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Thread: Looking for non-ferrous tension curtain rods.

  1. #1
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    Looking for non-ferrous tension curtain rods.

    Because my house has shutters, I can't use regular screens because then I can't reach through to close the shutters. Instead, we use curtains of netting stretched between spring-loaded curtain rods. The panels meet in the middle and it is easy to reach through to close a shutter.

    All the spring-loaded rods I have found are ferrous metal and they rust. Our windows are open 24/7 and we only close them if it rains really hard. The rods often get a little water on them and rust.

    Pic:
    IMG_1470.jpg

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    Could the rods you're using be modified by pulling the guts out of the existing tubes and replacing the tubes with PVC?
    Please help support the Creek.


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    PVC bends. I tried something similar. For the time being I am taping the rods with white duct tape to keep the rust from penetrating to the cloth, but obviously that's just a temporary fix. Unfortunately these things aren't cheap and I have 14 windows to do. I'm hoping to find an aluminum rod of some sort. I did try wedging a wood rod in, and that doesn't work too well. The wood eventually bends and loosens. Surely there is an aluminum one out there somewhere, but the problem is nobody listing them ever tells what they are made of. I am hoping maybe someone here has seen one made of aluminum or... something else that doesn't rust.

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    As Bruce suggested above using copper?

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    Stainless steel would be my choice.
    Chris

    Everything I like is either illegal, immoral or fattening

  6. #6
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    How about a shower curtain rod, may not be non-ferrous, but would be coated to stand up to getting wet.

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    The screens are essentially permanently in place aren't they? That is, as long as you can reach through them to reach the shutters you seldom move the rods? You might use wooden dowels either sprung into place or fitted with a small wedge on one end. The one on top could rest on a small ledger or tiny metal (brass?) bracket and only the bottom one would need to be wedged. Or the same brackets you use on the top could be installed upside-down at the bottom.

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    I have tried tensioning wood dowels but they bend over time. Copper would work. I would need to paint it to keep it from turning the cloth green. I could make something to hold it in versus the spring tension. I should mention these often take a good bit of wind load. That was another issue with wood. These tall doors to the porch get a lot of wind and have a lot of cloth. I'm headed to HD and may pick up some copper while there to play around with.

    IMG_1476.jpg

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    How about buying two different size Stainless Steel tubes where the ID of the larger is just a bit larger than the OD of the smaller? Cut to size and use the rubber boots and internal spring from your existing rods.

    Basically just manufacture your own quality curtain rods.

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    check out the Titian "never rust" line of shower rods, supposed to be made of all aluminum.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Malcolm Schweizer View Post
    I have tried tensioning wood dowels but they bend over time. Copper would work. I would need to paint it to keep it from turning the cloth green. I could make something to hold it in versus the spring tension. I should mention these often take a good bit of wind load. That was another issue with wood. These tall doors to the porch get a lot of wind and have a lot of cloth. I'm headed to HD and may pick up some copper while there to play around with.

    IMG_1476.jpg
    Are you certain the copper would cause the cloth to turn green.
    Also, that green you are referring to is patina. My wife would kill for anything to decorate with that has patina. I nearly lost the privaledge of sleeping inside as apposed to the dog house because of patina.
    She had picked up a floor lamp that she was crazy about and I told her I would clean it up and rewire it since it was very old. Took it out to the garage and began polishing the pole near the top. When she returned home that same day from shopping I proudly showed her the wonderful job I'd done so far and I thought she was going to wring my neck.
    If memory serves you can spray paint copper with a clear shellac to prevent it from discoloring .

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    Quote Originally Posted by Adam Herman View Post
    check out the Titian "never rust" line of shower rods, supposed to be made of all aluminum.
    Yes, I saw those, but I need rods for panel curtains.

    Quote Originally Posted by Greg R Bradley View Post
    How about buying two different size Stainless Steel tubes where the ID of the larger is just a bit larger than the OD of the smaller? Cut to size and use the rubber boots and internal spring from your existing rods.

    Basically just manufacture your own quality curtain rods.

    In short, it's not that simple. The factory ones are semi-square. Also there has to be something for the spring to compress against.


    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Jobe View Post
    Are you certain the copper would cause the cloth to turn green.
    Also, that green you are referring to is patina. My wife would kill for anything to decorate with that has patina. I nearly lost the privaledge of sleeping inside as apposed to the dog house because of patina.
    She had picked up a floor lamp that she was crazy about and I told her I would clean it up and rewire it since it was very old. Took it out to the garage and began polishing the pole near the top. When she returned home that same day from shopping I proudly showed her the wonderful job I'd done so far and I thought she was going to wring my neck.
    If memory serves you can spray paint copper with a clear shellac to prevent it from discoloring .
    The copper would very likely discolor the cloth, but painting will fix that. I'm with you- I like to polish old copper, but most collectors want the patina.



    I may do copper pipe with white paint and some sort of wood block with an indentation to hold them. I like that because it doesn't depend on tension alone to hold them in when the wind blows.

  13. #13
    Can you get stainless steel tube? You could epoxy a nut in one end and use a machine screw with another nut on it as a lock. A little plastic cap on each end and you should be good.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Richards View Post
    Can you get stainless steel tube? You could epoxy a nut in one end and use a machine screw with another nut on it as a lock. A little plastic cap on each end and you should be good.
    Not a bad idea. Might be costly but I have tons of epoxy.

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    It turns out stainless tube is $12 a foot. That's out. I will probably play with copper. I'm thinking about the epoxied nut and bolt idea.

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