villainvixen started this discussion ·
Hello all! Started my usual practice today and found that my xstage won't stop spinning. I've retightened it, but it won't stay on static when I go to do a spin. Anyone know what the problem could be? Please help! xoxo
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Several things. First, do you set this up and tear it down frequently or is it always up? Is the X lined up with the hex? Are the 3 hex screws on the collar tight? Is the collar sitting all the way in the base?
I leave it up. And the X I've started to notice is never in the same place after each practice. I've ignored this despite thinking it wasn't good, because retightening has kept the pole stationary so far. The screws on the collar, constantly need to be retightened as I've mentioned. And today, I just noticed there's a small gap between the collar and the base. I wasn't sure how to move it down. I would've gone through my instruction manual, but I got my second hand, so the instructions page I do have, is actually for a regular stage, not the stage lite.
I have a huge write up about common issues with the Stages and how to fix them. It really does not matter that you have the directions for the original XStage, the only different between them is the height. Everything else is exactly the same. ALSO, XPole I believe has manuals on their site. Here is what I wrote before: I have also danced on both the original SSA and I teach on the xstage lites. I ahve voiced issues I ahve had regarding the SSA numerous times so i will now state things I have run into with the stages. Everything I state here has been addressed with Kimara. First I will say that the stages should only be considered as a last resort if you plan on teaching on them. We leave the stages whole and lift them on their edges for storage. This is NOT easy and my studio owner has injured herself a few times already. I just had a stage fall over from upright on Monday night (I just let it go and crash to the ground). Also with all of the moving around there are SOOOOOO many different set screws that will vibrate loose. OK...issues: 1. Locking pins not lining up properly on pie pieces. I know that CED in Cleveland has had this issue too and has their pie pieces marked with specific locations. You can actually see some of the locking pins are bent in order to get into the proper holes. Kimara sent out new locking pins along with all 3 versions of itac, 2 bottles of Xgrip and 2 bottle of dry hands. 2. Collars not set at proper height. This also has become a problem over time. The 3 locking pins that keep the collar/rotating mechanism on pole A vibrate loose and with us removing the poles every night the spacing shifts. Not so difficult to deal with when the poles are new but not very easy when the poles have been used for a few months. The easiest fix I have found for this is to remove all 3 locking set screws, squirt PB blaster or WD-40 into the holes, let sit for about a minute and then try to make the adjustment. I did not discover this trick until about an hour into trying to get them loose. 3. XJoints. We all know the issues. Our were compounded by students that wanted to help setting up the poles and not realizing that there was a specific way that A and B needed to line up. Needless to say, if the pin does not line up with the channel they get smashed. I had 3 joints with retracted pins. Talked to Kimara. The newly designed joints had recently come out, decided to replace all of our joints with the new design. I paid for 4 and Xpole gave us 4 free. 4. Footers on the extensions. The rubber part on many of ours have spit and fallen off leaving a metal bottom as opposed to a plastic bottom. The metal feet will gouge your floor. This has been taken back to the design team to seek a solution. Also, the tiny set screws that hold the ball on the footer have been vibrating loose left and right. Currently I have about 8-10 that I have collected. It is not worth my time to try and find which of the 48 possibilities are missing their screws. 5. Stripped X locking set screw. This is the set screw that keeps the pole locked into the stage. I am not really sure how you strip stainless but we manageed to do it....twice. I have an idea on how this happened and it comes down to being in a rush to set up/take down poles and not having the hex key in all the way. M8x8 is the set screw that you need to replace them. The ones that XPoles uses have an oval bottom....I have been unsuccessful in finding those (and those that know me and my searching capabilities, seriously, these things are next to impossible to find). The standard cone bottom will work just fine. Lowes and Home Depot do not carry metric set screws. I ended up at a little ACE Hardware store. Also, The Grabit Broken Bolt and Screw Extractor, size 2 is what you will want/need to get this screw out. I tried a few different styles and this one by far is the best in this situation. I got mine at Lowes for about $8. https://www.studioveena.com/outbound_links/t/?l=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lowes.com%2Fpd_51624-41877-8502P_0__%3FproductId%3D1209143%26amp%3BNtt%3Dgrabit%2Bscrew%2Bextractor%26amp%3Bpl%3D1%26amp%3BcurrentURL%3D%252Fpl__0__s%253FNtt%253Dgrabit%252Bscrew%252Bextractor%26amp%3BfacetInfo%3D 4. This just happened, well, has been happening but I just fixed it Wednesday night. The collar that the pole sits in that is part of the stage is actually 2 pieces. There are 6 socket screws on the bottom of the stage that can and will wiggle loose. This will cause the pole torattle and move in the base even when all of the normal adjusters are tight. I flipped the one over and one of the screws had come completely out (the other 5 were loose). The hex key that tightens the Xjoint is the same size as these, however there is very little clearance between the stage supports and the screws so this was a slow and tedious endeavor.
You HAVE to be sure that the X and the hex line up. There is a channel that the locking pin HAS to sit in. If the locking pin is not in this channel and not in the groove in the channel your pole will not lock out.
Thank you! I feel a little stupid. Some of the terminology is still new to me, but I think I understand all of this. Helped out with the x joint issue I'm having too. I think its stripped where the hex key fits in. So, it looks like the issue I'm having, based on this is the X needs to be lined up before I try to tighten the screws. I'll give it a try. :)
Ok, I finally had the time to go and work on this. And I don't think I did anything correctly. I don't think I understand your instructions. You said I need to be sure the X and the hex line up. I'm sorry sounds stupid, but I don't know what that means exactly. The collar is all the way in the base. But, I can't be 100% sure its saying. Every now and then I notice the X is in a different place then when it started. All three screws are tight.
Checking xpole.com :)
lol ok my panic attack is over. figured it out
