Floor Skimmer Adapter for 20mm Telescopic Pole

Custom Floor Skimmer Adapter for 20mm Telescopic Pole

After several of my floor skimmer heads broke at the connection point to the telescopic pole, I decided to design a more robust adapter myself. The issue stems from a poor fit between the skimmer and the pole — the original adapter doesn't properly grip the last section of my pole, which is a 20 mm diameter aluminum tube with two retention knobs about 10 mm from the end.

Problem with the Original Design

The stock adapter is typically fixed with one or two rivets. After drilling them out with a 3 mm drill bit, the broken adapter slides out easily. The octagonal part that fits into the skimmer head measures roughly 37.5–38.0 mm across the flats.

My Solution

I created a custom 3D-printed adapter that:

• Slides snugly over the 20 mm tube
• Locks into place using the pole’s built-in retention knobs
• Fits securely into the skimmer head
• Can be fastened with a single stainless steel screw (I used a 3.0 × 14 mm rounded head screw)

The adapter is printed in PETG for durability in wet outdoor conditions.

Instructions

1. Drill out the old adapter using a 3 mm drill bit.
2. Slide the printed adapter over the end of the telescopic pole — the retention knobs should click into the holes.
3. Insert the adapter into the skimmer head and fasten it with a screw.

The orange part shown in the images is my custom 3D-printed design. It’s working great and feels much sturdier than the original!