Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Davew on March 27, 2007, 04:29:16 pm
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Bought one about a wek ago, opened the box took one look and decided to send it back and order a carbon facelift instead. By the next morning I changed my mind and decided to keep it as it was too much hassle to send it back and I didn't want to part with any more cash. This morning I had a fiddly second clean over conservatory window, didn't have much work booked after, so I thought I would have a go with it. It took a little while to assemble (but not long) and so I used it for the first time. My verdict is : this pole is unbelievably easy to use beautifully light and positive even at angles it's not designed for, you just don't need the kind of pressure against the glass that you do with glass fibre. I'm amazed I have not broken any panes yet just trying to support my glassfibre pole at low angles with it dipping onto the conservatory roof when extended. If you could get a telescopic twelve footer like this I'll be first in the queue (if it's not too dear) Glassfibre poles are from the stone age compared to this only a couple of steps up from a broomhandle!
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couldnt agree more i have had mine a few months now and think its the dogs dangleys but like you i just wish someone could come up with a method of making it telescopic.
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That`s not to far away,so they tell me.
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they have, its called facelift ;D
just think of all the faffing about you're gonna have to do with a modular pole on domestic work dave.
why didn't you listen to me??
tony
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I have a superlite and also a 24ft facelift carbon fibre,the superlite comes into it`s own on commercial or 4 bed upwards domestic.I would still rather use the superlite over the facelift but the facelift is a cracking pole.
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they have, its called facelift ;D
just think of all the p***ing about you're gonna have to do with a modular pole on domestic work dave.
why didn't you listen to me??
tony
Most of us already have cheaper poles to start with (a twelve foot extender being quite manageable for the majority of work) The Facelift seems a fine pole if a little pricey. The Supalight is lighter and cheaper I think. Yes you are right modular takes some getting used to.
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im thinking of getting a supalight getting very excited about it think i will phone alex tomorrow has any one got a bad word to say about these poles
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Yes, they are very very LIGHT. (If thats a bad word ) Just fishing poles really.
I use a Featherlite DIY. Its more of an instrument and an art form in use.
You need to learn a different way of using these poles because they aint telescopic. Once you have got over that fact the w/cing worlds your oyster.
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It's more like precision cleaning rather than smacking a brush up against the window and wrestling with the pole to hold it there.
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Once you get the knack of using it, it's quicker in use than telescopic pole.
I've had mine over a month now, and I don't use anything else.
So now I'm on second cleans with the domestic stuff, first off you are working out how many sections you need, where to drop off and place sections as you begin work on the ground floor stuff, but once you have sussed the best way on each individual account you are flying.
but be WARNED!!!
They are fragile and susceptable to crush damage and if you are too agressive, or decide it's so light you'll not bother removing a section and just do the ground floor windows with 12 or 13 ft of pole in your hand they can SNAP! If you put too much pressure on them!!!
In use they are amazing, but the downside is, you have to treat them with a great deal more care and respect than a fibreglass or aluminium pole.
Personally, I wouldn't use anything else now.
Ian
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Once you get the knack of using it, it's quicker in use than telescopic pole.
Absolute rubbish, thats very bad advice, especially as we're talking domestic here. It's not just a poles weight & rigidity that makes a good general use pole. as some people have stated ( & i agree ) the superlight is the business for high work but to say its quicker than using telescopic on domestic is silly & very bad advice to any newbie reading this.
Lets take the 24ft carbon facelift here, it extends & retracts (in situation) quicker than any modular pole ( thats just common sense), you can throw it about, drop it, bang it against the wall etc ( as i do ) no problem (so no need to waste time being very carefull).
adjustments to length i.e. for when you cant stand further back for obstructions (an everyday occurence) are easy & immediate ( no gently taking sections off & placing them softly on the ground). adjustments are also in any increment you like, unlike modular where you have to extend/retract in full sections at a time. then when you've done the tops, you can retract the facelift & do 95% of bottoms with it. the list goes on.
So to me its simple & common sense that the weight saving of a superlight on domestic work ( up to 24 ft ) no where near out-weighs the benefits of a light carbon telescopic.
tony
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Completly agree with the last post,that`s exactly why i got the 24ft carbon facelift because like you just said it`s more robust and you can do bottoms without the worrie of snapping it.The superlite is brill for larger houses but in general the carbon facelift is better ie no setup time at all and no faffing about for bottoms in general it`s quicker to use on the average stuff no question.The only thing i don`t like about the facelift is the pole hose it`s like string and gets caught on everything.
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I fancy a Facelift after trying one out at the NEC. 24 foot is too long for most of my domestic work; so would it be possible to remove the lower sections all together?
I think it is, since there's no 'stoppers' and you can just slip them out (especially if you keep the thin hose outside the pole).
Am I right?
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I fancy a Facelift after trying one out at the NEC. 24 foot is too long for most of my domestic work; so would it be possible to remove the lower sections all together?
I think it is, since there's no 'stoppers' and you can just slip them out (especially if you keep the thin hose outside the pole).
Am I right?
exactly right tosh, take any sections off, use at any height you like, just buy the appropriate rubber base protector. but trust me, its just as easy & light to use it with all the sections on, there's no need to have water pipe on outside. i use four sections (24ft) 99% of the time, even on bottoms (retracted of course). I know you mainly use 18ft (like me) but i do find the extra section very handy a lot of the time, & like i say, its absolutley no hinderence having the fourth section added all the time.
tony
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Tony, it isn't rubbish at all, I've been using telescopic poles for the last 3 years, and I've found the modular poles easy and fast in use.
And by that I mean the dropping off of sections on domestic work.
Bad advice it isn't.
I added the warning about their inherent fragility, that is the downside of the fishing pole based pole.
you have to be organised in what you do, but lowering and raising the pole is extremely quick and easy, and very easily camparable to any telescopic pole in that respect.
with most telescopic poles, if you have the pole hose fed though the the pole, then you are also stuck with having to use all of the sections all of the time. either that or have several different length poles, all with their own brush and pole hose etc.
No one single method is perfect, there are downsides to all of the poles, clamps that wear out, sections that stick, fibreglass splinters on worn poles, pole hose being pulled off inside a section and so on and so forth.
you may well recommend a facelift because it is more robust and can take a hammering, but if you think you can raise and lower it faster than I can raise and lower a fishing pole based modular pole then you are dreaming.
I'm not going to say I'll be faster than you...but I'll be at least as quick.
Ian
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Because its "new" (well 14 months old) many have not yet experienced working with the fishing poles. As the originator I will back up Ian and go further......
I suggest that I can raise a 60ft modular as fast as any telescopic or other modular and drop a 60ft modular and clean a window,faster than any other system out there. (I think :) )
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This is starting to sound like one of those WFP Versus Trad threads!
;D
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This is starting to sound like one of those WFP Versus Trad threads!
;D
Except far less interesting.
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All the poles have + and - and for different reasons, just that when the c/f light modular are Rubbished I will stand my ground.
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I fancy a Facelift...etc...
I'd advise it Tosh.
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i'm not rubbishing modular poles at all but when all you can say to champion them is Oh, i can raise my pole .001 seconds faster than you then you are totally missing the point. I bet you can raise a superlight faster than a facelift, that's not in question, i bet i can retract my pole & get it round the many tight corners, gates, washing lines etc. that we encounter every day 10 times faster than you. read my above post very carefully. many people rely on this forum, especially newbys to wfp, so i think in the context here you are misleading them. there is absolutley no way a modular pole is better or easier to use on every-day domestic work than a light carbon telescopic, & thats my point!
Davew seems to realize his mistake, even squeeks who has just bought a superlite has just advised tosh to buy a facelift, as far as i know these guys are mainley domestic & i think its wrong to mislead them & others like them.
the superlight (as i stated above) is THE pole for high work, a job where you may be there a while doing much high work, when you've got time to assemble & diss-assemble with care etc.
as for the pipe going through the facelift pole, you just add a wee speed-fit connector & bobs you're uncle, you can make the pipe any length you like with this method, or even multi-length. (allthough there's no need to at the 24ft mark).
I pull my hose around with the base of my pole, how would i do that if the pipe was on the outside?
tony
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I dont believe it ;D I've been considering a carbon pole and mainly thinking modular from gardiners, then someone mentions Facelift which I like the sound of, 179 miles I drove to Birmingham and guess what pole I didnt look at >:( I still fancy the modular as well though ::)
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Think you missed the point with Squeaks advising Tosh on a facelift Tony ;D ;D ;D
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Actually Tony, if it was a complete window cleaning newbie, I don't even think I'd recommend WFP to them! If they are experienced window cleaners, but only new to WFP, then I would certainly recommend a supalite pole.
I've been using the supalite on all my domestic work and I'm finding it really effective.
As for dragging the hose around;
Quite recently several WFP'ers have used the method of attaching the hose to your waist via your belt and something like a caribina (spelling?)
I use some strapping and wear it like a sash,( I don't like attaching it to my belt...feels too uncomfortable) a small caribina (or however it's spelt!) the funny little round, multicoloured foam ball that protects joints etc
This bit holds the hose in place once it's clipped into the caribina as I walk around.
as a result I've also shortened the actual pole hose itself as it no longer needs to be much longer than the pole length I'm using.
Makes moving around a house much easier too.
Ian
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For everyday use I use 4 setions of a tough Ron Thompson Reload thats twice the thickness of the lighter higher versions and is £50 for a 26fter, not the £250 F16. I do find it better and quicker than a telescopic purely because its lighter and I need lighter after 10 years of using poles I have RSI. I have been trying to get all Manuf to reduce the weights and we all have the benefit of lighter equipment. But I think there is still a way to go yet.
I am not trying to mislead anyone, especially new members and apologise if thats how it sounded.
Tony, I dont need to drag my hose because I use a different system.
Horses for courses I suppose. Cheers. :)
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I do find it better and quicker than a telescopic purely because its lighter and I need lighter after 10 years of using poles I have RSI.
Great, I been off for 5 weeks with RSI injuries in my neck and shoulder from traditional work, now I'm going to get it from WFP too? >:(
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ok guys, think we've all got our points accross, as jeff says- horses for courses, pros & cons. good debate though. ;)
tony
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Personaly I think there is a correct way of using poles to help prevent RSI but eary start means back tomorrow- maybe a diff topic that we can all add to ?
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yes squeaky.you will get lots of aches from poles.for about 6 months i had neck aches ,shoulder aches ,and arm aches .never had any of that trad .but now only a few now and then .i think its the use of different muscles .
my mate got fed up with the neck ach and packed up wc altogether.
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we could always have a jousting competition, me with a facelift & jeff or ian with the superlight on horseback!! ;D
tony
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I have a supalite but I do think macmac has the right take on it. On some of my jobs I've gone back to using the 24 universal. Others though I wouldn't be without the supalite. Everyones work is different and its impossible to say.
I would say probably that if most of your work is only ground, 1st and 2nd then go for the facelift.
Ideally buy both!!
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No offense but i would never go back to using that 24ft pole,i would rather use the superlite all day.The facelift is a completly different animal and can`t be compared to universal poles.
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If its take me longer then i'll go back even if it is heavier. Its only on a few jobs. A 24 uni with a supalite brush is not that taxing.
Dont get me wrong I'm a massive supalite fan but I dont think its works on everything
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At the end of the day it all boils down to 'Supalite' being slower for newbies until experienced with this pole but say goodbye to Repetitive Strain Injury
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'Facelift' purely as a popular example by MacMac who 100% recommends it (as if we hadn't already guessed) for telescopic simplicity but heavier although not as heavy as most other poles with an ergo-friendly pole girth unlike many on the market which allows newbies to mistreat with disrespect allowing them to initially work faster thus earning more dosh.
We all make our own decisions according to our own needs and funds.
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ME? recommend the facelift? never!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;D
tony
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I now have two poles - a 12ft streamline (3 x 4ft telescopic)
Modular fishing pole up to 34ft.
On any account where the 12ft won't do all the windows I use the modular carried in a golfbag. So a small house with windows above conservatory - I use the fishing pole with pencil jets...
In fact I reckon 80% of my work is done with modular and it's quicker and lighter than an 18/24ft extender (for me.)
It is more fragile and come summer I won't be using it to close windows with! But as it allows more accuracy I have had no problem cleaning windows that are open.
Oh ... and I don't wake up with aching hands anymore.
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I do find it better and quicker than a telescopic purely because its lighter and I need lighter after 10 years of using poles I have RSI.
Great, I been off for 5 weeks with RSI injuries in my neck and shoulder from traditional work, now I'm going to get it from WFP too? >:(
Rog. When the money starts coming in again and you can afford it, a good acupuncturist/acupressurist would work wonders with you. However, the longer you leave it, the longer it takes to put right.