How do you get a funnel or a shield onto the end of a pole?
The thing you need to reach is three metres up. The tool is fine. The problem is entirely the distance.
Applies to
- Process
- Reach and containment tasks
- Materials
- Plastic sheet, funnels, guards, small containers
- Setup
- Pole or rod, zip ties, flush cutters
- Best for
- One-off jobs where buying the tool makes no sense
Why it matters
Two ties beat one screw for this, because nothing has to be drilled and it comes apart in seconds when the job's done.
The second tie is the whole trick. One tie and the attachment rotates on the pole at the worst possible moment.
What good looks like
- Two spaced ties so nothing rotates or slides
- The attachment stays square to the pole under load
- It comes off with two snips
How to apply it
- Position the attachment on the pole where it needs to sit.
- Fit at least two ties, spaced apart along the pole.
- Cinch and check by hand that it can't rotate or slide.
- Trim tails flush.
Exceptions & tradeoffs
Anything overhead needs eye protection and a thought about what falls if the ties let go — nylon on a smooth pole slides more than you'd like.
This is a temporary tool. For anything you'll use repeatedly, drill and bolt it.
Common mistakes
- One tieTwo, spaced. One is a pivot
- Tying to a smooth pole with nothing to key againstRough the surface, add a stop, or tie through a hole
Attaching a plastic sheet or funnel to a rod with a zip tie — 60 Zip Tie Life Hacks ↗ at 9:40.
Summarized and independently edited by Start Here. The source is a rapid-fire compilation, so the steps and cautions here are ours — the creator shows the move, not the procedure.