Vertical blind weights (89mm). Good quality.

[phetphet]

I'm fed up with having to keep replacing the weights in my vertical blinds.

 

I have bought from suppliers on Amazon, Lazada and Aliexpress. None of them last more than a month or two before the end lugs either break off or crumble to powder. The originals at least lasted a couple of years, but the company that fitted the blinds originally doesn't supply them or cannot give me any info.

 It can't be the sun breaking them down that quickly. So I presume they are made to not last long, or just all bad quality.

 

Does anyone know a source to buy good quality ones. I am getting through 100-200 per year.

 

TIA

 

This is what they look like:

[sometimewoodworker]

Why not get your local stainless steel shop to fabricate some?

[phetphet]

It's a thought. I need about three hundred. But I can't imagine they would be cheap in stainless.

 

Its the ends that I can see would be the problem. They would have to make and weld, or braze the end lugs on both ends of each one for the plastic chains to clip on. That is 600 lugs that look to be around 3mm diameter. Maybe less. 

Also. They would have to be sprayed white to blend in with the white blinds.

 

I can't believe there are not good quality blind weights out there, but it seems not available on the online shopping sites.

 

 

[bobbin]

5 hours ago, phetphet said:

It's a thought. I need about three hundred. But I can't imagine they would be cheap in stainless.

 

Its the ends that I can see would be the problem. They would have to make and weld, or braze the end lugs on both ends of each one for the plastic chains to clip on. That is 600 lugs that look to be around 3mm diameter. Maybe less. 

Also. They would have to be sprayed white to blend in with the white blinds.

 

I can't believe there are not good quality blind weights out there, but it seems not available on the online shopping sites.

 

 

I just counted the verticals on 5 windows..93. In a given year I would replace maybe 20.

 

I'm having a hard time with the numbers you are quoting. Also the longevity of the replacements... My replacements last at least 2 to 3 years.

 

Yes, even the brand name vertical manufacturer will not provide replacements.

 

Think of all the verticals you have seen in Thailand.. they all need these..

 

My advice.. find an independent curtain shop that makes verticals.. usually I'm able to buy about 10 at a time. Now I need about 20 so I'm going to ask them to order me about 50

 

And yes, it is the sun and the heat that degrades the plastic.

 

Added.. and when they flap about when it's windy and the windows are open. They bang into the wall and break off the lugs.

Edited December 9, 2021 by bobbin

[sometimewoodworker]

11 hours ago, phetphet said:

It's a thought. I need about three hundred. But I can't imagine they would be cheap in stainless.

 

Its the ends that I can see would be the problem. They would have to make and weld, or braze the end lugs on both ends of each one for the plastic chains to clip on. That is 600 lugs that look to be around 3mm diameter. Maybe less. 

Also. They would have to be sprayed white to blend in with the white blinds.

The cost of stainless is not that great and they would TIG weld them, the fabrication isn’t as difficult as you think as a D shape without the upright would be reasonably simple to make out of 3mm rod.
 

As to the value of getting them made that very much depends on how much you are currently pay for replacements in money and time.

[Yellowtail]

Do you have a cat? 

 

Are they installed correctly? 

 

The chain does not have to slide through the ears to open and close the blinds does it?  If not, and you want want stainless (or painted hot-roll) it looks like you might be able to just have them laser cut from sheet.

[bbko]

Research "Sewn in vertical blind weights".

[Yellowtail]

30 minutes ago, bbko said:

Research "Sewn in vertical blind weights".

I don't think he wants to replace the blinds. 

[bbko]

1 hour ago, Yellowtail said:

I don't think he wants to replace the blinds. 

Not replace, just have small pockets sewn to the bottom and insert weights.

[phetphet]

3 hours ago, bbko said:

Research "Sewn in vertical blind weights".

 

1 hour ago, bbko said:

Not replace, just have small pockets sewn to the bottom and insert weights.

The problem is the chains that open and close the blinds are connected to the lugs on each end of every weight. Also. The blinds are made of a lightweight material with pockets already on the bottom for the weights to slide into.

 

[NanLaew]

I've had these sort of blinds on the double-wide front door for over 12 years before some of the plastic 'balls & string' that hooks the weights together started breaking about 2 years ago. I had to shop around to get that, eventually getting some on amazon that a friend brought over. I never had the lugs on each end of the weights break like the OP is reporting.

 

Are these in direct sunlight through untinted glass for any great length of time? My full-length door glass is heavily tinted and although the glass gets hot in the afternoon sun, maybe the UV and direct heat blocking is making mine last longer?

[phetphet]

23 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

I've had these sort of blinds on the double-wide front door for over 12 years before some of the plastic 'balls & string' that hooks the weights together started breaking about 2 years ago. I had to shop around to get that, eventually getting some on amazon that a friend brought over. I never had the lugs on each end of the weights break like the OP is reporting.

 

Are these in direct sunlight through untinted glass for any great length of time? My full-length door glass is heavily tinted and although the glass gets hot in the afternoon sun, maybe the UV and direct heat blocking is making mine last longer?

I'm pretty sure its the UV. But I am surprised at how quickly they breakdown and turn to dust. I must have changed twenty in the spare bedroom last week, and I tend to keep the curtains drawn in there.

[Yellowtail]

If it's UV can't you just paint them?