Tightening Pleated Blinds

[Ray D]

We have ?Day - Night? pleated blinds on our windows. I like them, as long as they work. It appears, however, that if the cords on the sides get loose, they don?t work at all. I paid a small fortune to have them tightened, a year ago. Now, one of them is loose, again.

It strikes me that I should be able to effect a repair - re-adjustment, myself. Don?t know how to do it.

Any blind adjustment experts out there?

Ray D.

 

[Tom]

Ray, I'm no expert, but I've tightened our day/night pleated bliinds by merely shortening the strings. I've even done that by just wrapping a turn or two around the tie-downs that are screwed to the wall each side of the blinds. Seems to me you just need enough tension to prevent them from closing on their own. Too much tension and something is going to break.

I can't understand why you had to pay "a fortune" to get them tightened. It probably took less time to tighten the blinds than to post this message, but then I'm a slow typist.

Edit: I also had a different problem on one or two of the blinds that had the same symptom as being too loose. In those cases a screw holding the blinds up behind the cabinets had either dropped out or come loose. I merely replaced the missing screw and tightened the loose one, but it was a bitch reaching up behind the cabinets.

 

[Ray D]

That's sorta-kinda what I thought. Worried about breaking them, when I wind them. I'll give it a shot, soon, unless someone else has an idea. Thanks.

Ray

 

[Shayne]

Right on Tom  Same thing with us.  In fact one string pulled out and it was a tough job to put it in,but if I drepair it with these banged up hands , most anyone can do it.;

 

[Tom]

Ray, also check the edit to my prior message - I posted it while you were posting your reply so you might not have seen it.

 

[Ray D]

Copy that.

I wondered about loosening the bottom screw, winding the string, then tightening the screw. I'll check the top screw, too,  if I can get there.

Ray D.

 

[John From Detroit]

Copy that.

I wondered about loosening the bottom screw, winding the string, then tightening the screw.

Ray D.

Well, wonder no more, that is the proper "Tightening" procedure.  The only thing I'd worry about is on some coaches the wall where the screw is screwed is none too forgiving should you over torque, so keep a supply of hollow wall anchors on hand just in cuss

(You know what just in cuss is don't you,... That is just in case you say sometihng like ()*^(*&(^%)&_+!)

 

[Ray D]

Thanks folks! Got it fixed!

Just needed some reinforcement, to get up my nerve.

Ray D.

 

[Ned]

A forceps is a very useful tool when working with the strings.  We have both a straight and a bent style and they make lots of jobs much easier than using pliers.

 

[Ray D]

Didn't think about forceps! Neat tools. I use them tying flys and fishing. Will have to get them out of the tackle box and put them in the motorhome! Great idea!

Ray D

 

[Pat]

My pleated shades strings pop off the screws now and then.  The trick is to open the shade - push it up.  That releases the tension on the string enough to pull it down over the screw.  It's stil a tough pull, but more possible. 

My problem is that the screws are in some decorative plastic sleeves, and the plastic breaks from the tension on the shade strings.

And the shades tend to unravel.  I'd be interested to know what other window coverings people have liked.

--pat

 

[Jim Godward]

Pat,

I replaced the broken plastic sleeves with sewing machine metal bobbins.  I would have to look as to how I wound them as it was a few years ago!  VBG  They don't break!!

 

[Rollie]

I loosened the screw and just turned the plastic thing-a-ma-bob to tighten the cord and re-tightened the screw.  I had one of the plastic thing-a-ma-bobs that was broken and I ordered a new one from somewhere ... which I will try to recall if you need me to.

 

[Tom]

I like Jim's idea of metal bobbins. Next time one breaks I'll go rumaging around Chris' sewing machine.

 

[Jim Godward]

Tom,

I highly recommend a stop at a sewing store or even? Walmart and get a package of them for the MH.  I would hate to have Chris blame me for your indiscretions!  VBG

 

[Tom]

LOL Jim, Chris is an avid seamstress and I suspect she has lots of "spare" bobbins for her various machines. But I wouldn't dare take one without asking  ;D

 

[Rollie]

If the idea is to keep the blinds from bobbing ... if you use a bobbin to fix it and it bobs is it bobbing because of the bobbin?  ;D

 

[Tom]

LOL Rollie.

 

[Pat]

I have some spare plastic thingies from the mh manufacturer, but the metal bobbins are a good idea.  Since my sewing machine's bobbins are plastic, I'll take one of the shade rings into a sewing store and get metal.  Goes nicely with my decor as well. 

Are these shade screws usually screwed into the outer wall of the mh?  Is there much deterioration removing and replacing the screws in order to change over to the metal bobbins, because I'll do all of them at the same time to keep uniformity.

--pat

 

[Jim Godward]

Pat,

If you are careful, you should have no problems.  If there is a problem with a screw, there is stuff to make the screw work better, I think it is called "Screw-tite" or something like that.  Most hardware stores, Ace, etc. will know what you need.  If all else fails get a larger screw, i.e., a No.10 instead of an 8 etc.