[williamx]

At the moment while I am waiting for the new improved clamps to arrive, I am using wing nuts.

These seem to be working fine.

Also for the last week I have taken the pole hose from the pole and I am letting it run free, I have noticed that my pole is much smoother when I need to extend and retract it, normally by this time in the week I find that the poles jam together, and the collar breaks free from the pole when I try to seperate them.

I am now looking at ways to attached the pole hose to the outside of the pole.

[Pole 2 Pole]

Mine had been fine the last couple o weeks but as has been mentioned before.....i'm worried to say the least next time we get a damp day and the hose get's sand/grit on it. But all in all, it has been better the last couple o weeks. The first week of so it was quite literally getting jammed on the bottom section. To the degree that i couldn't even take it apart to flush it thru 

[pingu]

Looking at the SL-X mk3 and it's previous incarnations...I feel at times that the product is a complete work in progress....and 'we' the masses that buy it are to some extent a 'beta' test.

Look at the issues that occur...clamp levers, nuts are pants...rapid wear rates within a couple of months..but we are told these items are tested prior to release for how long? I mean really...2 months on my pole is showing rapid signs of wear in many places.

Lets face it ...without the clamp it is a hollow stick which fits into another stick and with the clamp it is a stick which can be adjusted with another stick.

One is the idea's behind the new clamp I believe is that the plastic clamp would be to a certain extent a sacraficial componant..but looking at the complaints raised here...and looking at the area's of wear on my own pole...that is the least of the issue with regard to wear.

Carbon to carbon surface wear is a big issue still...to what extent this will shorten the 'useful' life of the pole only time can tell.

Now I know that r&d, testing, tooling etc, etc is expensive...but we pay for that and it must be within the cost price so I do not see as a user I should be too concerned with those issues.

I suppose my real concern is that given the amount of changes that have occured with the SL-X whether it is different clamps, clamp componants, materials, pole structure/weave.... it seems to be wearing at a greater rate that my previous SL-X mk1.

Now I am not taking a pop at Alex...but the product..yes it enables me to make money and it is light...thats a part of why I bought it....but if the wear rate continues and does so at the rate of the previous MK1 I personally will need to buy one pole each year...now think how much you would need to earn and be taxed etc, etc to pay for that end sum?..for me that is going to be around 70 net euro's a calender month. 

I wish I had more to bring to the table than my opinions and complaints but I don't...I am not an engineer so trying to 2nd guess the r&d process would only be a 'stab in the dark'...I'm just a end user with issues and this is a open forum where these items can be discussed.

If there was something better I would jump ship in a heart beat but alas there does not seem to be much else yet.

Cheers
Dave.

[mark dew]

At the moment while I am waiting for the new improved clamps to arrive, I am using wing nuts.

These seem to be working fine.

Also for the last week I have taken the pole hose from the pole and I am letting it run free, I have noticed that my pole is much smoother when I need to extend and retract it, normally by this time in the week I find that the poles jam together, and the collar breaks free from the pole when I try to seperate them.

I am now looking at ways to attached the pole hose to the outside of the pole.

How about using the velcro straps that are used with the superlite pole?

[ftp]

I would like the Aluminium levers and metal nuts back on the plastic clamps. The Nylon levers and cams are not up to the job. Wear? I don't know how that can be avoided. If the resin/carbon mix is altered then the pole wouldn't perform the same and would probably become brittle. The only way I can see wear being reduced is by having the hose on the outside or very fast wearing clamps.
I feel exactly the same as Pingu - this is a fine pole - what's the alternative? Why are we moaning? What do we expect?
We've got carbon, lightness, rigidity and top customer service all at a reasonable price
so things ain't so bad.

[traps7]

I think you're right.

[Alex Gardiner]

To a degree all products within any field are work in progress. In 10 years time I'm sure that the poles available will be very different again and hopefully to the benefit of all of us.

The new 'Evolution' lever/nut assemblies are very nearly finished for the new SL-X clamps. The levers are stronger and the barrel nuts are very strong. In testing this week we progressively over-tightened the lever assembly and the barrel nut refused to break. Instead we were starting to deform the wall of the carbon fibre tube due to the increased strength. If we made the levers/nuts out of aluminium there would be the real danger of being able to crush the carbon if the clamp was over-tightened. They also now feature a much better lock-nut facility so that the bolts do not come undone with use and also do not easily over-tighten.

Ideally we should have anticipated some of these issues during prototyping, but unfortunately with certain components you are only able to fully realise the issues once you have several hundred of the product in clients hands who are using them in everyday life. Where possible we will always try to keep making improvements throughout our product range, hence the ability to upgrade the Mk1 and Mk2 poles to the latest clamps.

[GWCS]

To a degree all products within any field are work in progress. In 10 years time I'm sure that the poles available will be very different again and hopefully to the benefit of all of us.

The new 'Evolution' lever/nut assemblies are very nearly finished for the new SL-X clamps. The levers are stronger and the barrel nuts are very strong. In testing this week we progressively over-tightened the lever assembly and the barrel nut refused to break. Instead we were starting to deform the wall of the carbon fibre tube due to the increased strength. If we made the levers/nuts out of aluminium there would be the real danger of being able to crush the carbon if the clamp was over-tightened. They also now feature a much better lock-nut facility so that the bolts do not come undone with use and also do not easily over-tighten.

Ideally we should have anticipated some of these issues during prototyping, but unfortunately with certain components you are only able to fully realise the issues once you have several hundred of the product in clients hands who are using them in everyday life. Where possible we will always try to keep making improvements throughout our product range, hence the ability to upgrade the Mk1 and Mk2 poles to the latest clamps.

if you require a guinea pig to test new poles etc in the future please feel free to send one my way, i'll happily test it to maximum for you! 

After the test period i'll happily send it back to you, and should i require a new one would love a 30% or more discount..   

[ftp]

Problem is Alex, you are very gentle with your kit whereas I happen to be the clumsiest windowcleaner on the planet. If I slide my pole back into its rack and clip a lever then it snaps. 
If I lean the pole against a wall and it topples over the same thing happens. My levers haven't snapped from overtightening but purely from knocking them and catching them on conservatory roofs and gutters. When the cold weather comes I'm going to spend more and more time picking up the pieces.

[Alex Gardiner]

Problem is Alex, you are very gentle with your kit whereas I happen to be the clumsiest windowcleaner on the planet. If I slide my pole back into its rack and clip a lever then it snaps. 
If I lean the pole against a wall and it topples over the same thing happens. My levers haven't snapped from overtightening but purely from knocking them and catching them on conservatory roofs and gutters. When the cold weather comes I'm going to spend more and more time picking up the pieces.

In testing this week I have been hitting the new clamp levers with a hammer! I have been trying to replicate the effect of a sideways knock whilst in a van or in the field. The new levers will be about twice as strong in resisting the effect of a sideways bash. They will look like the image below:

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

If you buy a new set of top sport tyres (or any tyre for that matter) The minute you drive out the bay the tyres are wearing. You get home, have a look & yep, they will show signs of wear. Pop your new shoes on & go for a walk then have a look at the soles when you get back!

You use a carbon pole for one day & it too will show signs of wear.

Showing signs of wear isn't relative IMO as this will happen from day one. Your new carbon pole aint gonna look flashy & shiney for very long I'm affraid. If your pole wore out so that it was unusable after say, 6 months then yes, I would have issue with it. BUT, it "showing signs of wear" tells us very little.

I've owned facelift, gardiners, unger, excell, extender, harris poles & ALL show signs of wear. Comparing the best two- facelift & gardiners, both have worn at roughley the same, expected rate. I do clean the hose with a rag after every job though.

[ftp]

Well done Alex good to see you take comments on board. Err hope they won't be blue - won't go with my eyes.

[Alex Gardiner]

Well done Alex good to see you take comments on board. Err hope they won't be blue - won't go with my eyes.

I did think of doing them in orange but decided to stick with 'manly' black. 

[pingu]

Orange...do them Orange the Dutchies will love em

[Pittmonkey]

Ahh!! Think the email I just sent you Alex has just been explained. So the upgrade kit will be Levers & Barrel Nut's.?

Wayne

[Alex Gardiner]

Ahh!! Think the email I just sent you Alex has just been explained. So the upgrade kit will be Levers & Barrel Nut's.?

Wayne

I have replied  , please ignore my comment about the brushes on the email as I had mixed you up with another customer!!!!

The 'Evolution' upgrade will be sent out automatically to all those who have purchased the new SL-X and the upgrade kits. They will consist of new levers, barrel nuts, bolts and bolt caps. This is because changes made on one item affects the others so the length of the bolt and the bolt cap have also needed to be changed slightly.

[windowswashed]

Alex I'll have the 2 brushes if you can email me a paypal request, cheers, Wayne (easycleanwayne@msn.com).

[williamx]

At the moment while I am waiting for the new improved clamps to arrive, I am using wing nuts.

These seem to be working fine.

Also for the last week I have taken the pole hose from the pole and I am letting it run free, I have noticed that my pole is much smoother when I need to extend and retract it, normally by this time in the week I find that the poles jam together, and the collar breaks free from the pole when I try to seperate them.

I am now looking at ways to attached the pole hose to the outside of the pole.

How about using the velcro straps that are used with the superlite pole?

I have tried these straps, but the main problem with them is they kept on slidding down the pole, instead I have been using wrist sweatbands.

Because they are elasticated, they hold their position better on the pole.

[Pole 2 Pole]

Had a bad day today with my slx. I suspected the first time i had to use this on a really wet day, that the grit picked up would screw me. I wasn't dissapointed. First job.....wet ground. The bloody thing seized up on me. Couldn't extent the bottom section at all. Even if i had of, it would have happened again and again and again. Love the pole............but what happened today really p*ssed me off  : Luckily i have a spare Harris DIY jobbie. Hate to say it, but it saved my backside. I coulda been well n truly mullered. 

[williamx]

If I was you run the pole hose on the outside.

I have been doing this for the last 2 weeks and the pole extends and retracts perfectly, I havn't had to clean, like I use to have to do all the time with the hose run though the pole.