Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Sanity on December 10, 2007, 06:14:26 pm
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Does anybody have a step by step (im a bit thick...) instructions on how to convert a carbon fibre fishing pole into a useable WFP? Things like clamps, tapping the end etc are what I am a bit unsure about.
Seems to be cheaper to get it done this way rather than buy a standard made WFP...
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You can now buy a DIY version of our Super-Lite which has all the hard work done for you and is about 5x stronger than a standard 'fishing-pole'.
http://www.gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/acatalog/SUPER-LITE_2__DIY_KIT.html
Simply add hose, Velcro ties, end bung and brush.
It comes complete with an instruction manual, PTFE spray, Holdall, top gooseneck connector and adjustable gooseneck.
I'm sure that Matt's D I Y forum will have something on it though, if you do want to convert a fishing pole.
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Nice, ill check that out. thanx for the link :)
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indeed
step by step
http://wfpole.110mb.com/
OR
http://wfpole2.110mb.com
Also alot of discussion on the DIY forum
<------------ e.mail me for a link and dont forget to postin the actiavtation forum so i can activate you account
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Why bother with a fishing pole???
They're not intended for use in the window cleaning industry and are nowhere near as strong as a genuine pole.
They're not telescopic so breaking one down would take too bloody long and be too much of a pain in the arse.
You're a window cleaner aren't you??
Invest in a proper WFP. It's what they're intened for. If they weren't I'd take mine fishing with me, but I reckon the lads sat on the lake with me would think I were mad.
I could always clean a few windows though if the fishing was a bit slow though I guess.
In all seriousness I reckon it's definately false economy to try to convert a fishing pole into a WFP. The wall thickness difference between the two is huge. The strength difference, even with a carp style power pole, is huge, and the fact that a fishing pole is "take a part" as opposed to telescopic would make putting it together and breaking it down too much hassle and slow you down.
And it looks Naff!!!
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How do you clean 70ft windows then ?
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don't bother.
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How do you clean 70ft windows then ?
WOW :o :o 70FT Windows they must be very awkward to fit and cost a fortune ;)
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we don't clean windows 70ft up.
At present we can reach 5 stories at a push and next year will see us add to our poles with a 60ft jobbie.
It'll be a genuine WFP too, my Maver 16 metre fishing pole will stay in it's holdall ready for next time I use it TO FISH!!
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Touchy? :o
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The Ergolite 60fter is a two man pole 8ft sections, 6kg+brush , I was glad to sell it on for £450 I found the Map poles a bit stronger than the Maver. But you are right they are delicate but looked after and they do last, mines 2 years old now.
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fishing poles are meant for... gues what.. FISHING
get a proper water-fed pole instead.
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Such as? :)
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you either get it, or you dont
its not worth trying to understand if you dont get it, just move on and leave it alone ( no need for the comments )
Oh and its not worth people who get it trying to explain to them who dont, as they never will, so dont waste your time
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:)
"You can take a horse to water but you cannot make it drink" is one of my favourites.
10 years ago people laughed about me try to tell people about backpacks being used for wfp 8) but they do have their uses 8). If you get to my age you will all need fishing type poles ;) , thankfully there are now two suppliers of the fishing pole concept, custom made economical carbon fibre wfp poles, I know one of them is also ideal for fishing. :)
Sanity, Back to topic, if you can find your way to the - try looking on the diy site, for a topic called "Merry Christmas" all about the fishing poles. Took me 2 years to write and develop. If not email me.
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I don't think that I would convert a fishing pole itself, but the concept is totally sound.
An actual fishing pole is far more fragile than the ones that have been converted to WFP use.
As Jeff says, there are now two suppliers of these poles now, and they are now at stage two of development; the poles (such as the superlite 2 from Gardiners) are now very strong indeed, far more robust than a straightforward fishing pole.
In use, once you have adapted to dropping off sections there is next to no difference at all in setup times compared to a telescopic pole.
And of course development is underway now for lightweight telescopic carbon poles.
The original poles for WFP, either made from aluminium or glassfibre are horrendously heavy and bendy, they are god awful things to work with, the difference in use between them and the very rigid and lightweight carbon fibre poles has to be experienced to be believed.
And if you want to work at 30ft and above it really is the way to go.
......................but I wouldn't go the DIY route though :-\
Ian
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MLS:
If you infact do own a maver fishing pole, then I just don't understand why you can't see why the concept is brilliant. Yes, a fishing pole designed for fishing might not be the perfect solution for everybody but there is the Super-lite 2, a pole designed just for window cleaning. I own a Super-lite and it is simply brilliant!If your in any doubt regarding it's strength then look at this video here:
http://www.gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/acatalog/Super-Lite2_Endurance_Videos.html
As regards to the setup time, on work over 30ft there is no difference. Below 30ft a telescopic can be quicker. I always knew the modular style was the way forward for me both price wise and lightness. Using light equipment is safer for yourself and members of the public. It also allows you to work quicker because of increased stamina. Luke
PS. Don't knock the DIY route, just look at this poll I made on the forum, nearly everybody on here does DIY!!! You'll get a verbal beating off them :)
http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=46366.20#msg379368
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Luke i know what your saying mate but for out and out speed on anything but large large work a telescopic will eat anything for speed,why do you think there`s a tele version coming out. :o :o :o :o
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As regards to the setup time, on work over 30ft there is no difference. Below 30ft a telescopic can be quicker.
yeah, I agree NWH! I'm looking forward to the SL-X. I myself would never get my Super-lite out for anything under 30ft, Luke
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Why not use a fishing pole under 30 feet? On most domestics a cheap fishing pole is quite useable - your only using three sections max most of the time, light as a feather, cheap and fairly durable.
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Get a 24ft carbon facelift and you`ll see why i don`t.
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Why not use a fishing pole under 30 feet? On most domestics a cheap fishing pole is quite useable - your only using three sections max most of the time, light as a feather, cheap and fairly durable.
Dave, remember Ive got a Super-lite, its amazingly stiff at 30ft but I still prefer using a heavier telescopic because its quicker to setup below 30ft, Luke
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I do like the lightness but i prefer being quicker with the telescopic,also with the fishing pole`s sometimes 2 sections is not enough and 3 sections is to much you end up hitting the end of the pole in the ground or something or not having enough reach.It has to be a minimum of 4 sections these days with the rod or it stays in the van.
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One thing you have to watch out for using a fishing/super-lite pole for lower stuff is that it might be 3/4 sections for 25-30ft stuff but then on lower windows you start to use the pole at a near horizontal angle, then the joints can push together, Luke
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I get my Super-Lite2 out when working above 30ft (about 5-6 sections). Anything up to 30ft I use the SL-X.
Having timed commercial and domestic work over many years, the Super-Lite is nearly always faster than a telescopic when used on large areas of repetitive work (even below 30ft) or on anything above 30ft. The extra minute of setting up time is usually saved within the first ten minutes of work. However, for standard work up to 30ft, a telescopic is faster. For instance, today on a commercial job (under 30ft) I shaved five minutes off a 55 minutes job by using the SL-X instead of the Super-Lite2.
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Keep using any modular pole day in day out for domestic work and it won`t last 5 minutes.
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I use my superlite on everything, houses, shops, offices, the whole lot! And it's lasted me since February, day in and day out!
There is only a marginal gain with a telescopic on first putting the lengths of pole together that you need, but once in use you gain on the majority of telescopic poles due to increased rigidity and lightness.
A telescopic pole, even one made of carbonfibre - at least currently - will always be heavier than than a modular pole, you have to have clamps and much heavier duty carbonfibre shafts, at least around the clamp areas.
It's the one area that will see really big leaps forward over the next few years.
Poles are also the thing that will screw up our bodies if we are not careful too, which is why the drive for lighter and lighter poles will continue.
Anyone who has met me will tell you I am no 5 stone weakling, but on more than one occasion I've had problems with my back as a result of over straining at awkward angles with a well extended pole.
As a result of using a superlite an awful lot of my aches and pains have faded away, and I am an awful lot quicker than I was before, the modular aspect of the pole has not slowed me down one iota, the fact that it is so light and rigid has more than overcompensated for that fact.
Ian
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Keep using any modular pole day in day out for domestic work and it won`t last 5 minutes.
It does depend on the user - one of my mates uses an original Super-Lite1 on all of his work. He is careful with it and as a result he's had it for well over a year. Because of a shoulder injury, if he did not have this pole, he would've had to give up window cleaning. For the majority of users though, a telescopic would be far easier on low level domestic work.
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As a result of using a superlite an awful lot of my aches and pains have faded away, and I am an awful lot quicker than I was before, the modular aspect of the pole has not slowed me down one iota, the fact that it is so light and rigid has more than overcompensated for that fact.
My dad is getting older too and he needs a lighter pole to work with , Luke
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I agree with nearly all the points raised here. NWH yes a carbon facelift is best but only if you can afford it. A sixty quid fishing pole is very adequate for my needs (coming up to a years use now). I started with an extender pole which lasted five minutes and left shards of glassfibre in my hands, split on the end then the clamps started slipping. You get what you pay for in most cases but do you really need to pay so much in the first place? Same goes for brushes - you can have a fifty quid brush if you like or a £1.50 one thats good enough for the job and lighter to use. The guys who have spent the big money look down on the diy ers and get all upset about it. Each to their own. ;)
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No offense Dave but when offering my opinion cost is not the issue,the best things as you know are not cheap.
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"pay cheap, pay twice" is what my dad always says, and hes right, Luke
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My 24ft facelift is as good as when i got it but i`ve seem inferior poles that have been replaced twice in the same time span as i`ve had mine,mind you some WC`s do treat the kit like S***.
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Like i said NWH i do agree with you (and even Tony - reluctantly ;D) but there are ways and means of avoiding huge outlay that some of us are not in a position yet to enjoy. I have my heart set on an SL-X but wether i'll get one is a different matter. :)
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i was a sceptic of Jeff's fishing pole idea, infact i had 2 different makes of pole in the garage for more then 6 months, the fishing pole was in the garage for 9 months
i had my unger 3 X 2M ali pole and it was great, it was hard wearing, i could run over it in the car, i didnt need to mess about with the fishing pole idea
Ive had a niggley neck muscle for months, it got to a point where i thought i had to change the way i worked, that meant a van for a tank in it ( as it happens, i still use drums for the time being, but thats down to time kitting out the van ) and a lighter pole
i tested a pole supplier by GF pure freedom, same length as my ali pole, it weighed the same :( if not more ) it was a beast
i built the fishing pole, as per the little guide i did, first time i used it, its really really LIGHT, it was amazing, sure it wont last for ever, infact i cracked the end about 6 weeks ago, i superglued it together and wrapped some tape around it for a bit of extra protection ( it does work ), its fine again, as i said, it wont last a life time, but at 21 quid its a very light pole thats seems to be lasting well enough
sure its not for everyone, but at 21 quid, if your thinking of trying the idea out, then you not going to lose much are you ?? ? ?
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Matt your using the Zensorflez modular - I think. Now you have the hang of it have a go with the telescopic kite/flag poles. Same money, but faster. But there is an aquired knack. :)
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Jeff, do you mean these:
http://www.skyblueleisure.co.uk/acatalog/9_metre_Telescopic_pole.html
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I use a fishing pole - have done since feb after finding my unger telescopic ali. too whippy and too heavy (although I didn't realise it at the time.)
In the back of my van sits the top (inc brush) section on top of along the handle of my microbore reel resting in clips.
Sections 2 and 3 sit telescoped together alongside my tank.
Sections 4/5/6 sit clipped next to the above.
A golfbag sits next to the reel.
I open the doors, lift out the golf bag and the brush section, however many sections I need for the job go in the bag.
I carry the bag of pole sections in one hand (as light as a telescopic inc. bag) and pull out hose (clipped to belt) with the other.
Walk to farthest, highest point and assemble pole for tops - do tops. Drop off sections 2/3 into the bag and use section 1 for downstairs - hardly any weight and incredibly quick to use.
To strengthen it I have filled the ends with expanding foam.
If it cracks I just cut a section to size, glue it in and around with araldite and bind it with gaffer tape.
I use it for everything - commercial/domestic.
Oh, and anyone who thinks custy's will be put off because it looks naff needs to get a life. I've got blue chip companies on board that I've driven up to in a 15 yr old estate car which sent off far more "naff" signals than the gear I use.
(I do always wear a dark blue uniform jacket and hi viz tho'.)
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you broke a zensorflex, please tell me it was it the top section
because i have beaten my to a pulp and its still going strong, thinking about it i could have bought 20 for the price of the facelift
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you broke a zensorflex, please tell me it was it the top section
because i have beaten my to a pulp and its still going strong, thinking about it i could have bought 20 for the price of the facelift
if this was directed to me, it was the 3 section from the base, i tried to put the enxt section in it and i pushed it in when it wasnt quite straight, i now know you cannot do that ;)
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Matt your using the Zensorflez modular - I think. Now you have the hang of it have a go with the telescopic kite/flag poles. Same money, but faster. But there is an aquired knack. :)
Jeff, thats the other pole i have in the garage ;), i will try and get it setup over the christmas break ;) and give it a try
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Just cut the top section back till a piece of 3-4"unger alu just fits inside and glue it in. Then tape it up as in the World Pole topic on your site, you need patience and it takes two weeks to break it in but as a hobby pole its great fun as you can extend from any section. But I am defo going to have one of the new lightweight telscopic C/F or Peters fast whip up new pole, Moneys no problem its the health issue when its down to using it day in and day out.
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you nut matt, mine is white now its been used so much,