Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: dazmond on May 02, 2012, 11:12:49 pm
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i had a busy day today.various types of domestic houses,some with awkward windows etc.used my 25ft slx with carbon gooseneck and radius sill brush all day.
last job of the day was outside gutter clean/soffits and windows(£65 all in)took me 90 mins.my shoulders are sore now though!the slx felt like a heavy fibre glass pole by the end of the day!!
been wfp 2 years now but im starting to think if i dont invest in lighter poles im gonna have shoulders problems and RSI injuries in the future.
first time in ages my shoulders are sore!!
so im thinking of saving up for 2 poles to invest in for the future.
extreme 25 ft for most domestic/smallish commercial jobs and a 47 ft extreme for higher work.
these poles are VERY EXPENSIVE but i think if i dont invest i could well be in trouble in a few years and have to pack window cleaning in.i have very big powerful arms and shoulders yet their very sore tonight even with an slx!!
i could refuse fascia/soffit cleaning add ons but ive been offering this service for a few years now and its good extra money on top of the window cleaning plus my customers are well happy i offer this service.
what are your thoughts guys?and have you had any shoulder problems??
best wishes
dazmond
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dazmond why are you even using the 25ft slx? its not far off double the weight of the slx xt 18
and there not that expensive
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I think its a good idea to invest in the best possible equipment you can afford. I dont do much on the tools today as I employ staff. They get clx poles and super max to use all day, mostly clx 18. I think I provide very good equipment to my staff compared to other employers, and as we grow and have more spare money in the pot I may upgrade them to slx if they promise to look after them.
I was on the tools today and took my house mate out to show him what we do. I said only earlier today to him that if I were back on the tools full time again that I would treat myself to the best possible system and brand new van that I could. To me thats a large thermo pure system to work with hot at a high flow and never run out of water along with the best possible poles, eg extream 18 and 25. not sure about the 47 as we dont do much at that height, probably go for slx 35.
With regard to your fascia cleans they can be neck and shoulder breaking. I think that you should charge more so that you possibly do less and are more in the money when you do one.
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I think Lee is right. Just accept that they are hard work, whatever pole you use.
Or get the ladders out ;).
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i
so im thinking of saving up for 2 poles to invest in for the future.
extreme 25 ft for most domestic/smallish commercial jobs and a 47 ft extreme for higher work.
these poles are VERY EXPENSIVE but i think if i dont invest i could well be in trouble in a few years and have to pack window cleaning in.i have very big powerful arms and shoulders yet their very sore tonight even with an slx!!
dazmond
just bought myself the extreme SL 25 myself today with carbon GN and SL sill brush to reduce the strain on me.
i have problems with my wrist and want to see if i can get away with working with the lightest equipment available.
if not i'll have to reduce my days cleaning.
it is expensive though. almost £700 :P
my staff will remain with the CLX 22 with carbon GN and sill brush. at least until the prices drop down. staff dont ever look after your equipment like you will!
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Richard let us know what you think of the extreme after a few days using it!
To be fair my shoulders don't feel too bad this morning.still a bit sore but one full days work today then 4 days off!! :D
I do think the extremes are the way forward though.
Best wishes
Dazmond
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Richard let us know what you think of the extreme after a few days using it!
To be fair my shoulders don't feel too bad this morning.still a bit sore but one full days work today then 4 days off!! :D
I do think the extremes are the way forward though.
Best wishes
Dazmond
will let you know :)
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Did you TFR the gutters and PVC before doing them?
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I agree with going for as light and as good a pole as you can afford - I swapped to a slx from a glass fibre beast and by jingo did I feel the benefit. I do have a long-term shoulder problem which I cant really cure but can work around.
As a result, before I go out I do a small warm-up for my shoulders. Yes, I feel a right t1t but at least its at home and no-one can see me. Basically hefting the pole round all day is an exercise and I always warm-up before exercise, so QED I need to warm my shoulders up before I start work.
Also having "big strong arms and shoulders" isnt always a sign of underlying functional muscle strength. If you're a gym freak have you done any rotator-cuff or shoulder-girdle strengthening work? Just a thought....
As it stands I might ask Santa for an extreme slx25, or just longer arms and legs depending on how much I can write-off against tax ;D
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Unless a large (more than 25) percentage of your work is higher than two stories, I don't see the point in using a pole longer than 18ft (3x2 mt). This will reach almost all two story windows, even over the average conservatory. For the odd higher job get a longer pole out of the van.
We have a variety of 3x2 m poles, but the lads prefer converted Unger telescopic poles. They are cheap (about £47 plus alloy end cone, plastic gooseneck and pole hose - total less than £65)
They are LIGHT - you can wave them about with one hand ;D
The clamps are easy - twist action.
The inner locking cones last for about 3 months, but replacements are only £1.50 each.
Spend umpteen hundred pounds if you want - our poles do the job, they're almost indestructible and none of our lads have any shoulder/back problems.
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Get your SLX25 and take the biggest section off so it becomes a 20. Put the extra 5ft on only when you need it. I've been doing this with my SLX30 for the last four years.
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I think you are right looking to get the xtreme poles. I would also say look at getting the 18ft xtreme and also have extra brushes. For instance the gutter cleaning could have been done with an xtreme brush on a carbon gooseneck and probably 18ft xtreme pole.
I have days when I don't go above 18 ft all day. Before I got the xtreme my elbows always used to ache, now they only ache after a big big job. Before the xtreme I use the standard slx range.
Simon.
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Insead of buying lighter poles get down the gym.
I just joined my local gym for £20 a month to help me get more upper body strength ;D ;D
Paul
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I just joined my local gym for £20 a month to help me get more upper body strength ;D ;Dl
WFP will do that for you.
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or you could go the other way and use one of them brodux aluminion jobbies for five mins then pic up your current pole, it will feal well light ;-P
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Dazmond
Am I right in thinking that your around 40?
If you are,and at the risk of stirring up the hornets nest of those super fit guys on here, you might be finding that age is catching up with you at long last
Im 44 this year,and have done hard graft,outdoors since I was 16(inc. 7 years in the infantry).I find that I now cant do the same level of work,day in/day out as the guys I employ that are 15 years younger than me
Dont get me wrong,I can still hack it- just at a slower pace thats all.
What I'me ultimately trying to say is,do you have a bod that you can get to do these jobs for you?
Regards
Roy
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i had a busy day today.various types of domestic houses,some with awkward windows etc.used my 25ft slx with carbon gooseneck and radius sill brush all day.
last job of the day was outside gutter clean/soffits and windows(£65 all in)took me 90 mins.my shoulders are sore now though!the slx felt like a heavy fibre glass pole by the end of the day!!
been wfp 2 years now but im starting to think if i dont invest in lighter poles im gonna have shoulders problems and RSI injuries in the future.
first time in ages my shoulders are sore!!
so im thinking of saving up for 2 poles to invest in for the future.
extreme 25 ft for most domestic/smallish commercial jobs and a 47 ft extreme for higher work.
these poles are VERY EXPENSIVE but i think if i dont invest i could well be in trouble in a few years and have to pack window cleaning in.i have very big powerful arms and shoulders yet their very sore tonight even with an slx!!
i could refuse fascia/soffit cleaning add ons but ive been offering this service for a few years now and its good extra money on top of the window cleaning plus my customers are well happy i offer this service.
what are your thoughts guys?and have you had any shoulder problems??
best wishes
dazmond
Man up dazz lol
On a serious note how much lighter are the newer poles and do u think it would help that much.
I think its just your arms getting tired mate because of the work load.
You could try pressure washing them on a telescopic lance its well easy with that.thats what i use.
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how much lighter will the extreme 25foot to the slx 25 foot , cos i i find my slx 25 great
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I just joined my local gym for £20 a month to help me get more upper body strength ;D ;Dl
WFP will do that for you.
and how you getting on with that personal trainer you had once ???
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how much lighter will the extreme 25foot to the slx 25 foot , cos i i find my slx 25 great
25% lighter according to website.
1050g instead of 1375g
i have got tendinitus in my wrist so need to see if lighter poles mean i can still work full time.
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whats the price difference? sorry im lazy to check
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whats the price difference? sorry im lazy to check
just over twice the price £245 vs £492 (ex VAT)
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I find if I pole all day i ache like mad. So I try to mix it up a bit , I don't pole everything as I still believe some jobs are quicker and better trad. Like u daz I am 40 and relatively new to wfp. been cleaning windows 25 years mostly trad and find wfp makes me ache more than ladder. Can see how people become addicted to poling everything but have to say I have found trad is better on some windows and wfp on others.
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I just joined my local gym for £20 a month to help me get more upper body strength ;D ;Dl
WFP will do that for you.
and how you getting on with that personal trainer you had once ???
Dont use him anymore, I found I became so super fit I was teaching him more than he was teaching me ;)
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hi roy im pretty fit at 40!dont drink or smoke cigarettes anymore(vape the odd e cig though!).i can easily manage my workload (340+ customers most of em monthly).for normal routine maintenance window cleaning i dont have any problems but ive had a few fascia/soffit cleans to squeeze in lately and this is where the strain is happening!!
i felt pretty good today at work and as ive got 4 days off my shoulders will make a full recovery!
ian ive got a unger teleplus but it never gets used!not for wfp anyway!!i use it as a trad pole for the odd job.i have got the adaptors to change it into a wfp but wouldnt want to work with it as the twisting clamps would do my head in!!
yes matt i squirted tfr on my brush head before scrubbing the gutters.they were bad though!! ;D ;D
an 18 ft pole would be too short for most of my work id be forever going back to the van swapping poles and wasting time!
an 18 ft extreme would be ideal for soffit cleans but i bit expensive to use just for these jobs!!
thanks for all the posts guys!
best wishes to you all
dazmond
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If the 18 foot clx is £93 and 1050 grams
THe 18 foot slx is £172 and 950 grams
IS it worth the difference?
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dazmond why are you even using the 25ft slx? its not far off double the weight of the slx xt 18
and there not that expensive
Agree! We use 18 foot SLX's - and we have no problems, and Wor Lass is only knee-high-to-a-grasshopper and weighs about eight stone wet. She's a skinny runner, but I don't mind that 'cos she looks like a 12 year old boy from the back.
Seriously though, it's basic, you use a pole suitable in length for the job. We don't have a lot of 3 story work, but we have 27" CLX's for that, and even then I'll just do the high stuff and Wor Lass follows me about with her SLX.
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If the 18 foot clx is £93 and 1050 grams
THe 18 foot slx is £172 and 950 grams
IS it worth the difference?
I thought that to begin with, but the SLX is a stiff - not wobbly - pole, it's not just weight to consider but how much wobble it has.
I think those are the correct technical terms.
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sounds like you need neck shoulder exercising to strengthen the muscles
wfp isnt much good for this we all tend to pole with e same arm the exercise
is uneven and puts stress on more side of the body than the other.
extra strengthening of neck and shoulders will help you cope with this
you could also try alter stance when cleaning and alternating arms when
cleaning
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im now thinking of buying 2 sections for my 25ft slx to make it into a 35ft pole for higher work and buying a 22ft slx for most of my domestic.
an 18ft pole is just too short for lots of my work.its the extra reach over extensions,large connies that i need a longer pole for mostly along with velux and 3 storey windows on some.
i could just buy the extra sections and add them where required but unless you use outside pole hose i bet its a bit of faffing about adding sections and taking end caps off etc,wasting time during my working day.
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i have a 22 and a 25 and all round the 25 is a better pole to have even if it is a tad lighter on the 22.i also cant be arsed with faffing around taking sections off.
stick with 25s dazz they are a better lenghth.
people on a budget goes with 22 or even 18s but the extra lengthwill always help on most domestics above connys and extensions and on 3 storeys.its just that bit more easier, im always gona buy 25s.
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I think you will see a big difference in buying the SLX18 at 950g that's pretty light and if you can use it on 40% of your work it's worth every penny mate.
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im now thinking of buying 2 sections for my 25ft slx to make it into a 35ft pole for higher work and buying a 22ft slx for most of my domestic.
an 18ft pole is just too short for lots of my work.its the extra reach over extensions,large connies that i need a longer pole for mostly along with velux and 3 storey windows on some.
i could just buy the extra sections and add them where required but unless you use outside pole hose i bet its a bit of faffing about adding sections and taking end caps off etc,wasting time during my working day.
BUTY THE EXTRAS BY ALL MEANS M8
but just take off the extra section/s u have now on your slx 25.to make it a 22 or an 18
and order base caps for 22,18, its way cheaper and lets you cover all bases with 1 pole
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I think you will see a big difference in buying the SLX18 at 950g that's pretty light and if you can use it on 40% of your work it's worth every penny mate.
The SLX 18 does at least 90% of our work; maybe buildings are smaller in Chepstow?
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Unless a large (more than 25) percentage of your work is higher than two stories, I don't see the point in using a pole longer than 18ft (3x2 mt). This will reach almost all two story windows, even over the average conservatory. For the odd higher job get a longer pole out of the van.
We have a variety of 3x2 m poles, but the lads prefer converted Unger telescopic poles. They are cheap (about £47 plus alloy end cone, plastic gooseneck and pole hose - total less than £65)
They are LIGHT - you can wave them about with one hand ;D
The clamps are easy - twist action.
The inner locking cones last for about 3 months, but replacements are only £1.50 each.
Spend umpteen hundred pounds if you want - our poles do the job, they're almost indestructible and none of our lads have any shoulder/back problems.
this makes sense...I do the same....alloy poles are strong, and last.... at the moment my favourite pole is an alloy pole from cleaning spot.....its 25 ft pole but I have taken 1 section off for most uses....when I need to go higher I just put that section on...
having a pole that is durable is everything when you work day in day out...the poles take a hammering !
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I think you will see a big difference in buying the SLX18 at 950g that's pretty light and if you can use it on 40% of your work it's worth every penny mate.
The SLX 18 does at least 90% of our work; maybe buildings are smaller in Chepstow?
Flat town, low window's. Hilly town, high window's.
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Try he neck protect for gutter jobs, as it's gutter jobs you have to really work close to house, which is more I think a neck issue,
http://www.cleaningspot.co.uk/acatalog/Safety_equipment.html
Mr B
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ive made my mind up now.gonna stick with my 25ft SLX and 22ft CLX for most work and invest in a 40ft supermax for higher jobs when funds allow.
i will have spent over a grand on poles alone when i get my supermax!! :o :o ;D ;D
i can always get a 25ft extreme in a few years when my SLX wears out(i fully expect it to last another 2 years yet)as its only a years old.
thanks for all the posts guys.my neck and shoulders are fine now.although ive got another 2 days off after today before back poling on tuesday.
had 2 hours on my drum kit this morning.no problems whatsoever!! :D :D
best wishes to you all and hope you enjoy a chilled out long weekend!! ;) :) :)
dazmond
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I think you will see a big difference in buying the SLX18 at 950g that's pretty light and if you can use it on 40% of your work it's worth every penny mate.
The SLX 18 does at least 90% of our work; maybe buildings are smaller in Chepstow?
Flat town, low window's. Hilly town, high window's.
deends if you are standing at the top of the hill cleaning them
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I think you will see a big difference in buying the SLX18 at 950g that's pretty light and if you can use it on 40% of your work it's worth every penny mate.
The SLX 18 does at least 90% of our work; maybe buildings are smaller in Chepstow?
Flat town, low window's. Hilly town, high window's.
It's in the Wye Valley, there's lots of hills around here. Even my house, it looks low at the front and high at the back, because it's built in a valley that leads down to the Wye.
I also go running around here; it's hard to avoid a hill, but I do try too.
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All of these super light poles sound brilliant but how robust are they???
For example, I snapped a section of a carbon Ergolite pole by tapping shut a top opening window. I didn't even hit it that hard, my hybrid pole gets bashed on a window to shut it regularly with no ill affect so could I shut windows with them.
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the SLX is a strong pole and easier to shut stiff windows with it as its stronger and more rigid than a fibre glass jobbie or hybrid pole.
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the SLX is a strong pole and easier to shut stiff windows with it as its stronger and more rigid than a fibre glass jobbie or hybrid pole.
agree with Dazmond, although if the windows on my round don't close to easy then the are left open and clean only the glass.