Using duct tape instead of paint to re-do jump poles?

[QueenDee_]

My jump poles are in need of a spruce up after being chipped etc from being kept outside. However, I was wondering whether using coloured duct tape could be a clever cheat to create a bright coloured, weather proof and chip free finish? Do you think this would work? Or would it just lose stick after 1 night of rain?

 

[WelshD]

I covered my poles in this when I was in my teens and skint, i used duct tape in black and white, insulation tape in red and yellow for accent stripes and even sections of black refuse sacks held on by tape and my poles lasted a good few years! the trick with the tape is to overlap it so it sticks to itself and there are no loose ends

I recently have used sticky back plastic rectangles wrapped round to good effect but you do need quite smooth poles! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5M-x-610M...28228521?var=510521257855&hash=item4ae2894ba9

 

[gnubee]

I would think it will last more than one night, but will quickly start to get grubby on the sticky edges, and slowly unravel from there as the dirt works in. So probably ok as a quick and easy solution, but possibly not great if you want them to stay looking really smart.

 

[Honey08]

Try a pole roll. Plastic sheaths that slide onto a pole - in various colours striped with white. I use them on mine. They are a good weatherproof cover for winter too, but fade over a year.

 

[Shay]

gnubee is right I think - unless you absolutely coat the poles in layer after layer of tape they will unravel relatively quickly. You might not want to risk a loose edge flapping as the horse approaches?! Also if your poles are slightly damp and you seal them like this - with tape or with a pole sleeve - you will speed up the rate at which it rots. Less air / sunlight to destroy or limit microbial growth and more moisture to encourage growth. Wooden poles are relatively cheap- especially unpainted - so that might not be an issue for you.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Did it with some of mine and it's looking good so far.

 

[QueenDee_]

Did it with some of mine and it's looking good so far.

How long have they lasted so far FfionWinnie? And how much tape did you end up using per pole?

 

[FfionWinnie]

How long have they lasted so far FfionWinnie? And how much tape did you end up using per pole?

About 8 months lying on the ground / wet grass in our Scottish summer.

I had a big roll of silver stuff which had been opened. We did 4 poles (well my Dad did it!) overlapping each turn by about a cm and it still isn't finished. My poles are quite short tho. Will get some pics later.

Place where I have lessons has done it with the really colourful stuff on plastic poles as well. Sun might be worse for it than rain to be honest as that will dry the glue out. We don't have that problem here!