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scottandanna · 03-11-2017, 09:38 AM

We have had the trailer for about two years, and we have been living in it full-time since June, and over the summer, ALL of the cords on all of the blinds have either broken, frayed, or began to wear through. I have become an expert at replacing the cords.

BUT...

Everywhere I look, I read that the end-caps are just snapped into the sides. All of mine, except for one, were all glued in. So I had to take a small hack-saw and gently cut away the glue to get the caps off.

So yesterday, I took one down to replace the strings, and LO AND BEHOLD, no glue. It made the job a 10-minute affair, not a 45-minute one.

So, when did they start to glue the caps on?

Or did they hire someone for a couple of days who thought gluing them on would be beneficial, only to fire them after supervisors caught them. Thereby providing my trailer with only one that has the caps not glued on?

I try to catch them before they break, melt a new cord onto the old one end-to-end, and feed it through to the top without having to take the endcaps off. Works about 90% of the time.

Woody2 · 03-11-2017, 05:21 PM

My top and bottom endcaps are snapped in but the middle set is glued in. I've been breaking them to get them out. Next time I'll try to cut them out as you have. I wonder what the professional people do to get them out.

Edd505 · 03-11-2017, 06:58 PM

Professional Instruction
https://www.fixmyblinds.com/instructions.html

Woody2 · 03-11-2017, 07:17 PM

I went to fix my blinds. Could not figure out what kind of shades I have. They have instructions for many many kinds of blinds. My shades have no name on them so all the instructions are useless to me.

wingnut60 · 03-11-2017, 11:11 PM

Woody2,
Try this site, see if it helps you...

Welcome | RV Shade Repair | Full Service National RV Shade Repair Service in Salem, Oregon | Repairing Indoor RV Blinds for RV Dealers & RV Owners Nationwide

Woody2 · 03-12-2017, 07:42 AM

Not for the do it yourselfer.

scottandanna · 03-12-2017, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woody2

Not for the do it yourselfer.

It would be, if it wasn't for the caps being glued on. Very easy job, actually. But with them glued together, now you are looking at dramatically increasing the chance of injury to the DIYer, or to the blinds, or to anything you are using as a work bench.

Still makes it a LOT easier if you swap out the string BEFORE it breaks or shreds its outside fuzzy layer. Then you don't need to cut off the endcaps.

70ChevelleSS · 03-12-2017, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woody2

I went to fix my blinds. Could not figure out what kind of shades I have. They have instructions for many many kinds of blinds. My shades have no name on them so all the instructions are useless to me.

I think they're all pretty similar. How many strings coming down, 2, 3 or 4? Once you have it down, how many springs in the top rail, 1 in center or 2 at ends. Think that's all you really need to know other than what thickness cord to buy. fixmyblinds.com has instructions for restring and they're based on that info not what brand shades you have. Go to their website, instructions, RV Day/Night blind and find the instructions for your blind.

Woody2 · 03-12-2017, 02:23 PM

I guess I got off the original subject. I have restrung several of my shades. What I need to know is the answer to the OPs question. How do the professionals get the caps off that are glued in? I have been breaking them out. Next time I will try cutting them off as the OP does.

scottandanna · 03-13-2017, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woody2

I guess I got off the original subject. I have restrung several of my shades. What I need to know is the answer to the OPs question. How do the professionals get the caps off that are glued in? I have been breaking them out. Next time I will try cutting them off as the OP does.

Find the thinnest hacksaw (or similar) blade, and be sure not to cut all the way through the tabs. I have messed a couple up by cutting into the tabs and having them stick inside the blind. Once I cut through just the glue, it still takes a little prying to break the endcaps loose. But I have been able to snap those caps back on after I replace the string, most of the time.