I have a stair tool from Challenger and the velcro keeps coming off of the foam gray padding, I think the more it falls off the more gorilla glue I have to use, creating a worse situation, I cut it down to get a fresh start but am now down to very little gray foam, I was thinking of using thread and needle after gorilla glue to keep the velcro from separating, idk, I haven't even really used it that much and the velcro came right off from when I bought it, any help would be appreciated.
I'm assuming you are talking about the large 11" (heavy) stair tool the Challenger sends, as opposed to the smaller 6" one that I supply with my Package. Early on I had trouble keeping the velcro glued onto my machine, but more recently I think I've figured out how to do it. With regard to the stair tool from Challenger, I've had the same problem you describe on 2 occasions. When I first received the machine, and right after I received it back after having sent it to the factory for repairs. Challenger buys the machines from another company, which is responsible for the badly attached velcro. You should let Chris at Challenger know about your difficulties.
(challengerop@gmail.com)
Chris recommended the all of the foam be removed completely from the stair tool and velcro be reapplied. The proper way to remove the pad would be to place one hand on the pad and the other on the velcro that way it isn't peeled off.
The last time I glued the velcro it stayed on while cleaning put I peeled it off when I removed pad.
Keeping velcro glued to foam is iffy - the firmer the material, the better. My Challenger stair tool (which I use with a handle of my own design as a small area floor machine) is currently in the hands of my local, very creative metal shop/welding shop owner. He also works with wood. He is trying to devise for me some kind of aluminum "cap" that will be able to fit snugly over the head of this machine, and to which a circle of velcro can be glued with far better chances of it not coming off in the near future. I will keep Challenger Forum Nation advised of our progress in this area.
I wonder if sewing an elastic string in the pad and tying the string when you place the pad over the driver would work? I see that's how they do it with car buffer pads.
I'm not sure if just a string tie, or a sewn-in rubber band would give you the results you want. Without some coarse material, such as velcro or the little plastic nubby points such as are on the cap that serves as a pad driver on the Oreck Orbiter, I think there would be a lot of slippage between two relatively smooth surfaces: the foam head of the pad driver, and the pad itself. I think scrubbing action would be diminished, especially if you were pushing down at all with the machine.
