How to remove roller from blind mount?

[panoramica]

We are renting and a departing flatmate has left us with a broken blind. It looks like he has pulled the blind down too hard and separated the blind from its roller. There is a sticky strip on the blind and we are hoping that we can reattach this to the roller, but it's impractical to even try this while the roller is up on the window mounts.

So my question is, how do we remove the roller from the mounts? A quick Google search brought up a couple of recommendations. One was to pry the roller off the right hand side of the mount, but I pried pretty hard and this didn't work. The other was to push the end pin in to release the mechanism, but the left hand pin doesn't seem to push in.

Left hand mountRight hand mount 2Right hand mount 1Unmounted blind with sticky residue

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @panoramica. It's wonderful to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about releasing a blind from its mount.

Did you check the right-hand side to see if the pin retracts? If neither pin retracts, then the blind could potentially be a friction fit. The mounts will have a certain amount of play to them, as you've most likely found. You should be able to flex the one on the left out. However, it looks like the blind is very closely fitted into the frame. I would say that there was just enough flex in that left bracket to allow the blind to squeeze in, but now that you're trying to get it out, the pin is catching and can't escape the bracket.

It's most likely that one of the two pins should retract to allow easy removal. Try a finer flathead screwdriver to see if you can get it in further before levering on the pin. Failing that, you might need to consider destructively removing the blind and replacing it with a new unit. The are quite a few budget-friendly roller blinds available.

Let me mention one of our knowledgeable members @TedBear, to see if he has any thoughts.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

[panoramica]

Thanks @MitchellMc. I am aware of the vertical play between the blind and the mount. I explored the right hand side with a small flathead screwdriver - pushing the rectangle white prongs does seem to push the unit to the left, but pushing on the round grey prong doesn't do much. I don't have enough leverage to push it far enough to the left with the small screwdriver, plus I'm worried about damaging the window frame. It's also difficult to see how I would push all three prongs in at once in order to release the roller. There's also not enough clearance between the roller and the screws to remove the mounts, so as you say I'd have to destroy the mount in order to remove it. Destroying things is probably a call best made by the landlord.

[MitchellMc]

Here are another few ways to try @panoramica. With your thumb, bend the left-hand side bracket out away from the blind. Have a look in between the bracket and the blind to see if the is a little space to place the screwdriver on the pin to push it into the blind. Another option, on the side with the cord, push the blind up and then to the left. If those fail, grip the blind firmly on the far left with your right hand, and bend the bracket out to the left with your left hand. By pushing the blind to the right and the bracket to the left, you might just have enough room to pull the blind out.

Unfortunately, there are several methods of removing roller blinds, and each manufacturer seems to come up with their own.

Mitchell

[TedBear]

Hi @panoramica 

the usual way to remove those blinds is to push the chain mechanism upwards (it will only move a little) then push it (& the whole blind)  toward the other end.  The pin at the other end is sprung and will retract enough to allow the chain end to then drop out. 

The chain end is held in place by tiny lugs that hook into short vertical slots.

Edit: the pin end on yours looks like no clearance has been left, so you may have to put a screwdriver between the bracket and the mechanism at the chain end ... after you've lifted it a little, to bend the bracket bottom away from the blind. That should give you enough clearance to get those lugs  out of the slots and allow the blind to drop down.. I'm guessing it must have been forced in when fitting it.

[MitchellMc]

"I'm guessing it must have been forced in when fitting it." I'd concur with that assessment @TedBear. It appears to be a very tight installation, and I wonder whether the tolerances are so tight that it can't be taken out. Hopefully, there is enough flex in the left bracket to allow removal.

Mitchell 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @panoramica,

I just had another thought. Perhaps you could try one of these right-angled screwdrivers. There might be just enough clearance to allow them access to the bracket screws.

Mitchell

[JoeAzza]

Hi @panoramica I have a similar blind fitting, all I do to remove the blind is to turn the opposite. Side of wheel holding the chain anti clockwise, this will retract the locating pin which willl allow removal of the blind 

[panoramica]

Thanks for your suggestion @JoeAzza . I tried turning the roller away from me and towards me and neither way made any difference. There is also no 'wheel' to turn at either end, so I think your blind must be different to mine.

[panoramica]

Thanks @MitchellMc. I didn't know those existed - they look like a good solution.