Pivot!! How do you build reel supports that pivot/swivel?

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Amrie

Active member
Jun 13, 2022
37
Chattanooga, TN
I got an Intex reel for my solar cover. I want to mount it on 4x4 posts and be able to swivel it out of the way once I roll it up. I'm no engineer! My idea is to attach a piece of wood to the top of the post, that is wider than the post on one side. Then attach a piece of 2x4 to that with a nut and bolt that's not tightened all the way. Then the reel end can "screw" to the 2x4(with the big plastic screws meant to tighten it to the pool rail) and the 2x4 can pivot on the "middle management" piece between it and the post.

Is there an easier way? Probably something super obvious that I'm overlooking?

I've seen people talk about pivoting their reels out of the way, but can't find details about the actual pivot point.
 
I've got a rectangle 12x24 XTR so I just put my posts about a foot away from the edge of the pool on the 12' side. The reel is clamped onto some 2 inch PVC I drilled into a larger 8 inch wide treated board at the top of the 4x4s. It got me a bunch more pool real estate for a little bit of work :) I don't have a full picture of what your plan is but if the cover is going to swivel out of the way you're going to want a third post to have the opposite side to rest on due to the sheer weight of it all. I think the reel is great for the price and I'd buy it again for sure but at 26 feet that's going to be pushing the limits even between two fixed posts. Good luck!
 
isee said:
I've got a rectangle 12x24 XTR so I just put my posts about a foot away from the edge of the pool on the 12' side. The reel is clamped onto some 2 inch PVC I drilled into a larger 8 inch wide treated board at the top of the 4x4s. It got me a bunch more pool real estate for a little bit of work :) I don't have a full picture of what your plan is but if the cover is going to swivel out of the way you're going to want a third post to have the opposite side to rest on due to the sheer weight of it all. I think the reel is great for the price and I'd buy it again for sure but at 26 feet that's going to be pushing the limits even between two fixed posts. Good luck!
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The reel is only 16 feet max. I cut my liner in three pieces. I cut about 1/4 off each side, leaving half in the middle. The sides are easy to manage by hand, so I just clipped the middle section to the reel. Maybe I will just put the posts a bit away from the side of the pool. I kind of like the idea of stashing it along the fence, though. Just trying to figure out how to turn it while one side is still supported. It's not too heavy to carry, but I know I'm more likely to put it back on if it's as easy as I can possibly make it.
 
My old reel had sockets it went into (it was for a steel ABG). I just drilled a 1.25" hole in the top of my 4x4 and inserted a length of PVC as a bushing.

Looking at the Intex, setup this is what I would do.

I would bore a 1.5 inch hole into the top of each 4x4. This hole will fit a 1" PVC pipe which has a 1.315" OD.

Get a PVC T fitting. 1" T with 2" (or whatever the top rail of the Intex pool is) through.

You are going to build a PVC Tee, with the leg of the T being a length of 1" PVC pipe that will fit into the hole you bored into the top of the 4x4. Put a cap on the bottom of that pipe to reduce friction.

The other part of the Tee, that part that goes straight through, is going to be the size of your Intex top rail (or close to it) and extend 6 to 8 inches out from each end of the T. You then put these Tees into the tops of the 4x4 posts. The Tees will spin freely on the 1" length of PVC. The cover can rest (and clamp) on the rest of the T and the extended PVC.
 
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