I just made an aluminium pole from Texas Towers tubing. I put some marine wax on it this morning after cleaning it as good as I could with acetone. As soon as I applied the wax my rag was going black with aluminum oxide. It seemed like the wax was making it worse. Am I just going to be stuck with black hands when I use this or is there some other treatment you guys use?
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Aluminum Pole Treatment
- Thread starter Muskrat
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Anodizing?
Jim
Jim
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I know a lot of aluminium pole user tape there pole for 2 things, one to keep there hands clean and 2 to keep there hands from freezing!!
I guess the cheapest option would be to paint it, or wear gloves! Otherwise large diameter heat shrink would be good but expensive.
I think I figured out why it was so bad. I was using meguiars marine wax that has cleaners in it that strip oxidation. And it does that very well apparently. Made my hands look like I work in a coal mine. After a couple treatments of that and cleaning it off, I switched to regular old paste wax and it doesn't seem so bad.
Can someone tell me what the specs of an aluminum pole are (diameter, gauge, length) and also an approximate price? Thanks.
Length varies. 11 feet is more in favor with modern school and Harry Rock school
Ed Hayden's families poles ( they took over the pole making business) are all I know of
There is a LOT of poking at Maine Canoe Symposium. Everyone at least tries it
Never heard of waxing an Alu pole
Harry Rock you know does extreme poking
He wears bike gloves
Don't put anything on the pole. Save tape if you need markers for hand placement starting out
Ed Hayden's families poles ( they took over the pole making business) are all I know of
There is a LOT of poking at Maine Canoe Symposium. Everyone at least tries it
Never heard of waxing an Alu pole
Harry Rock you know does extreme poking
He wears bike gloves
Don't put anything on the pole. Save tape if you need markers for hand placement starting out
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I have one pole that is 1" in diameter and had another that was something like 1 1/4", lost that one. I use a 12' pole but know of some folks who use them shorter as well as longer, anywhere from 9' to 16'. Too short and long for me. I'm not sure of the gauge. I looked at Ed Hayden's page and they are around 75$,
http://www.haydencanoepole.com/catalogue.html
I've never treated my aluminum poles with anything and sometimes wear gloves and when I don't I just live with the residue on my hands as it isn't too bad.
dougd
http://www.haydencanoepole.com/catalogue.html
I've never treated my aluminum poles with anything and sometimes wear gloves and when I don't I just live with the residue on my hands as it isn't too bad.
dougd
Waxing the pole was suggested in Harry Rocks book.
Pole diameter is usually 1 to 1.25" with 1.125" standard. 0.058" wall thickness. 6000 series aluminum. 7075 would be better but is unavailable in small quantity.
I ordered from Texas Towers in 6' sections. I ordered enough for 3 poles, so six 6' 1.125" and one 6' 1" tubes. The one inch tube is cut down to 6" to 8" and slides inside the other two pipes to join them with epoxy. The ends are one inch copper pipe caps with bolts for the spikes. The more you buy the cheaper the pole. Shipping is the same regardless of quantity. Mine came out at $32 per pole not including epoxy which I always have on hand. If you ordered enough for just one pole it would be about $55.
Pole diameter is usually 1 to 1.25" with 1.125" standard. 0.058" wall thickness. 6000 series aluminum. 7075 would be better but is unavailable in small quantity.
I ordered from Texas Towers in 6' sections. I ordered enough for 3 poles, so six 6' 1.125" and one 6' 1" tubes. The one inch tube is cut down to 6" to 8" and slides inside the other two pipes to join them with epoxy. The ends are one inch copper pipe caps with bolts for the spikes. The more you buy the cheaper the pole. Shipping is the same regardless of quantity. Mine came out at $32 per pole not including epoxy which I always have on hand. If you ordered enough for just one pole it would be about $55.
Good information. Thank you !
G
Guest
Guest
Ravensjester’s complete instructions for making a 2-piece aluminum canoe pole:
https://ravensjester.smugmug.com/Boats/How-To/Building-a-Two-piece-Aluminum/
He also has instructions for making a wood (closet rod) canoe pole:
http://www.brockeng.com/AmusingRaven/pole.htm
I don’t pole, but I have made one of each (actually a couple of closet rod poles) for friends. The instructional photo essays are top notch.
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I use 6061 t-6 aluminum tubing when I can get it. .058" wall 1.25" OD tubing. Used Ravenjester's instructions for building my two-piece several years ago, and it's still going strong.
I only painted the end 2' of one of my poles to give me a quick reference while checking water depth. I only wax the aluminum poles in the winter for better grip traction with thick neo gloves. Surf wax though - not polishing wax.Yes, you get oxidation residue on you. It comes off easily. In summer, I wear knitted gloves with rubber coating on the palms ("smurf gloves"
), partly to enhance grip and partly to kill the chill.
Others use 1.125" tubing and I know Matt M has at least one pole he likes that is 1.5". What's best depends on the size of your hands I suppose, but I suspect that it isn't really critical. My wood poles are more like 1 3/8" and 1 1/2".
I only painted the end 2' of one of my poles to give me a quick reference while checking water depth. I only wax the aluminum poles in the winter for better grip traction with thick neo gloves. Surf wax though - not polishing wax.Yes, you get oxidation residue on you. It comes off easily. In summer, I wear knitted gloves with rubber coating on the palms ("smurf gloves"
), partly to enhance grip and partly to kill the chill.Others use 1.125" tubing and I know Matt M has at least one pole he likes that is 1.5". What's best depends on the size of your hands I suppose, but I suspect that it isn't really critical. My wood poles are more like 1 3/8" and 1 1/2".
Good quality electrical tape available in all colors of the rainbow.
No Title
Mike, thank you for the link. I followed the instructions minus the shims and foam but sprang for the snap button spring clip. I wrapped it in 3M's Super 88 electrical tape which seemed the best compromise between thickness, temperature rating, and 'sticktoitiveness'. The overlap in the tape results in adding some grippiness. (see picture) The tape material is hydrophobic which results in less water running towards your hands. The thickness provides a good amount of insulation. I added some white rings for reference. I have several snap buttons left. If anyone needs one, just PM me and I'll send you one.
Mike, thank you for the link. I followed the instructions minus the shims and foam but sprang for the snap button spring clip. I wrapped it in 3M's Super 88 electrical tape which seemed the best compromise between thickness, temperature rating, and 'sticktoitiveness'. The overlap in the tape results in adding some grippiness. (see picture) The tape material is hydrophobic which results in less water running towards your hands. The thickness provides a good amount of insulation. I added some white rings for reference. I have several snap buttons left. If anyone needs one, just PM me and I'll send you one.
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The fit is snug. However, when I took them apart after the first trip there was some water inside. Not sure if it entered when the joint was submerged or if it was water that ran down the pole. I decided to just seal the joint with another strip of electrical tape before the next trip. It's sure a lot nicer to haul in two pieces. Your end caps look like what I have on my ash pole. I used a hanger bolt (half machine bolt / half wood screw) to hold it in place.
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I used a layer of glass and epoxy for the shim on my two-piece. It started out slightly oversize, then I filed and sanded it down to a close fit. Hardly any water ever gets inside. My ends on all my poles consist of a 3" delrin rod the same diameter as the tubing, with a couple inches of it turned to ID for a press fit. One inch extends out of the tubing, with a grade 8 3/8" bolt threaded in with a nut to hold a washer over the end of the delrin. I assemble the delrin, washer, nut, and bolt, and then grind the bolt head off, then press it into the tubing with a little plumber's goop. I like this setup so well that I've gone to putting the same end on my wood poles. I just assemble it all in a 6" length of tubing and fit that to the end of the wood with epoxy.
