DIY Apple Fruit Picker Pole Rubber Footing

In a recent article, the need for the apple fruit picker pole bottom cap was discussed. The bottom cap was improvised from a bottle cap and worked well in covering the main pole of the fruit picker.


Benefits in using a Pole Rubber Footing

1. Added Protection for the Pole Bottom Cap
   
   After a long extended use of the apple fruit picker pole and hundreds of mangoes picked, the bottom cap will show heavy wear and tear with plenty of scrapes and dents especially on the sides.
   
   
   
   
   This is to be expected, since after all, the bottle cap material is cheap plastic. Also, it is unavoidable that the bottom end of the fruit picker pole gets dragged along the ground when harvesting fruits.
   
   The rubber footing will protect the bottom cap at least indefinitely for as long as the rubber material lasts.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Cushion the Bottom End of the Pole
   
   Several times, in the course of picking and harvesting fruits, the pole is inadvertently dropped on hard pavement. Especially when fully extended, this creates a jarring sensation to the hands. When the pole pounds the hard ground, the vibration is transmitted to the fruit picker giving a jarring sensation.
   
   
   
   
   Installing a rubber footing cushions the pole's bottom. It eliminates the jarring effect caused by the vibration when the fully extended pole vertically drops to the ground. So instead of a hard "thud", you'll feel a soft "foob" when the pole is dropped. In some cases, the pole bounces a little off the ground.
   
   

How to Install the Rubber Footing to the Pole

Materials

• Rubber Footing - 1 1/2" dia.
  This item may be bought from most hardware stores, usually in the furniture hardware section. They're mostly used for covering the bottom of the legs of furniture like chairs, tables, beds and so on. Alternatively, they may be used to cover the ends of tubes, pipes and posts. These come in different sizes and so choose one where the pole bottom (with cap) will fit snugly.
  
  
  
  
  Shown below is the inside of the rubber footing. This is where the bottom of the pole is inserted.
  
  
  
  
  
• Construction Adhesive
  Choose adhesive or a 2-part epoxy that can bind plastics and rubber together. It is important to glue the rubber footing to the pole bottom no matter how snug or tight fitting it is. The pole's bottom is sometimes dragged on the ground when changing position to pick fruits. It is easy for the rubber footing to be removed if it isn't glued.
  
  

Procedure

1. Apply adhesive liberally on the inside of the rubber footing. Put adhesive in all surfaces that will come into contact with the pole bottom cap.
   
   
2. Apply adhesive liberally on the outside of the pole bottom cap. Put adhesive in all surfaces that will come into contact with the rubber footing.
   
   
3. When the adhesive is dry to the touch, attach the rubber footing to the pole bottom cap, ensuring a snug fit.
   
   
4. Let the adhesive dry and cure.