Any reason you are avoiding a solid, one piece rod?

pal, no particular reason. I simply purchased the telescoping version, and now they're already hung on all my windows.

Oops, I was reading shower curtain rod. Sorry.

There are two joints on each of my telescoping rods. Here's a photo with joints highlighted. The rings get caught on the joints and take some effort to slide across.

I wonder if something like this would help because you can move the ring directly with it:

Here is a link that might be useful: Curtain tender

This post was edited by palimpsest on Fri, Jan 16, 15 at 9:07

I have the same problem and wish I would have gotten one big rod. But I didn't and have to get DH to open them :(

I've never used the slide tape, but I did use Glide tape from Antique Drapery Rod. My problem was a little different: heavy silk drapery on rings 12 feet high trying to slide on a wooden rod.

The Glide tape works like a charm. The draperies now breeze over. It is relatively thick, and I think it would work for the telescoping bump. I would recommend a wand on the drapes as well.

Here's another GW thread with some ideas:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/decor/msg0117415720640.html?36

Here is a link that might be useful: Glide tape

I think Pal's Curtain Tender used with the Glide tape would solve your problem. The wand just pulls the first ring along, but the curtain tender would help with the followers.

Thanks, I'll check out both of those products!

Curtain Tender! Now there is a solution I've been searching for - well, forever. Never knew something so simple like that existed, I will bookmark that site. Thanks for sharing! Kind of pricey tho but I'm assuming it would be substantial and not break easily.

If they were two piece rods I would say to cut the largest diameter rod so that the bump lands in the center where the two panels meet. I felt like a genius when I figured that one out!

I have no idea what to do with three-piece rods. That Glide Tape and Curtain Tender might be the only way to go.

You can also try using flip wands (batons). I attach them to the leader ring on my tall drapes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Curtain flip wand

Here are photos of a split-ring step bushing for telescoping curtain rods. One photoshows the cross-section. The step height is same as the thickness of the tube wall. The ramp allows the curtain or the rod rings to slide across the joint. The thin part goes in the space between the two sections of tube. The ring is same diameter of tube outside diameter. I think the photo explains everything. I do not have a source for these.

Can we talk about that view!! WOWZA!

I just put a little clear scotch tape over the joint to smooth it out. But my rods came with a plastic neck as shown above, so they only needed a little smoothing. Also an application of paraffin wax to the top of the rod every few months helps the rings glide. I buy the bars in the canning aisle, use this stuff for many things including waxing the cat litter boxes for non-stick!

With that view, it would be a rare thing closing curtains.

My telescoping rod fits together loosely, and angles up in the middle just a fraction. So the underside of the tube is flush, but there is a significant gap at the top. I just pushed a couple of flat toothpicks in the bottom side and that made the top side flat enough for the rings to pass without catching. Really like the idea of the measuring tape used to the top part of the rod also.

My current house has no curtains. In my previous house, I just used a metal pole to ease the ring over the bump. Similar in concept to the product in pal's post, but just a piece of long pencil-thin metal rod I had.

Here is "that view" with the ring on the telescoping rod. Works very smothly in either direction.

There's another product called ezyglide tape which also works for many people. The trouble with telescopic poles is that there is always a lip at the join. Generally the bigger the diameter and thickness of the rings (when compared to the pole) the less of a problem it tends to be. In my experience normal tapes don't tend to work very well and wear out quickly.

I bought a solid brass, decorative wand to close my curtains on rings because I didn't want to soil them or pull the leading edge out of shape by grabbing them. I didn't have a telescoping rod but the wand wouldn't have helped if I had---it attaches to the first ring only.

(My curtains were Quatres des Saisons toile in red and ivory, banded by red Vichy check on the diagonal and made by the late, lamented French Country Curtains. They made fabulous custom curtains with Pierre Deux fabrics and I regret to this day leaving those curtains and that pretty brass wand for the people who bought our house. I haven't seen as nice a wand since.)

I didn't realize this thread had been revived. Thanks for your suggestions. I purchased curtain tenders, which do the trick, and I still want to add some tape to the top of the rods for a smoother slide. This is a good reminder to do that.

Yes, that view - I pinch myself sometimes that I'm lucky enough to have this panorama of Lake Michigan, and it's even more beautiful during the summer months. As I travel all over, I realize again and again that NW Michigan is a very special place that remains relatively quiet and undiscovered.

I thought that was white sand and an ocean. :)

I've tried tape and other remedies, but my curtain hooks come off the rings too easily and then I have a more annoying problem with the curtain hanging down. I am just going to get some dark bronze (can't find black on amazon) shower curtain hooks with the rolling beads!! I am kinda over how it looks and just want it to function at this point. I've gone too many years with this annoyance, I bought more expensive PB stuff and I can't even open and close it without getting on a chair to open or close both sides.

Yes, the view! It is hard to worry about the rod when all I can see is that killer view!!!

You can also pop on a clear, acrylic rod cover that is virtually undetectable. These also work well on shower rods and you can cut them to size.

I had to make a profile just so I could comment - Jules, that view
has made me so homesick!! What a beautiful home you have! I'm from
Northern Michigan (I bet I can guess where abouts your picture was taken
too lol) and I now live in SE England. Sounds like you probably know
as well as I do that nothing beats that view.... even the views I
currently have of the sea are nothing in comparison to those amazing
Great Lakes and beautiful sand!! I long for summers in Northern
Michigan. Oh, and I am also plagued by the same curtain woes lol. How funny that this would be the first thing I stumble onto. Some really great advice in this thread!

Pure genius to cut the rod!