Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: *Mr Tumble on May 01, 2008, 04:03:23 pm
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I had an Ionics c/f pole that gave up the ghost because the clamps were obviously crushing the pole bit by bit and I ended up with a brush that spun around, whic in some ways was helpful but eventually the poles would just slide shut and it didn't matter how hard you tightened the thing is was knackered.
Does this happen with the slx pole? I take it it is carbon fibre?
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Every telescopic pole will do this mate, but the better the material the longer they last
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I've been using glass fibre for a while now and that does wear as wel, it's just that the clmpas don't seem to cruch the pole in the way that they do on the carbon fibre poles i have used before.
The g/f ones seem to wear along their length but it seems to last longer than c/f.
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Crushing? Sounds like it's an ionic specific problem there. yeah, all poles will wear with friction along the sections but crushing? that's a new one on me. Or you had the clamps set way, way too tight?
Tony
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It wasn't obviously crushed, but the pole always spun when you had it fully extended,and not so much in other positions.
Of course that's no good when you want maximum height.
Maybe it was just my use of the clamps then? I don't remember over-tightening them.,
Anyway, that's academic now, I just wonder if this new gardiner pole is going to have the same thing happen.
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Steady, i think what the problem might be, is that poles tend to wear most in the fully extended position and closed position. Probably find they gripped ok between the two extremes.
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Two posts removed, one was the cause of the other but both were bad in there own right.
Think before you post please.
Ian
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Steady, i think what the problem might be, is that poles tend to wear most in the fully extended position and closed position. Probably find they gripped ok between the two extremes.
Yes, I think so. I have been put off buying c/f poles after I had TWO from Ionics and the same thing happened with each one.
Believe me, when you part with around £950 you DO take care of the pole!!!
In any event, I shy away from c/f now, confining myself to low level domestics where a g/f pole does the job ta very much.
That said, I would be interested in a c/f if I thought the clamps were to be trusted.
Would like to hear from anyone else who has had problems with c/f poles spinning around after a period of use.
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Crushing? Sounds like it's an ionic specific problem there. yeah, all poles will wear with friction along the sections but crushing? that's a new one on me. Or you had the clamps set way, way too tight?
Tony
You got me thinking there that I remember the pole being all shiny with use/friction, maybe these c/f need a bit of sandpaper on them from time to time?
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Two posts removed, one was the cause of the other but both were bad in there own right.
Think before you post please.
Ian
maybe when you delete a post leave a footprint thats says why ::)
randon deleting of posts does not help people understand why a post has been deleted in the first place, mods and I meantion no names add comments that dont/shopuld not be done but we are the smaller guys with no power.
Ian
p.s please dont take this as a swipe (i know your unpaid) just maybe something to look into I am on here more than anyone else including any mod and I see it day in day out.
Ian
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Just a bit of hot headed banter. You didn't miss much.
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Ian does it really matter what they say? Ian and David have been chosen on merit and in my mind do a good job, without mods the board would be chaos would you like the job?
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Although i've never owned one, i have read quite a few posts in the past of ionic carbon poles snapping, i've always had the feeling they are way over-priced for what they are, they don't seem to be highly rated. Don't think all carbon poles are like this as you'd be very wrong, there are some excellent carbon poles on the market now. ;)
Tony
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Two posts removed, one was the cause of the other but both were bad in there own right.
Think before you post please.
Ian
maybe when you delete a post leave a footprint thats says why ::)
The comment about the removed posts was made on the forum because the members email address's are hidden, so the point was only being made for their benefit, unfortunately the ability to send private messages was removed some time ago...a shame actually as sometimes it means displaying a message on the forum for all to read when it is only really intended for an individual, but with hidden emails there is little other option.
(no offence taken by the way Ian)
Ian
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I had an Ionics c/f pole that gave up the ghost because the clamps were obviously crushing the pole bit by bit and I ended up with a brush that spun around, whic in some ways was helpful but eventually the poles would just slide shut and it didn't matter how hard you tightened the thing is was knackered.
Does this happen with the slx pole? I take it it is carbon fibre?
What you will find is that the carbon pole is not being crushed ( a carbon tube is very resistant to any crushing forces), the surface of the clamp and the pole are wearing away, thereby leading to the clamp not fitting tightly and the pole section spinning. You mention later about sanding the pole surface, this would actually increase the rate of wear and make the pole spin even sooner.
The absolute best way to prolong the life of a composite pole is to keep the sections spotlessly clean. Most wear is caused by dirt.grit being trapped between the section surface and the clamp and acting like sandpaper on them both. If at the end of each day the pole is flushed through with water to clean inside the sections, this will give your pole a much better chance of survival. :)
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I would just reiterate that I never sanded my ionics pole.
THe clamps, as I remember, had very little scope for adjustment in themsleves, so that any wear on the pole eventually got the better of the clamps.
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Alex, have you done that everyday to the prototype SL-X?
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Alex, have you done that everyday to the prototype SL-X?
No of course not!! I'm far too lazy. I also wanted to test it in real world application, not just for the 'ideal' user. :)
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I would just reiterate that I never sanded my ionics pole.
THe clamps, as I remember, had very little scope for adjustment in themsleves, so that any wear on the pole eventually got the better of the clamps.
The original clamps that come fitted on an Ionics pole lasts for ages.
When the clamps wear out and need replacing I've found the new replacement clamps do not have a big enough gap for adjusting the clamps so they only last a little while in comparison to the original clamps.
What I do to overcome this problem is either cut a larger gap between the clamp using a tiny hacksaw or use a very thin file to make the gap larger which allows the clamp to tighten up effectively even after a lot of constant adjusting / tightening.
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Alex, have you done that everyday to the prototype SL-X?
No of course not!! I'm far too lazy. I also wanted to test it in real world application, not just for the 'ideal' user. :)
I reckon it's doing pretty well then after all that time?
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I would just reiterate that I never sanded my ionics pole.
THe clamps, as I remember, had very little scope for adjustment in themsleves, so that any wear on the pole eventually got the better of the clamps.
The original clamps that come fitted on an Ionics pole lasts for ages.
When the clamps wear out and need replacing I've found the new replacement clamps do not have a big enough gap for adjusting the clamps so they only last a little while in comparison to the original clamps.
What I do to overcome this problem is either cut a larger gap between the clamp using a tiny hacksaw or use a very thin file to make the gap larger which allows the clamp to tighten up effectively even after a lot of constant adjusting / tightening.
Depends on what you mean by 'ages', needlesstosay.
I tried the old 'widening the gap' trick on mine, which I know in theory should work, but, and it's a big BUT, what you cannot do is increase the scope for movement of the cam surface, and it's that that pinches the pole. The gap can be as big as you like, but if the cam does not compensate...
Maybe it's the cam that's wearing not the pole?
I guess we'll never know.
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I would just reiterate that I never sanded my ionics pole.
THe clamps, as I remember, had very little scope for adjustment in themsleves, so that any wear on the pole eventually got the better of the clamps.
The original clamps that come fitted on an Ionics pole lasts for ages.
When the clamps wear out and need replacing I've found the new replacement clamps do not have a big enough gap for adjusting the clamps so they only last a little while in comparison to the original clamps.
What I do to overcome this problem is either cut a larger gap between the clamp using a tiny hacksaw or use a very thin file to make the gap larger which allows the clamp to tighten up effectively even after a lot of constant adjusting / tightening.
Depends on what you mean by 'ages', needlesstosay.
I tried the old 'widening the gap' trick on mine, which I know in theory should work, but, and it's a big BUT, what you cannot do is increase the scope for movement of the cam surface, and it's that that pinches the pole. The gap can be as big as you like, but if the cam does not compensate...
Maybe it's the cam that's wearing not the pole?
I guess we'll never know.
An alternative to using Ionics cams on their clamps is to fit the pennel clamp style wingnut (with a spring inside) and glue the bolt to the clamp. It works and will outlast any standard Ionic clamp as it grips the pole much more secure.
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How much are pennel clamps ?
Anyone got a pic ?
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just a thought guys I smear super glue around the top of the sections when the pole starts to wear and the brush rotates, it works great. It would probably work at the end of each section as well.
Michael
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Funnily enough I still have my old Ionics pole (too much do$h to chuck away) so I would be interested in changing the clamps for 'pennel-type) whatever that is/where to buy?
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Funnily enough I still have my old Ionics pole (too much do$h to chuck away) so I would be interested in changing the clamps for 'pennel-type) whatever that is/where to buy?
Aquafactors (Afd) Tucker poles.
Tell them you just want to buy the spring wing nuts, bolts and springs, NOT the whole clamp part.