Our Service Department is often asked
to try to salvage what remains of a once expensive boom
pole. Some of the damage is the result of accidents
and some, simply neglect. The only accidental damage
that can be avoided is the abuse caused during shipping.
One way to avoid this is to ship your boom pole in an
appropriate container, which can be of the commercially
available type, such as the fishing rod holders made
by Plano available from Location Sound Corp., or you
may elect to make your own from 3" or 4" PVC
pipe. Either way, your boom pole is protected.
A majority of all boom pole repairs
stems from neglect. Most of the poles in use today are
made of carbon fiber and/or fiberglass hybrids, which
are very tough and should provide many years of service
if given just minimal care. The single most destructive
element to guard against is dirt. When dirt gets into
your pole, it acts like an abrasive and slowly cuts
and wears away at the tubing and locking collars. In
time, those collars will begin to fail, making cueing
of a microphone impossible. If you are working in a
dirty or dusty environment, simply extending it to its
full length and wiping it down with a slightly damp
rag can clean your pole. Make sure the pole is completely
dry before returning it to its collapsed position for
storage. Note that the use of any lubricants is NOT
recommended since this will attract more dirt and lessen
the effectiveness of the locking collars.
The vdB line of boom poles can be
disassembled by hand without the use of any tools. This
allows you to thoroughly clean all of the locking collars
and nylon guides. For answers to any questions regarding
your boom poles, please do not hesitate to contact LSC's
Service Department.
