the pole, right in the middle. The trick is, the tools can't go down into the floor, so they have no other way to go than out to each side and by doing that they unscrew both pole sections Wouldn't this only work if the tools happen to be just at the right angles? 🤔 When I stick the tools in they are running in the same direction - parallel to each other - because the holes in my pole line up perfectly with each other when it's up. And even if they didn't the tools would have to be just right, otherwise you would end up tightening them instead of loosening them. I think you were very very lucky, Knutschfleck, that worked. Rubi, you could try that, but it might not work. You could also wait for a climate change (I have no idea where you're from) and try it again, too. I've found my pole is a pain to take apart in cold whether...
knutschfleck · 1/27/2010
@ Foxy_Rei I think you are absolutely right; this method is definitely not the best way to get those pole sections apart, but it worked once for me so far. The angles have to be right though, the tools have to be pointing in opposite directions, one on each side. When I put up my pole, the angles of the holes are always like that though, I have never had my tools being parallel to each other or the holes line up perfectly with each other, they are always slightly off. 🤔 I don't know if I am doing anything wrong here when I put my pole up. I was wondering about the tightening part too... I have no idea if the pole sections only came apart because of the right angle of the tools. Like I said, it was not my idea, when my friend came over I asked her for help, I actually wanted to try the shock method with her but while I was still trying to explain how that worked she had already put those super release tools in the holes and pushed the pole down on the floor and it came apart. It all happened so fast and it made a loud popping noise when it came apart so at first I was actually scared she might have broken something but the pole was fine. It is definitely not the best way to take the pole apart, and maybe it was just luck, I don't know, we have only done this once. I hope next time one of the normal methods will work so I don't have to do this again. 😕 The only reason I have mentioned this here was because I seemed to me like I had the exact same problem as Rubi and maybe it would help her. When I got my pole I was so excited to put it up I didn't clean the screw threads or anything which I think got my pole sections stuck together so badly. When they came apart I cleaned them and used some WD40 and also now I want to take my pole apart at least once a month like Veena suggests and then I hope I will have no more problem taking my pole apart in the future 🙂
Foxy_Rei · 1/27/2010
@ knutschfleck - Oh it's ok, I wasn't trying to be mean, I just wanted Rubi to understand that the poles had to be just so for your method to work. I wasn't trying to discredit you, I swear! 😳 And no, I don't think you're doing anything wrong with your pole if the holes don't line up. I'm sure all the pieces are made slightly different. I also use an extension piece for my bottom pole because I have super short ceilings and needed the pole to be shorter than the standard kit, so that might be part of it.
knutschfleck · 1/28/2010
@ Foxy_Rei It's no problem, I wasn't offended or anything 😉 I completely understand why you pointed these things out 🌸 @ Rubi Have you had any luck getting your pole pieces apart yet? If there is any trick or method that worked for you please let me know ok. Never know, it might come in handy when I have to take my pole down again in a few weeks 😕 (it's not up right now since I am staying at my parents house for a while but I can't wait to put it back up and get started on the pole again 👍 )
Rubi · 1/28/2010
@ Foxy_Rei It's no problem, I wasn't offended or anything 😉 I completely understand why you pointed these things out 🌸 @ Rubi Have you had any luck getting your pole pieces apart yet? If there is any trick or method that worked for you please let me know ok. Never know, it might come in handy when I have to take my pole down again in a few weeks 😕 (it's not up right now since I am staying at my parents house for a while but I can't wait to put it back up and get started on the pole again 👍 ) Thanks for checking in. I didn't get to work on my pole today (boo!) but I might try tomorrow. If not, I will have all day Friday to work on it. I don't know how my pole holes line up so I don't know whether or not my pole is like yours or more like Foxy's. We'll have to see. Regardless, I hope I get it apart one way or another. I'll keep in touch. 🌸
Pheonmenon · 1/29/2010
same here. i had my A & B poles stuck together for quite some time and tried everything...frozen peas, shock method, pole up, pole down on the floor, etc. finally was only able to get them apart when i recruited 2 huge football player friends to come over and help out. with the pole standing up and using the c-shaped release tools, they were only able to get them apart after almost 20 minutes of trying and with BRUTE strength. talkin about 2 huge dudes getting red in the face and sweating and grunting! i have NO idea how I even got them screwed together so tight to begin with. i now only hand tighten the bottom sections of the pole and do not bother to tighten the individual sections after I secure the ceiling dome, even though that's what is shown in the instructional video. I read on another forum topic somewhere that using WD-40 on the xpole is great for CLEANING, but not lubricating the pole. for some reason, over time the WD-40 solidifies or gets gunky and makes the poles difficult to take apart. or at least that's what I read. I have a feeling that was what contributed to my poles getting stuck together...a combination of the WD-40 and maybe a bit of dirt or dust that might have gotten stuck in the threads that eventually messed things up. I now spray on WD-40 and wipe off lightly with a towel and then put a huge glob of vaseline before I screw the pole together....works like a charm. doesn't solidify or change even in different temperatures. i haven't had any problems since then.
litlbit · 1/30/2010
I have had my pole stuck since it was first put together...we've tried everything...I had to move with it in one piece which caused it to get scratched during the move....I have to keep my bed diagonal in the bedroom because it's the only way we can store it when we need the living room. I was going to buy another x-pole but hubby says "NO FN WAY"! LOL so I haven't bought another pole yet...I wanted to get a 45mm as well but he hates the x-pole (because we can't store it) and said we can't find anymore room if the next one gets stuck! I've had this one for over a year. I don't have that prob with the lil mynx.