My X-pole keeps slipping?

DestinyPoles started this discussion · 8/8/2013

I have a Portable 45mm Chrome X-pert Pole in my apartment, and it's constantly slipping when I go to do a move. ): The cement ceilings here aren't leveled out at all, and there's plenty of popcorn... I also have carpet. If I tighten my pole too much, it won't spin correctly. If I loosen it, it spins as it should but it slips. I'm just worried that if I use it when it's too tight I'll damage it. I'm just wondering if anyone else had this problem when setting up their pole and if anyone ever got the balance between the two? (:

19 replies

Rachel Rose · 8/8/2013
sounds like the popcorn roof surface is letting air get under the top which stops the silicon suction from attaching properly, I'm not sure if this can be corrected... I make sure my pole is extremely tightly attached the beams. Sometimes the spins gets a little tight but I don't worry about that, as long as it is securely attached!
Rachel Rose · 8/8/2013
sounds like the popcorn roof surface is letting air get under the top which stops the silicon suction from attaching properly, I'm not sure if this can be corrected... I make sure my pole is extremely tightly attached the beams. Sometimes the spins gets a little tight but I don't worry about that, as long as it is securely attached!
michaelaarghh · 8/8/2013
with a cement roof, you don't have to worry about the ceiling cracking. so i would tighten it up further. I've always had my x pole tight enough so that it is not able to spin "smoothly" when i spin it by hand, but once i'm actually on the pole it spins fine :)
Lyme Lyte · 8/8/2013
I always had that problem......figured it was my ceiling. We r moving soon so I will see if it continues. I did have hubby drill through the dome into the stud at one point and another time we mounted a 1/2 in wood with a circle cut out just big enough for the dome to fit into it, onto the ceiling. Both worked great and any man could spin freely on it.
xylina · 8/9/2013
My step dad did the same for me he mounted a piece of wood on the ceiling so it doesn't slip and I have no problems at all my mom who is heavy set gets on with no problems and my step dad to
DestinyPoles · 8/10/2013
Thanks for all of the suggestions! I just tightened it a lot lot, did a spin and it was fine. Michaelaargh, you were right about the spinning by hand thing. My boyfriend even got on it and it didn't slip. (: I feel a lot more comfortable practicing with it, knowing I'm not going to make it come down!
X Pole Tech · 8/11/2013
Stippled or Popcorn ceilings are always difficult and it depends on the depth of the raised material more than anything. The problem lies in the fact that if one point on the dome is raised more than the rest of the dome the dome will tend to want to rotate on that higher point due to lesser pressure. A few times we have seen 60% of the dome not even touching the celing.That is why in the instructions we say to always make sure your dome is ‘Flat' against the ceiling before tightening. It does not matter if the pole is fractionally off vertical, the important point is to ensure the dome is flat. The silicone ring is not designed to create any suction it is purely the friction element created by the silicone combined with pressure that holds the dome in position. The Silicon does however ‘give’ and so it will absorb small bumps which is why we say about it depends on the depth of the Popcorn. If you are still unsure the best to ensure the done cannot slip is to use a ceiling plate. Please see links below. http://www.x-pole.co.uk/images/stories/CeilingPlate.pdf http://www.x-pole.co.uk/images/stories/UpperDomeCeilingPlate.pdf The ceiling plate can be attached if necessary using only a single larger screw so any hole will minimal and can be easily filled if a move is needed. The Key issue at all time is safety. Please do NOT use you pole if you feel it is unsafe and contact your local support office. Note: Using a ceiling plate does not mean you ignore checking your pole tightness regularly !!!!! X-Pole Tech Team
X Pole Tech · 8/12/2013
Apologies we have just seen the links are not active. Trying again. http://www.x-pole.co.uk/images/stories/CeilingPlate.pdf http://www.x-pole.co.uk/images/stories/UpperDomeCeilingPlate.pdf X-Pole Tech Team
michaelaarghh · 8/20/2013
ahhh so now i keep having this problem! my pole is slipping, and then when i tighten it, it's too tight and won't spin, and it creaks like a mother (but only in one spot..so if i spin the pole, as the x joint holes are coming back to face me, it will always creak loudly in that spot) My ceilings are insanely high and i don't have a ladder so i can't actually see if the dome is lying flat, but i'm pretty certain it is. is there any way to test for this? when i do the initial gorilla test and spins with feet on the floor the pole doesnt move, but as soon as i spin with my legs off the floor it slips a little. the ceiling is just a normal ceiling, but the house is quite old. tbh i'm struggling to tighten it enough so it's safe, but not too much that it's squeaking. (squeaking is coming from the top dome)
ThatGirl99 · 8/20/2013
Lots of people make something that goes between the ceiling surface and silicone if the ceiling surface is not solid or rigid enough for the silicone to grip tightly. I have seen a few different things which work. I made a wood square and covered it with contact paper to create a good seal between the silicone and plastic. You can also paint the wood with a gloss paint. You can install a ceiling medallion with a flat surface and you will eliminate the air space preventing a good seal.
ThatGirl99 · 8/20/2013
ps- anything you consider Adding between ceiling surface and xpole silicone rim must be secured to the ceiling to become part of it. do Not attempt to just sandwich something between them without securing properly.
michaelaarghh · 8/20/2013
I'm renting, so can't screw anything into the roof :(
ThatGirl99 · 8/20/2013
If you get the right material, and you use heavy duty staples, you can remove it when you move, with no damage.
DestinyPoles · 8/20/2013
I had to constantly lower mine, adjust it, tighten it and test it! Over and over ! It took a lot of hard work, but I finally got it right. The ceilings here are so so crooked so for me it was a matter of finding the right spot. If your ceilings are very high and you have the slightest uneven spot, it could be unnoticeable and messing with the dome. Once I found an even spot, my boyfriend who weighs 260 was able to spin on it multiple times without the pole even slipping !!! If you keep adjusting you'll get it. Another great idea is to buy a magnetic level, and attach it to see if your pole is straight! I might do that when I move soon instead of fighting with it (: X-poles are wonderful, it's our ceilings!
michaelaarghh · 8/20/2013
i thought it was a ceiling issue :( i have a magnetic spirit level, and the pole is definitely straight... i'm guessing like the x pole tech said before though, that doesn't matter if the dome isn't sitting straight. i'm pretty sure it is but i can't be certain without climbing up and checking? so hard when i don't have a ladder and my ceilings are over 3 m tall :( i guess i'll just keep trying to adjust it. so frustrating!!!!! Does anyone know what the creaking could mean?
leyrose · 8/20/2013
mine is on carpet too and I didn't measure it or anything... I was determined to get it up without the help of a male so I did it in like 20 mins and mine is fine. It sometimes gets loose so I just tighten it up a bit.
michaelaarghh · 8/20/2013
So now it's not slipping at all hooray!!! It's just very creaky....hmmmmm haha
moonlitmare · 8/21/2013
Mine creaks too...only in one spot of the spin. I thought maybe it was because the pole was 100% perfectly vertical, it mostly is. I'm not good enough to be on spin so its not a huge issue for me. I do have to say when I did try spin the creak drove me nuts. I also had to put a board below my pole because I'm on the 2nd floor. The pole was not settling even into the carpet as I tightened it. I was afraid the base might bust through the floorboards.
leyrose · 8/21/2013
Mine creaks too! And I find it spins so so much faster than the permanent ones at my studio... I sort of have my screws tightened half way between spin and static. Although, even when mine is on static it still spins a bit :/