Repairing Poles In A Flip-Over Portable House

[PerchJerker]

I was checking out my Frabill flip-over house yesterday and noticed that a couple of the push-buttons or snap-buttons that lock the poles in place when they're extended are missing. They were there last year but not there now, I have no idea what could have happened to them over the summer???? Anyway ......

Can you get replacement snap-buttons at a hardware store or anything like that? Or am I stuck waiting for Frabill's customer service to get me replacement buttons or poles?

[FishLocker]

I have had the snap buttons rotate out of alighnment before. Even to the point of not seeing them when looking into the hole. Used a dental pick to fish it back into place. One possibility anyway.

Good luck.

[deadeye]

I have had the snap buttons rotate out of alighnment before. Even to the point of not seeing them when looking into the hole. Used a dental pick to fish it back into place. One possibility anyway.

Good luck.

This has happened to me too. I could not figure out where they were at and then I looked down inside the pole.

Otherwise I would just email Frabill. They would probably send you new ones for little to nothing. They have always had decent customer service when I needed it.

[PerchJerker]

I took apart the poles with the missing snap-buttons and found out what happened.

The snap buttons are made from thin pieces of metal about 4 inches long, which are bent into a U shape and inserted in the pole. The U shape gives them the spring action that locks them in place in the hole, like a spring-steel. The two "missing" ones snapped in the bend for the U - the metal must have been too brittle or rigid. The snap-buttons are located right at the end of the pole so it looks like it will be super easy to replace them when I get the part.

I went to a hardware store and a boat canvas store with no luck. Probably going to have to use Frabill customer service and hope they come through right away.

And .... I'm going to get some extras, I'm not too impressed with having 2 of 8 break in less than a year.