How to repair a broken plastic umbrella spoke. Full automatic folding umbrella
Umbrella- this is a mechanical device, which is a metal or plastic frame made of knitting needles on a tubular rod equipped with a handle, on which a synthetic waterproof material is stretched. An umbrella is designed to protect a person from sunlight and rain.
The umbrella was invented in China 300 centuries ago for protection from the sun. In those days, an umbrella was considered a symbol of power, and only the emperor and those close to him were allowed to use it.
A lot of time has passed since then, and now the umbrella has become a constant companion of any person in everyday life. The airy design of the umbrella allows it to be foldable and lightweight, but is not resistant to strong gusts of wind. Therefore, over time, everyone is faced with the breakdown of an umbrella, after which many simply throw them away.
But in vain, because you can save money and time, since usually umbrella breakdowns are simple and are associated with a rivet falling out or one of the spokes breaking. Therefore, you can repair an umbrella with your own hands using standard tools and available materials in half an hour.
Repair of the articulated connection of the spokes with the umbrella rods
The most common breakdown of an umbrella is the fall of a tubular rivet from the hinged connection of the rods and spokes. Due to mechanical load in the wind, the edges of the rivet unbend, it falls out and is lost.
Repair using installation as a rivet
paper clip
If the breakdown of the umbrella consists of a tubular rivet falling out of the hinge, and there are no conditions for repair, then it can be repaired using a paper clip.
To do this, just pass the bent end of the paper clip through the holes of the knitting needle and rod, then bend the end of the paper clip, as shown in the photo.
If you have pliers with a wire cutter function on hand, you can take a piece of wire from a paper clip, bend it into a loop on one side, insert it into the holes and form a loop on the other side. Thus, the wire will reliably perform the function of a rivet and will not tear the fabric of the umbrella dome.
Repair using a homemade rivet
copper wire
This is the most reliable repair method I've been using lately. The repaired hinge joint in the umbrella did not have to be repaired again.
The material used for the rivet is copper wire for electrical wiring with a diameter of about 1 mm. The wire is selected depending on the diameter of the holes in the rod and the spoke.
Before making a rivet, you need to thread the wire through the hole in the rod and check that it moves easily. If it is tight, then you need to slightly reduce the diameter using sandpaper.
Next you need to form the head of the rivet. To do this, the wire is clamped in a vice and the edges are riveted by hitting them with a small hammer, as shown in the photo. If the end of the wire is not flat, then it needs to be processed with a finely cut file.
When repairing an automatic umbrella, to be able to install a rivet, it must be kept in a half-opened position, which is not allowed by the spring, which tends to open the dome. In this case, you need to use a rope to tie the movable lower frame of the umbrella to the handle, as shown in the photo.
The next step is to insert the knitting needle into the slot of the rod and insert the prepared wire with the head. Cut off the excess wire with side cutters so that the protruding part is about a millimeter.
In the last step, you need to press the created wire head against an anvil (any solid metal object will do) and, with light blows along the edges, flatten the wire until a head is formed. Here is the umbrella hinge that has been repaired.
As practice has shown, although an umbrella is used in wet weather, the copper rivet does not oxidize. If desired, it can be coated, for example, with manicure varnish.
Instead of copper wire, you can successfully use post nails of the required diameter. Nails are made from soft types of iron and therefore also rivet well.
Repairing an umbrella hinge using a screw connection
You can repair the hinge joint of the umbrella frame using a screw and a nut with a diameter of 1-2 mm of a suitable length.
To do this, you need to align the holes of the parts coaxially, thread a screw through them and screw the nut onto it. If the screw is excessively long, then after screwing the nut, it is necessary to remove the protruding part using side cutters.
Usually, when a screw is bitten, the thread is deformed and the screw will not be able to unscrew on its own. But to be safe, it is better to rest the head of the screw against the anvil and rivet its protruding part from the nut using a hammer.
If there is only a screw and no nut, then you need to shorten its threaded part to the required length and slightly rivet the protruding part.
If at least one rivet has fallen out of the hinge, then others have probably become loose as well. Therefore, in order not to have to repair the umbrella again in the near future, you need to tap all the remaining rivets with a hammer, resting on the anvil.
Repair of spokes and umbrella rods
The second most common reason for umbrella failure is the failure of fiberglass spokes or eyelets on the rods.
Repairing a broken spoke tip
In this umbrella, the end of the tip of the spoke broke off where the hole for attaching the canopy fabric passed through. Most likely from the umbrella hitting a hard surface.
The photo on the left shows a whole tip, and the one on the right shows a broken tip. If you have a new knitting needle or tip, the easiest way is to replace it. But there was no spare spoke available, so it had to be repaired.
To make repairs, a hole with a diameter of about 1 mm was drilled in the tip and the sharp edges where it broke were ground off using a file. To avoid chafing of the thread at the points where it exits the hole, it is necessary to remove the chamfers using a larger diameter drill or a knife blade.
Repairing an umbrella with a broken fiberglass spoke
As a rule, the spokes and rods in umbrellas are made of metal, but recently umbrellas with plastic rods and fiberglass spokes have begun to appear.
The repair was just such an umbrella, in which one of the spokes broke off at the point where the hinge entered the rocker arm. The rest of the spoke remained inside the joint.
In the rocker, the spoke is secured with the help of its curved edges. To remove the rest of the knitting needle, you need to slightly bend the petals to the sides using a thin blade of a flat-head screwdriver.
The broken end of the spoke was a little fluffy, so before fixing it in the rocker arm, it was lubricated with quick-drying waterproof Moment glue.
After compressing the spokes with the petals in the rocker arm, the umbrella began to look like new. The same technology is used to carry out repairs in the event of a broken knitting needle at the tip.
After the repair, the spoke became a little shorter, but visually with the umbrella dome open it was not noticeable.
If a fiberglass spoke is broken in the middle, then its integrity can be restored using a piece of thin-walled metal tube taken from the telescopic antenna of an old radio. The broken ends of the knitting needle are smeared with glue and inserted into the tube so that the joint is in the middle of the tube.
Rod eye repair
If an eye in the rod breaks off, it seems that the umbrella cannot be repaired without replacing the entire rod. But it's not. Using a metal knitting needle from an old umbrella, you can successfully restore the eye.
The photo on the left shows a working hinge joint, and on the right with a broken eye on the rod.
To repair, you need to take a metal knitting needle about ten centimeters long with a hole at the end from an old umbrella and tin it with solder along its entire length using an electric soldering iron.
Next, you need to remove the rivet from the rod and cover the inner surface of the rod groove with solder, as shown in the photo. When working with a soldering iron, it is necessary to prevent contact of heated parts and its tip with the fabric of the umbrella dome, since the synthetic material may melt.
The next step is to place a knitting needle in the rod groove and heat it along its entire length with a soldering iron until the solder melts both on the knitting needle and in the rod groove. At the same time, you must remember to correctly orient the hole on the knitting needle. Using this technology, you can successfully repair broken rods in the middle.
After installing the rivets using one of the technologies described above, the umbrella repair can be considered complete.
Repair of decorative umbrella cap
It is rare, but it happens that the decorative cap installed on the top of the umbrella dome breaks off or unscrews and is lost.
A cap that has broken off from the threaded part, if present, can be easily repaired by restoring its integrity.
To do this, you need to drill a hole in the center in the threaded part of the cap remaining in the umbrella cane with a diameter equal to the internal diameter of the screw thread.
In the center of the cap, you also need to drill a hole with a diameter equal to the external thread of the self-tapping screw. Thread a self-tapping screw through the cap and lubricate it so that it does not unscrew with any waterproof glue and screw it into the umbrella.
The photograph shows an assembled umbrella repaired with your own hands using the technology described above. The dome fabric is now securely fixed and water will not get on the frame parts.
If the cap is unscrewed and lost, you can restore it using a self-tapping screw with a large press washer.
To do this, you need to make a cork from wood. The diameter of a shortened furniture dowel may be suitable, as shown in the photo.
In the next step, a hole with a diameter equal to the internal diameter of the self-tapping screw is drilled in the center of the plug.
All that remains is to lubricate the thread of the self-tapping screw with waterproof glue and screw it into the plug. As you can see, it turned out beautifully.
If you don’t have a self-tapping screw with a wide head, you can cut a round washer from a sheet of plastic of a suitable color and attach it to the dome. The washer can be made from any plastic bottle cap by removing the threaded part.
About the repair of automatic umbrellas
Repair of automatic umbrellas is not considered in the article, since it is very labor-intensive and is beyond the capabilities of a home craftsman without repair experience. It is necessary to completely disconnect the dome material from the metal structure, remove the top cage, get to the roller and replace the tape. During assembly, a special device is required to compress a fairly powerful spring. Therefore, if the opening mechanism in an automatic umbrella fails, it is better to contact a workshop or buy a new umbrella, leaving the broken one for spare parts.
An umbrella serves as an indispensable accessory in rainy weather, protecting against the flow of water and wind. If after another bad weather it has lost its attractiveness or one of its main parts has broken, do not despair and do not rush to throw it away. It can always be fixed! Before repairing an umbrella, study its structure and determine whether it is possible to repair the faulty spare part. Sometimes automatic designs may require the help of a specialist.
Types of umbrellas
There are varieties of designs and differences between folding mechanisms from each other. The most important part of any umbrella is the dome, consisting of a metal frame or plastic spokes, on which fabric is stretched and a solid or folding handle. Each model can be equipped with a simple or automatic mechanism. All umbrellas are conventionally divided into:
- canes– have an enlarged dome made of dense fabric, a strong handle;
- folding– the structures have a telescopic device and can be folded and reduced in size (from two to five times).
Depending on the opening mechanism, there is a division into the following types:
- mechanical– open and close by hand, there are no buttons on the handle;
- semi-automatic– open manually, the automatic mechanism closes the dome when you press the button, and the handle shaft folds by hand;
- automatic– the button opens the dome, but you need to close it with your hand;
- full automatic– a button is used to open and close; no effort is required.
Device
The designs vary from model to model, but there are basic parts for all umbrellas. Main elements:
- fabric stretched over a frame;
- a rod consisting of telescopic parts of a tube;
- handle, with or without button;
- lower spoke supports;
- upper supports to which the main dome is attached;
- springs (thick short and thin long);
- A wheel is built into the upper part of the plastic tube (holder) that secures the lower supports.
The most common malfunction is when automatic umbrellas lose their rigidity. This happens when the wind turns them inside out, bending the thin knitting needles. It is important to periodically check the joints of the spokes and, if necessary, strengthen the weakened tissue. The same rule applies to all umbrellas: the fewer connections there are on the rod and spokes, the less often the structure breaks.
Spare parts
No matter how expensive and high-quality an umbrella is, it cannot be insured against breakage. Before throwing away your old one and buying a new one, try repairing your umbrella. If you have a second - unnecessary copy - then it can become a source of scrap materials for restoration. Urgent repairs of umbrellas, if necessary, can be performed by professional craftsmen in specialized modern institutions such as the House of Public Services.
The following components are subject to replacement and repair:
- telescopic the shaft or base of a cane;
- knitting needles from various materials;
- pen any configuration;
- dome material;
- safety spoke tips;
- center cap;
- buttons.
DIY umbrella repair
Depending on the cause of the malfunction, prepare the necessary materials and auxiliary tools. This could be a finished part from an old umbrella, pliers, wire or a tool for soldering metal parts. At home, you can repair the automatic umbrella with your own hands and eliminate the following breakdowns:
- damaged fabric at the seam;
- the tip of a knitting needle has fallen off;
- bent and broken knitting needles;
- faulty latch.
Fabric repair
To connect the seam on the dome, select threads of the appropriate color: you should carefully sew the fabric by hand. If the material comes off the end of the knitting needle, then use a thin fishing line to wrap the edge and secure it with a knot. Thread the ends of the fishing line into the hole of the knitting needle and secure it with several knots. This procedure is performed with the tissue freely positioned on the frame.
Spoke repair
How to repair an umbrella if the spokes are damaged? Follow the step by step instructions:
- First, you should detach the fabric from the frame of the product, remembering the location of the material.
- Next, you need to straighten the damaged knitting needles. If a part is unusable, it must be replaced. Use a soldering iron to fasten or secure the metal parts of the knitting needle with wire (you can use a piece of paper clip).
- Upon completion of work, secure the material with fishing line to the frame.
Holder repair
If the umbrella does not stay open, try to repair the product yourself. This kind of damage can be easily fixed if the latch is bent. To do this, press on the protrusion and sharply move the part to the side. This way the latch tongue is pulled out and carefully straightened. Install it back in the same way. Please note: if the spare parts for umbrellas are of poor quality, then such repairs will not last long. In this case, you just need to replace the damaged part. You can take it out of an old umbrella and insert it into the handle.
Automatic umbrella repair
Repairing an automatic umbrella is a little more difficult than a mechanical one, and it takes more time. Sometimes the breakdown is associated with improper use of the product, then the parts are severely deformed and can only be replaced with new ones. If the machine itself is faulty, it is better to contact specialists in specialized institutions where umbrellas are repaired. This process is completed in a short time.
Where to repair an umbrella
Repair of damaged products of any complexity is carried out by specialized workshops or stores that provide repairs to shoes and clothing. In large cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg, there are service centers that provide high-quality repairs of umbrellas. In small towns there are also centers where the service will cost even less. Pay attention to advertisements on the Internet, in newspapers, read reviews, customer recommendations, compare prices.
During the rains, people use an umbrella to help them avoid getting their clothes wet. However, very strong winds or careless handling may deform the product. In this case, there is no need to rush and throw away the broken automatic umbrella; perhaps you can still repair it at home.
You will need
- metal tube with a diameter of 6 mm;
- stainless steel wire;
- tin plate;
- various parts from an unnecessary umbrella;
- soldering iron;
- pliers.
Repair steps
1. Grooved spokes are a common cause of machine umbrella failure. In this case, you need to find a metal tube with a diameter of 6 mm, then cut off a small piece of about 3 cm. You can use an antenna from a TV or radio for this purpose. The ends of the broken knitting needle need to be straightened, then put on the tube and squeeze the ends with pliers.
2. If the tubular rivets at the ends of the spokes are damaged, you need to insert a small piece of soft stainless steel wire into the hole, and then twist the ends.
3. If the tape on the automatic umbrella breaks, then you need to replace it. First, unscrew the top plug, then remove the panel and remove the retaining nail from the top assembly. After this, you need to remove the entire assembly, open the tube by carefully placing your hand under it. You need to be extremely careful, as there is a spring inside that can fly out. Now you need to take out the rollers and change the tape.
4. Rods are also a common cause of automatic umbrella failure; they break at the hinge points. Once all the clutches are loosened and removed from their hooks, the linkage repair can begin. Take a piece of tinned steel and cut out a small plate 40 by 12 mm. Bend the plate lengthwise to form a trough. All broken rod halves must be straightened. Now the ends can be tinned and the overlay can be installed; the damaged area must be soldered along the entire length.
5. It happens that the latch stops working and the umbrella cannot be kept closed. To do this, you need to press the locking tab and move it closer to the handle. Remove the broken retainer from the rod tube and straighten it out, then install it in its place. It is recommended to replace the fastener made of low-quality metal with a new one, since such a breakdown will bother you very often.
- Also read -
DIY umbrella repair - video
Umbrella- this is a mechanical device, which is a metal or plastic frame made of knitting needles on a tubular rod equipped with a handle, on which a synthetic waterproof material is stretched. An umbrella is designed to protect a person from sunlight and rain.
The umbrella was invented in China 300 centuries ago for protection from the sun. In those days, an umbrella was considered a symbol of power, and only the emperor and those close to him were allowed to use it.
A lot of time has passed since then, and now the umbrella has become a constant companion of any person in everyday life. The airy design of the umbrella allows it to be foldable and lightweight, but is not resistant to strong gusts of wind. Therefore, over time, everyone is faced with the breakdown of an umbrella, after which many simply throw them away.
But in vain, because you can save money and time, since usually umbrella breakdowns are simple and are associated with a rivet falling out or one of the spokes breaking. Therefore, you can repair an umbrella with your own hands using standard tools and available materials in half an hour.
Repair of the articulated connection of the spokes with the umbrella rods
The most common breakdown of an umbrella is the fall of a tubular rivet from the hinged connection of the rods and spokes. Due to mechanical load in the wind, the edges of the rivet unbend, it falls out and is lost.
Repair using installation as a rivet
paper clip
If the breakdown of the umbrella consists of a tubular rivet falling out of the hinge, and there are no conditions for repair, then it can be repaired using a paper clip.
To do this, just pass the bent end of the paper clip through the holes of the knitting needle and rod, then bend the end of the paper clip, as shown in the photo.
If you have pliers with a wire cutter function on hand, you can take a piece of wire from a paper clip, bend it into a loop on one side, insert it into the holes and form a loop on the other side. Thus, the wire will reliably perform the function of a rivet and will not tear the fabric of the umbrella dome.
Repair using a homemade rivet
copper wire
This is the most reliable repair method I've been using lately. The repaired hinge joint in the umbrella did not have to be repaired again.
The material used for the rivet is copper wire for electrical wiring with a diameter of about 1 mm. The wire is selected depending on the diameter of the holes in the rod and the spoke.
Before making a rivet, you need to thread the wire through the hole in the rod and check that it moves easily. If it is tight, then you need to slightly reduce the diameter using sandpaper.
Next you need to form the head of the rivet. To do this, the wire is clamped in a vice and the edges are riveted by hitting them with a small hammer, as shown in the photo. If the end of the wire is not flat, then it needs to be processed with a finely cut file.
When repairing an automatic umbrella, to be able to install a rivet, it must be kept in a half-opened position, which is not allowed by the spring, which tends to open the dome. In this case, you need to use a rope to tie the movable lower frame of the umbrella to the handle, as shown in the photo.
The next step is to insert the knitting needle into the slot of the rod and insert the prepared wire with the head. Cut off the excess wire with side cutters so that the protruding part is about a millimeter.
In the last step, you need to press the created wire head against an anvil (any solid metal object will do) and, with light blows along the edges, flatten the wire until a head is formed. Here is the umbrella hinge that has been repaired.
As practice has shown, although an umbrella is used in wet weather, the copper rivet does not oxidize. If desired, it can be coated, for example, with manicure varnish.
Instead of copper wire, you can successfully use post nails of the required diameter. Nails are made from soft types of iron and therefore also rivet well.
Repairing an umbrella hinge using a screw connection
You can repair the hinge joint of the umbrella frame using a screw and a nut with a diameter of 1-2 mm of a suitable length.
To do this, you need to align the holes of the parts coaxially, thread a screw through them and screw the nut onto it. If the screw is excessively long, then after screwing the nut, it is necessary to remove the protruding part using side cutters.
Usually, when a screw is bitten, the thread is deformed and the screw will not be able to unscrew on its own. But to be safe, it is better to rest the head of the screw against the anvil and rivet its protruding part from the nut using a hammer.
If there is only a screw and no nut, then you need to shorten its threaded part to the required length and slightly rivet the protruding part.
If at least one rivet has fallen out of the hinge, then others have probably become loose as well. Therefore, in order not to have to repair the umbrella again in the near future, you need to tap all the remaining rivets with a hammer, resting on the anvil.
Repair of spokes and umbrella rods
The second most common reason for umbrella failure is the failure of fiberglass spokes or eyelets on the rods.
Repairing a broken spoke tip
In this umbrella, the end of the tip of the spoke broke off where the hole for attaching the canopy fabric passed through. Most likely from the umbrella hitting a hard surface.
The photo on the left shows a whole tip, and the one on the right shows a broken tip. If you have a new knitting needle or tip, the easiest way is to replace it. But there was no spare spoke available, so it had to be repaired.
To make repairs, a hole with a diameter of about 1 mm was drilled in the tip and the sharp edges where it broke were ground off using a file. To avoid chafing of the thread at the points where it exits the hole, it is necessary to remove the chamfers using a larger diameter drill or a knife blade.
Repairing an umbrella with a broken fiberglass spoke
As a rule, the spokes and rods in umbrellas are made of metal, but recently umbrellas with plastic rods and fiberglass spokes have begun to appear.
The repair was just such an umbrella, in which one of the spokes broke off at the point where the hinge entered the rocker arm. The rest of the spoke remained inside the joint.
In the rocker, the spoke is secured with the help of its curved edges. To remove the rest of the knitting needle, you need to slightly bend the petals to the sides using a thin blade of a flat-head screwdriver.
The broken end of the spoke was a little fluffy, so before fixing it in the rocker arm, it was lubricated with quick-drying waterproof Moment glue.
After compressing the spokes with the petals in the rocker arm, the umbrella began to look like new. The same technology is used to carry out repairs in the event of a broken knitting needle at the tip.
After the repair, the spoke became a little shorter, but visually with the umbrella dome open it was not noticeable.
If a fiberglass spoke is broken in the middle, then its integrity can be restored using a piece of thin-walled metal tube taken from the telescopic antenna of an old radio. The broken ends of the knitting needle are smeared with glue and inserted into the tube so that the joint is in the middle of the tube.
Rod eye repair
If an eye in the rod breaks off, it seems that the umbrella cannot be repaired without replacing the entire rod. But it's not. Using a metal knitting needle from an old umbrella, you can successfully restore the eye.
The photo on the left shows a working hinge joint, and on the right with a broken eye on the rod.
To repair, you need to take a metal knitting needle about ten centimeters long with a hole at the end from an old umbrella and tin it with solder along its entire length using an electric soldering iron.
Next, you need to remove the rivet from the rod and cover the inner surface of the rod groove with solder, as shown in the photo. When working with a soldering iron, it is necessary to prevent contact of heated parts and its tip with the fabric of the umbrella dome, since the synthetic material may melt.
The next step is to place a knitting needle in the rod groove and heat it along its entire length with a soldering iron until the solder melts both on the knitting needle and in the rod groove. At the same time, you must remember to correctly orient the hole on the knitting needle. Using this technology, you can successfully repair broken rods in the middle.
After installing the rivets using one of the technologies described above, the umbrella repair can be considered complete.
Repair of decorative umbrella cap
It is rare, but it happens that the decorative cap installed on the top of the umbrella dome breaks off or unscrews and is lost.
A cap that has broken off from the threaded part, if present, can be easily repaired by restoring its integrity.
To do this, you need to drill a hole in the center in the threaded part of the cap remaining in the umbrella cane with a diameter equal to the internal diameter of the screw thread.
In the center of the cap, you also need to drill a hole with a diameter equal to the external thread of the self-tapping screw. Thread a self-tapping screw through the cap and lubricate it so that it does not unscrew with any waterproof glue and screw it into the umbrella.
The photograph shows an assembled umbrella repaired with your own hands using the technology described above. The dome fabric is now securely fixed and water will not get on the frame parts.
If the cap is unscrewed and lost, you can restore it using a self-tapping screw with a large press washer.
To do this, you need to make a cork from wood. The diameter of a shortened furniture dowel may be suitable, as shown in the photo.
In the next step, a hole with a diameter equal to the internal diameter of the self-tapping screw is drilled in the center of the plug.
All that remains is to lubricate the thread of the self-tapping screw with waterproof glue and screw it into the plug. As you can see, it turned out beautifully.
If you don’t have a self-tapping screw with a wide head, you can cut a round washer from a sheet of plastic of a suitable color and attach it to the dome. The washer can be made from any plastic bottle cap by removing the threaded part.
About the repair of automatic umbrellas
Repair of automatic umbrellas is not considered in the article, since it is very labor-intensive and is beyond the capabilities of a home craftsman without repair experience. It is necessary to completely disconnect the dome material from the metal structure, remove the top cage, get to the roller and replace the tape. During assembly, a special device is required to compress a fairly powerful spring. Therefore, if the opening mechanism in an automatic umbrella fails, it is better to contact a workshop or buy a new umbrella, leaving the broken one for spare parts.
The weather is often unpredictable, and a little rain can turn into heavy rain with strong gusts of wind. If your automatic umbrella breaks during such natural weather, do not rush to take it to the workshop or throw it away. Our tips will help you repair it at home. By the way, look, perhaps you already have broken umbrellas in your house, the parts of which you can use in the repair process.
Automatic umbrella device
Design diagram of a standard automatic umbrella
The structure of umbrellas can vary greatly, but in general several main parts of the structure can be distinguished. The main elements are a handle with a button, sliding tubes (there are 6 or 8 of them in the device), lower and upper supports for the spokes, and a plastic pipe. The upper part of the latter is thickened, a wheel is attached to it, which is inserted into the upper support for the spokes. Short and long springs are in turn attached to the support.
This is interesting: The most common today are semi-automatic umbrellas. They open when you press a button, and close manually. In a fully automatic umbrella, pressing a button both opens and closes the umbrella.
The most common breakdowns and instructions for fixing them
There are a lot of parts in automatic and semi-automatic umbrellas that could theoretically break. But, as practice shows, there are 5 most common breakdowns. We invite you to learn about methods for eliminating them.
Spokes
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If the latch cannot be fixed, it may need to be replaced.
It happens that in modern umbrellas the latch fails. Because of this, it is not held open. But such a breakdown is easy to fix.
Press the locking tab and move it to the side with a sharp movement of your hand. Then remove the bent retainer, carefully straighten it and install it back.
However, if the clamp is made of low-quality metal, then straightening it will not help for long. Then it's better to just replace it. Find the old umbrella, remove the retainer from it and place it in the new umbrella. Assemble the structure and test it. If everything is done correctly, the mechanism will work as it should.
Video. How to repair an automatic umbrella with your own hands?
Many people do not want to waste time on fixing a broken umbrella and are looking for a replacement. But choosing a product that will not break after several trips to rainy and windy weather is quite difficult. And it won't be cheap. Therefore, it would be better to save time and money by repairing your old umbrella. We hope our tips will help you do this.
After reading our instructions, you will know everything about the care and use of umbrellas and will ensure a long life for your weather protector.
First steps. How to open and close?
If you know what type of mechanism your umbrella has, read the “scientific instructions” below; if you don’t know, follow these steps step by step:
Step 1. Remove the cover, unfasten the strap and shake the umbrella slightly so that the folds of the canopy material do not stick to each other.
Step 2: Look for the button. For folding umbrellas, the button is located on the handle; for cane umbrellas, the button is a lock at the base of the rod.
Step 3 Position your hand so that the suddenly opened dome does not cause damage to you or anyone else.
Step 4: Click the button. This is not a touch phone, press the button confidently. The umbrella didn't open? Try again or ask a more experienced friend. Didn't open up again? If you did everything correctly, what you have in front of you is most likely a semi-automatic umbrella (the button is used to close). Is there no button? Fine. With your other hand, grab the slider and move it in the direction “away from the handle” until the latch clicks.
Congratulations! The umbrella is open.
Now let's close...
For buttonless umbrellas. Find the latch on the slider, press it so that the slider goes “down”. Fold the umbrella all the way.
For push-button ones. Press the button confidently. The dome will fold, and all you have to do is fold the rod (if it's not a cane). The rod folds in two ways: either pull the slider towards the handle until it stops, or fold the umbrella by resting the palms of both hands on different sides of the rod.
You press, but it doesn’t fold? Look for a lock on the slider. Available? Press and fold the umbrella manually.
Scientific instruction
If you do not know what type of mechanism the umbrella has, check this information with the seller.
Important! Before opening, slightly straighten the folds of the canopy; after closing, fold the umbrella without twisting the knitting needles, as this leads to breakdown.
- Mechanical umbrella- opens and closes manually. There are no buttons on the handle of this umbrella. Grab the slider on the rod and move your hand away from the handle. In this case, the dome will gradually open; bring it to a click by moving the slider through the “lock”. Such an umbrella is closed by pressing the same “latch” and manually folding the rod by the slider.
- Umbrella machine- opens by pressing a button on the handle. It closes manually - grab the slider and pull it towards the handle, which will first fold the dome and then the rod.
- semi-automatic- opens manually. Grab the slider on the rod and pull it up towards the dome until it clicks. This umbrella closes by pressing a button. Pressing the button collapses the dome, and the rod will need to be folded manually by pulling the slider towards the handle.
- Full automatic- opens and closes by pressing a button (usually for such umbrellas the button is marked with two arrows, but this is not necessary). Closing occurs in two stages - pressing the button when the umbrella is open will collapse its dome, and you fold the rod manually by pulling the slider towards the handle.
How to dry. Subtleties of ordinary business
Long service will be ensured by proper drying after rain. Many people perform this simple action incorrectly, without even realizing the error.
Do not cover a wet umbrella or leave it wet for a long time. This will lead to rapid wear of the dome fabric, as well as the appearance of rust on the metal frame.
At first open the umbrella, place it open away from heat sources, let the water drain.
Do not wait until the umbrella is completely dry; dry it in a half-opened state (not fastened with the strap, but also with the canopy not opened). You need to hang it on some kind of hook. As the fabric dries under tension, it stretches. This will cause the frame to become loose, the fabric will be loosely stretched, and the umbrella will lose its attractive appearance.
Do not dry the umbrella near radiators or heating devices. The fabric will shrink and the umbrella will become unusable.
After drying, the umbrella should be shaken thoroughly and the fabric carefully folded around the frame.
In addition to proper drying, there are other equally important rules, following which will significantly extend the life of your umbrella.
Proper use. 6 important rules
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Important! What to do if the umbrella is blown over by the wind?
Don't be alarmed if the umbrella gets twisted by the wind, and don't try to return it to its normal position with your hands.
Do this in the usual way, in accordance with the mechanism. For example, if it is a full automatic machine, then simply press the button, fold the mechanical one by pulling the slider towards the handle.
If your umbrella accidentally gets dirty, don't worry. It can be cleaned and your weather protector will be as good as new!
How to clean umbrellas?
Most umbrellas are made from polyester. But there are also products from other materials. For example, transparent umbrellas are made from polyvinyl, and wedding umbrellas are made from cotton and guipure. Unusual materials need special care.
Features of caring for transparent umbrellas
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A good umbrella is an indispensable thing in autumn, during the rainy season. But even high-quality umbrellas that have served you faithfully for many years can become unusable. This does not mean at all that it can be thrown away immediately. Instead, it's better to ask the question.
When repairing an umbrella, you may need the following auxiliary materials:
- metal tube (about 6 mm in diameter, 3 cm long)
- stainless steel wire;
- tin plate;
- pliers;
- soldering iron;
- spare parts taken from another old umbrella.
How to repair an umbrella with your own hands?
The causes of umbrella malfunction can be a variety of problems, which you will have to deal with accordingly using different methods.
- Broken spokes. Grooved spokes are the weak link of any automatic umbrella. If a knitting needle is bent by the wind, you need to take a metal tube prepared in advance (for example, an antenna from an old radio or TV), cut to three centimeters. The bent knitting needle needs to be straightened, put a tube on it and press its ends with pliers.
- Damage to the tubular rivets at the ends of the spokes. You need to insert a short piece of soft stainless steel wire into the hole of the rivet, then twist the ends. Remember that if you ignore such a minor problem, the fabric of the damaged part of the umbrella will be visible for all to see.
- The automatic umbrella works using a special tape, which tends to break at the most inopportune moment. If the question is “how to repair an umbrella?” arose due to this problem, repairs must begin by unscrewing the top plug and removing the canvas part. After this, you should remove the retaining nail from the upper corner and remove the entire assembly. Next, opening the tube, you need to remove the roller and replace the tape. Here you need to be very careful, because inside the umbrella there is a powerful spring that can fly out at any moment.
- Breakage of the rod at the hinge joint. If the rod malfunctions, it is necessary to loosen all connections and remove them from the hook. We take a plate of tinned sheet metal (about 0.3 mm thick) and cut out a plate measuring approximately 40 by 12 mm from it. Next, we bend it along its length, turning it into a trough. If one of the halves of the rod is bent, you need to carefully align it. Then you should tin the ends, and then install the overlay, soldering the place where the repair was made along the entire length.
- Failure of the latch. If the latch that holds the umbrella in the closed position malfunctions, you need to press on the locking protrusion, then sharply move it in the direction of the handle. This will make it possible to pull out the deformed retainer, after which it must be carefully straightened and put in place. If the latch is bent to the point that it cannot be repaired, you can replace it with another one if you have an old, unwanted umbrella with a working latch.
Even if you were unable to repair the umbrella yourself, you always have the opportunity to use its linen part - sew a bag or an apron from it.
Usually, many people throw away umbrellas due to minor breakdowns, which are generally easy to fix even for an inexperienced craftsman. Mostly, the rods break at the point of their hinge connection, which is carried out using an axle. More often this happens with a large rod in node “A” (Fig. 1), since this rod in the open umbrella bears the main load, and even a slight lateral pressure on it leads to the rod breaking, as a result of which the compression hook of the power spring is usually lost.
Rice. 1. Design of the umbrella frame: A, B and C – places of the most common breakdowns; 1 – upper linkage fastening unit; 2 – hairpin; 3 – shock absorption spring; 4 – power spring bushing; 5 – power spring; 6 – sleeve for fixing the umbrella when folded; 7 – cavity for the latch hook; 8 – power spring compression hook; 9 – traction
When starting to repair the rod, first of all you should relieve the tension in the elements of the umbrella frame created by the power spring. To do this, the upper end of the umbrella is rested against some surface, for example, against a door, and the power spring is compressed with the sleeve for fixing the umbrella when folded so that all the hooks that hold the spring in a compressed state can be freely unhooked from the rods. When releasing the hooks, you must not weaken the compression of the spring, otherwise the other rods may break.
Rice. 2. Repair of broken rods (using a lining): a – lining; b, c and d – sequence of operations during repair; d – repair with installation of a new axle; 1 – whole thrust; 2 – broken rod; 3 – overlay
To repair a broken rod, you will have to make a connecting pad. To do this, you should cut out a plate measuring 45×13 mm from 0.2...0.3 mm tinned sheet metal (the width is given in excess, since it is not always possible to symmetrically bend the plate exactly along the longitudinal axis), turn the plate into a “trough” so that the latter was tightly put on the rod being repaired, giving the lining the desired shape (Fig. 2, a).
The broken and intact rods are freed from the fabric; if the first one is deformed, it is straightened. The areas of the connected ends of the rod that will be located under the lining must be tinned in excess. If the axle on the attached (whole) rod has no defects, the rod with the axle is installed in place, as shown in Fig. 2, b, the axle on both sides is secured to the rod by soldering, and a connecting plate is installed (Fig. 2, c). Having fixed the end of the rod and the cover in the desired position using a compression clamp, the cover is soldered to the rod without disturbing the soldering of the axle. The other half of the rod is firmly inserted into the pad (Fig. 2d), after which the rod is fixed and the pad is soldered along its entire length. The joint is brought into proper shape, checking the functionality of the hinge joint.
If the axis on the attached rod is strongly bent and has any other defect, it is removed, a hole with a diameter of 1.5 mm is drilled in the lining, coinciding with the hole on the rod being repaired, and a wire is inserted into the hole, which will act as an axis. Next, carry out the same operations for connecting the rods that were described above. All that remains is to remove the wire, make an axis of the required length out of it and connect it with the rod axis. To prevent the axle from falling out of the rods and clinging to the fabric, it is soldered to the pad on both sides (Fig. 2e). The attachment of the fabric to the rods is restored. If there is easy access to the soldering point of the rod, it is better not to disconnect the fabric from the frame, but in order to avoid hot drops of tin getting on the fabric, you must first place a gasket between the fabric and the soldering point. The breakdown in node B is repaired in the same way (see Fig. 1).
Rice. 3. Repair of broken rods (using an insert and an overlay): a – insert; b – overlay; c, d and e – sequence of repair operations
Umbrellas in which the frame elements are made of thicker steel (in this case, the rods have narrower sidewalls), the broken rods in nodes A, B and C are connected using plug-in lugs, which are pressed against the sidewalls of the rods. For such umbrellas, breakage of the rods most often occurs in node B (see Fig. 1), since in this place the strength of the rod is weakened by the hole intended for the compression hook of the power spring. To repair such a rod, an insert-eye is bent from strong steel wire, the shape of which is shown in Fig. 3, a. The wire is selected with such a diameter that the insert fits tightly between the sidewalls of the rod. The length of the entire insert is approximately 45...50 mm. The main requirement for the insert is that when it is installed in place, the hook hook moves freely in the resulting cavity, and the insert itself does not interfere with the compact folding of the umbrella. To enhance the strength of the traction at the point of failure, it is still necessary to make an overlay from tinned sheet metal with a thickness of 0.2...0.3 mm (Fig. 3, b). Having made the fasteners, all that remains is to straighten the broken rod, tin the finished connecting insert with a thin layer of tin, insert the broken end of the rod closest to the handle so that the highest point of the curved part of the insert is located above the end of the hook hook (Fig. 3, c), and crimp the end of the insert traction sidewalls. Next, the second part of the rod is placed at the free end of the insert, the rod is compressed around the insert and the latter is soldered along its entire length. To increase the reliability of the connection, put an overlay on the place to be repaired, having previously drilled a hole in it with a diameter of 1.2 mm, coinciding with the hole on the rod being repaired, and solder the overlay to the rod.
Rice. 4. Mechanism for fixing the umbrella (manual) when opened: 1 – rod fastening unit; 2 – clamp; 3 – eye
There are cases when, after repair, umbrellas of this type do not fold completely. One of the reasons for this is the displacement of the ear inserts in the repaired units (especially in unit A), which usually occurs due to poor-quality crimping of the sidewalls of the rods. To eliminate such a defect, you will have to lightly hit the part of the eye protruding from the rod with a small hammer to move the eye to the desired place and again press the insert tightly with the sides of the rod. Please note that in order to more securely connect them to the rods, notches are made on the ear inserts (see Fig. 3, a).
In fact, broken rods are repaired only if there are no intact rods from any other umbrella of a similar design that cannot be repaired. Separating the required rod from the umbrella frame is not difficult. It is enough to cut off the flaring of the axles on a suitable rod with a knife and disconnect it from other rods and assemblies. And the axles for the “new” rod can be easily made from wire (or a nail) of the required diameter, not forgetting to solder the ends of the axle to the sides of the rod.
For umbrellas with an extended power spring, along with the above-mentioned breakdowns, the power spring bushing often cracks. I note that all the failed bushings that I dealt with were beyond repair, so to replace them I had to use suitable bushings from umbrellas of other designs. You can install a new bushing either through the upper or lower parts of the umbrella rod. You just need to determine which pin is easier to knock out: either the pin that secures the handle, or the pin that holds the upper linkage attachment. First of all, of course, you need to free the rods from the broken bushing and remove the latter. Installation of the bushing through the upper part of the rod is carried out in the following sequence: move the depreciation spring down (see Fig. 1), knock out the pin from the upper attachment point of the rods, remove this unit and install a new bushing. Assembling the umbrella, of course, is done in the reverse order.
Rice. 5. Option for repairing the umbrella fixation unit when open (using a clamp): a – pattern of a clamp blank; b – workpiece with soldered plates; c – drawing of the clamp
Rice. 6. Option for repairing the umbrella fixation unit in the open form (using surfacing and half-clamps): 1 – surfacing; 2 – half clamp
All of the above repair work is performed with the power spring compression hooks removed. Upon completion of the repair, check the presence of these hooks, make the missing number of them in the shape of the existing ones, install the umbrella fixation sleeve in a folded form so that the cavity (slot) of the hook on it is in line with the latch protrusion, hook the hooks to the sleeve, compress the power spring and insert the hooks into the holes of the rod.
By opening and folding the umbrella, check the correctness of its repair and assembly.
For umbrellas with manual opening, especially with a three-stage rod, in the mechanism that fixes the umbrella when opened, the eye in which the locking axis is installed often breaks due to excessive tension (in Fig. 4, the breakage point is shaded). If it is impossible to replace a failed mechanism, it can be repaired by making a clamp from 0.2...0.3 mm tin-plated sheet. It is clear that the dimensions of the workpiece for the clamp depend on the dimensions of the mechanism sleeve. On fig. 5, and I gave the dimensions of the clamp blank for the fixation mechanism in the open form of my umbrella, where the size of 35 mm is the distance on the blank from eye to eye, measured along the outer diameter of the bushing. The dimensions of clamp blanks for other mechanisms are determined in the same way. The edges of the workpiece are bent (along the dotted lines) and, applying the edges to the ears of the mechanism, the contours of the ears are transferred to the edges and the location of the hole of the latch axis is precisely marked. Remove “extra” areas on the folds. To increase the strength of the clamp ears, it is better to solder to them plates cut to their size and shape (Fig. 5,b), not forgetting to drill holes in the bends. All that remains is to bend the workpiece, without allowing distortion, around the tube (rod), the diameter of which corresponds to the diameter of the bushing of the fixation mechanism, put the clamp in place, that is, on the bushing, eliminate the inaccuracies, select a screw with a nut instead of the axle, and assemble the mechanism. A drawing of the finished clamp is shown in Fig. 5, c.
Rice. 7. Design of the latch: 1 – locking protrusion; 2 – handle tube; 3 – hook protrusion
You can repair the mechanism in another way. It is a little simpler and takes less time to repair, but the ears are less durable. In this case, take a small plywood (or strip) approximately 5 mm thick and insert it into the slot of the fixation mechanism between the broken ears. Along the remaining part of the lug in the plywood, a hole for the axle is marked and drilled, nails of the appropriate diameter are inserted into the hole, the plywood is installed on the axle in the slot, and the missing parts of the lugs are welded from fragments of the lugs or other suitable material onto the body of the mechanism or glued to it. Next, two strips half the thickness of the ear are cut out of tin (stainless steel, copper, brass), and bent with a half-clamp. By placing one half-clamp on the ear, as shown in Fig. 6, heat the half-clamp with a soldering iron, gradually pressing it into the ear. We also press the second half-clamp into the other ear. All that remains is to remove the stud-axle, remove the plywood, process the ears, and then assemble the mechanism. Don't forget to check the welding quality for strength. (For those who have not welded plastic parts, I inform you that such work is performed in a well-ventilated area.)
With children's umbrellas with automatic opening, it happens that the protrusion of the hook at the latch that holds the umbrella when folded stops returning to its original position. This is due to the fact that the clamp is made of low-quality metal and simply bends under load. This kind of problem can be fixed quickly. To do this, you will have to press the locking protrusion (Fig. 7), move the protrusion towards the handle, pull the latch out of the rod tube, bend the latch at the bend point, and then insert the latch into place. True, after some time the retainer will lose its shape again, so it is better to immediately replace it with a new retainer made of high-quality steel. If you don’t find one, it’s easy to make a retainer yourself from elastic metal.
For those who are thinking about doing umbrella repair, I recommend making the devices shown in Fig. 8 and 9. Although they are primitive, they greatly simplify the repair process. So, to mold the overlays (see Fig. 2,a), you will have to make a simple stamp. The die matrix (Fig. 8a) is bent from sheet steel 1.5 mm thick. In the center of the bottom of the “trough”, a depression is formed with a beard or other suitable tool. The punch (Fig. 8,b), which has a protrusion in the center, is made from a strip of steel 3...4 mm thick. When forming an overlay, a plate measuring 45...50×13 mm is placed on the matrix so that there is a recess under the center of the plate, a punch is placed on top and hit with a hammer. All. The overlay is ready, all that remains is to work on it a little. By the way, the matrix described above is also useful for straightening the rods, but the punch will have to be made new (Fig. 8, c). The deformed rod is placed in the recess of the matrix, after which it is straightened with a punch.
Rice. 8. Die for making linings and straightening rods: a – matrix; b and c – punches
It is also necessary to make devices for compressing the power spring (Fig. 9). The operating principle of this device is similar to that of a simple screw press. Here, two crossbars “run” along two guides (Fig. 10), one of which acts as a base, and the second as a slider, which can be moved by turning or unscrewing the wings on the guides where the M6 thread is cut. Each crossbar consists of two halves (Fig. 10, a).
Rice. 9. Device for compressing the power spring: 1 – crossbar (jumper); 2 – split washer; 3 – power spring bushing; 4 – sleeve for fixing the umbrella when folded; 5 – pin (guide)
We’ll tell you a little about how to compress a spring using this device. First, two halves of the jumper are put on each pin (guide) and screwed on the lamb. Complete assembly of the device is carried out directly on the umbrella. The halves are connected with screws, as a result of which the resulting jumpers wrap around the rod of the umbrella handle. The device is now ready to compress the spring. You just need to tighten the screws. This simplifies the process of removing and installing the spring compression hooks, described at the beginning of the text.
Rice. 10. Design of the crossbar (lintel): a – drawing of half of the lintel; b – assembled jumper
A little about fabric. Broken ends of rods, as a rule, tear the fabric of the umbrella. Small holes can be sealed with the same fabric using BF-6 glue, which is sold in pharmacies, but it is easier to stick a transparent self-adhesive film onto the damaged area, as my friends do.
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Glad to see you again on the blog, friends! Something bad happened to me: my old but favorite umbrella broke. But I didn’t want to send it in for repairs: firstly, the repairman is far away, you have to go to another area, and secondly, the service will not be cheap. Of course, you can purchase a new model, because men’s umbrellas are sold wholesale and retail in online stores. But I decided to repair the accessory myself and coped with the task! Let me tell you how to fix a broken umbrella.
How to fix a spoke joint
A common breakdown can leave you unprotected in bad weather, but it's not difficult to fix. If you see that the spoke is broken at the hinge area, strengthen it with thin wire. An ordinary paper clip will do: pass it through the hinge holes, cut off the excess with wire cutters and bend the edges. In a similar way, it will be possible to repair an umbrella if the connection between the spoke and the rod fails.
How to fix a broken knitting needle
Since spokes are mostly made of metal, they rarely break; it is usually the hinges or joints that fail. But in some models, the spokes are made of fiberglass: they can break if hit. To fix the problem, use superglue and apply it to the fracture. Alternatively, if you have a hollow tube on hand (an antenna from an old radio works well), you can slide it onto the spoke before inserting it back into the joints. In such cases, the breakdown will not recur.
How to sew up torn umbrella fabric
If you have torn the fabric, you can correct the situation with the help of appliqué. However, when repairing men's umbrellas, choosing a suitable option becomes a problem. You can use the sticker when the whole look is casual. But appliques on an umbrella are unlikely to look great in combination with a business suit, so in such cases it’s worth investing in a new accessory.
It’s also easy to repair a plastic umbrella: you can use special stickers to disguise the hole.
How to repair a decorative hat
It happens that the cap mounted on the tip of the umbrella unscrews and gets lost. As a result, water begins to enter the hole: the parts get wet, and it becomes uncomfortable to be under the dome. If you have lost your cap, you can fix the situation using a self-tapping screw:
- Make a small plug out of wood. Place it in the hole where the cap used to be.
- Screw a self-tapping screw with a large press washer into the plug. You can attach any decorative element to it by applying waterproof superglue.
All you have to do is wait until the glue dries and you can use the accessory again.
Is it possible to repair an automatic umbrella at home?
Has the automatic umbrella mechanism failed? It is unlikely that it will be possible to repair it at home, because it requires special equipment: without it, you will not be able to compress the spring. To repair automatic umbrellas, I advise you to contact a specialist.
Conclusion
Before you undertake repairs to your favorite accessory, assess the damage it has sustained. While fixing a knitting needle with a loose joint is not difficult, many other repairs will affect the appearance of the product. For example, if you have torn the fabric on an umbrella, it can be difficult to find an applique in the right style. In some cases, it’s time to purchase a new accessory and retire the old one.
