Long time cleaner, long time lurker, first time poster.
So my Brodex 36’ aluminum pole I bought from WCR a few years ago when they were dirt cheap fell over today after I got my foot caught in the water line. When I picked it up I had noticed that I think my 3rd from the top section was bent (I just put it back on the ladder rack and haven’t looked closely at it yet). I already bought a Xero 40’ that will be here tomorrow, but I really like this pole and wouldn’t mind keeping it on the truck as a backup WFP, or as a long extension pole for high lightbulbs, dusting under eaves, whatever. I am planning on taking it to a machine shop next week to see if there’s a method to straighten it, and I may also stop by an exhaust shop since they have tube bending machines as well.
I think this model is the Hydra HA36, and I’d like to know if anyone has one lying around they don’t use anymore or that is damaged that they would be willing to part with, as I have never had clamp issues with mine or anything else go wrong with it, and it worked great up until it didn’t.
Also, are there any tech geeks/metallurgists here who know exactly what type of aluminum was used on this pole? do most aluminum poles use the same type? I see numbers like 6061, 6063 and 2024, but not sure what they mean. My reason for asking is because I would not be opposed to buying a tube online and cutting it to fit then regluing the clamp to the pole…I just don’t know what kind to look for to price it.
Thanks in advance for any help or advice.
I feel that the 6061 would be fine just watch the wall thickness.
So if my thinking is right, the tube can be thicker on the inside diameter, as long as the outside diameter thickness does not exceed the thickness of the original tube so that it can still slide into the other existing sections, correct?
Can you post pictures? I’m guessing that the pole was a special extrusion maybe 1/16th? Telescoping tubes are very special and I doubt you’d just be able to order one from online. You can check tho.
But depending on what it looks like you could get a tubing cutter and cut off the damaged part. If it’s a long bend then you might might be able to straighten it gently like you would a screen frame.
That’s my thinking ,they still have to fit together and be able to slide.
where are you located? i have an aluminum tucker i dont use. its my 2nd back up lol. i have two CF poles
Got the Xero in today and haven’t used it yet, but its pretty swanky…as for my bent section, it appears to be 40mm outside diameter and 1mm thick. The cutting off the damaged section isn’t a bad idea because the bend is pretty much right in the middle, but I’m going to use that as a last resort if I can’t find a replacement tube online either through Brodex or an online aluminum retailer.
said bend: https://imgur.com/a/munX73C
That doesn’t look that bad. I’d line it up against something straight like a 2x4 and gently squeeze the warp in.
The problem with that is that its a tiny bit springy, and I’m afraid if I go to far with that I may make it worse or even kink/crimp/crease it…haven’t tried yet but I’ll play with it a bit
