Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: frames to panes on May 01, 2008, 04:42:34 pm
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What tool did you use to cut your Vikan down?
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A 4.5" grinder ;D yeah, really, but have to keep stopping to pull the melted plastic off. When i get to where i want it i then finnish it off by scraping a new stanley knife blade along it sideways, a bit like shaving it to smooth it off. there must be better ways of doing it dave like with one of them small hand planer things that carpenters use. Be warned though, if you catch any bristles with the grinder they'er gone! :-\
Tony
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I'll take a photo in a bit & upload it so you can see, that'll probably help better.
Tony
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Thanks, i'm thinking of doing it but would like to keep my fingers as long as possible and create a decent looking job. Maybe i'll get the brother-in-law to clamp it and run it through a band saw?
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here you go, but the pics do it no justice at all, i'm no luke johnson with a lense. there's a standard vikan thrown in for comparison.
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more
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another
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That's good, I've always intended doing this. I seem to remember shiner sent them an email about looking into doing this as standard.
Matt posted that he'd done it too, but didn't reveal how.
As I say, i'll take a look at it.
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Like you said Tony using a plainer would be better you would have far more control as to how far down you can get it,you should be able to get it almost down to bristles.
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www.lightbrush.notlong.com
i got my Vikan down to 270 G
it started off as 430 g
keep in mind the really light bentley ( thats sold i belive as a "superligth brush" is 240 g
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Like you said Tony using a plainer would be better you would have far more control as to how far down you can get it,you should be able to get it almost down to bristles.
only thing with a planner, is when you hit the staples, the planner blade will be wrecked
the disk cutter works well and B&Q do them for 12 quid
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Hey that's one of Alex's poles!!!!!!!!!! What's going on? Have you put SLX stickers on your Facelift?
Thanks for the pics, i've seen Matts version on his site too (blimey thats close to minimum). Thinking of trying it, my Bentleys can't cope with my pole now.
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Thanks for the pics, i've seen Matts version on his site too (blimey thats close to minimum). Thinking of trying it, my Bentleys can't cope with my pole now.
mine is right down to the bone
its been in use for 5 months now ( though only 3 days a week ), still looks great and very little loss of bristles
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270g? That's amazing! You've managed to shave 160g off. Those Vikans are very solid. Nice one Matt.
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270g? That's amazing! You've managed to shave 160g off. Those Vikans are very solid. Nice one Matt.
cheers
it took me about 1/2 a hour, not bad considering it has created a very nice light brush, i used to find the bentley was a really light brush, but the bristles would fold in and foul the fan spray pattern of the jets, the Vikan keeps its shape really well
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Just looked at those pics again & boy does that mono' look grubby, well, it's been hammered all day, still should have wiped the cobwebs off though.
I could take more plastic off the brush but that's the limit with the angle grinder, one slip & that would be the brush in the bin, i'll do the next one better. I did it for better access into sash & case windows, especialy the ones with side rail over-hangs, as the excess stock on the vikan would hit these & restrict the bristles getting into the corners. The brush just felt better allround once it was trimmed & i've used it ever since. I think it's about 10 months of solid use & has got better with age as it was a bit too stiff at first.
The tool i will do it with next time is called a spokeshave, just looked it up in screwfix, 8 quid. ;)
Tony
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I no this might be obvious to most but have you cut the bristles down too, i had 2 of them green brushes and just sold them on ebay but have now got the 2 red vikans
chris
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let me get this rite? your cutting down your brushes to reduce the weight and make them easyer to use??
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I no this might be obvious to most but have you cut the bristles down too, i had 2 of them green brushes and just sold them on ebay but have now got the 2 red vikans
chris
No, the bristles are not cut down, although the picture makes them look short for some reason.
???
Tony
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let me get this rite? your cutting down your brushes to reduce the weight and make them easyer to use??
Removing excess plastic stock, yes. ;)
They are renamed "bespoke nakiv brushes" & i now sell them for 75 quid 8)
Tony
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going to try something like this as all i seem to be getting is town houses so want something lighter
Chris
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you sell them? but thats such an easy diy job to do. cant belive folk PAY you to do that! lazy barstools!
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I think he is pulling your leg
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you sell them? but thats such an easy diy job to do. cant belive folk PAY you to do that! lazy barstools!
EASY :o each brush takes 4 days to customise!!!!!! ;)
Tony
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The tool i will do it with next time is called a spokeshave, just looked it up in screwfix, 8 quid. ;)
Tony
Tony, not wishing to sound a know-it-all ;)
BUT ( and remmber im a carpenter ) a spoke shave would really struggle with the plastic, infact i would go as far as saying its a no go, dont waste your 8 quid
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The tool i will do it with next time is called a spokeshave, just looked it up in screwfix, 8 quid. ;)
Tony
Tony, not wishing to sound a know-it-all ;)
BUT ( and remmber im a carpenter ) a spoke shave would really struggle with the plastic, infact i would go as far as saying its a no go, dont waste your 8 quid
Ok cheers matt, never used one, was just an idea. will have to come up wi sumat better than the grinder though. ;)
Tony
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in all honesty
i dont think you will beat the angle grinder, sure its a pain when it melts, but it makes a hard jon fairly easy
the only other think you might use is a sabre saw ( or a reciprocating saw as i belive is the correct term )
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We could do with something between a dremel-multi & an angle grinder. ;D
Tony
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Who's the best supplier for a Vikan - didn't you have two different qualities Tony. Oh and how are you getting on with that pole? :)
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We could do with something between a dremel-multi & an angle grinder. ;D
Tony
A hand held rasp file on one side with a numpty file on the other side.
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because this is the last blimming thread i dreampt i was making my vikan lighter last night lol. This use to happen to me when i was a chef i use to cook and call table numbers out in my sleep now im going to end up window cleaning and canvassing in my sleep.
Chris
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because this is the last blimming thread i dreampt i was making my vikan lighter last night lol. This use to happen to me when i was a chef i use to cook and call table numbers out in my sleep now im going to end up window cleaning and canvassing in my sleep.
Chris
"Through working at such dizzy heights, I dream about my job at nights
I polish my wife's thingummytights, and think I'm cleaning windows." George Formby
You're not the only one who dreams about window cleaning!
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Who's the best supplier for a Vikan - didn't you have two different qualities Tony. Oh and how are you getting on with that pole? :)
As far as i know there is no different bristle grades with the mono', just the flocked one. I got mine from cleantech but they don't have them on their website you have to ring them. I like where cleantech place the jets & the connectors they use but you can get them from most places. ;)
Pole- excellent, what a great product, i'm holding out till i can find the correct words to do it justice. :)
Tony
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there is a stiff bristle too. good for coni roofs
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there is a stiff bristle too. good for coni roofs
In the mono' or just the flocked brushes?
Tony
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in the mono
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I didn't know that, maybe it's the stiff one i've got as i've always felt it would be a better brush if it were a little softer.
Do you supply these xline?
Tony
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YES SUPPLY ALL THREE TYPES OF FLAGGED,MONO AND STIFF
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Hurry up with your site, then we can have a look.
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Hurry up with your site, then we can have a look.
;D ;D ;D ;D
Great minds think alike, i just did the same, clicked the link for a look. ;)
Tony
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The other thing is dave, if you use a MKII swivel you will have to cut approx 10-15mm off the neck of the vikan to allow the swivel thread into it deep enough to engage the vikan internal thread. ;)
Tony
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Funny, have you noticed what's happened in a year? I've bought a carbon telescopic pole and am looking at buying vikans now! Who'd have thought it? ::)
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The other thing is dave, if you use a MKII swivel you will have to cut approx 10-15mm off the neck of the vikan to allow the swivel thread into it deep enough to engage the vikan internal thread. ;)
Tony
I wondered that, as your pics show one screwed in very deep and the other more normal.
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The other thing is dave, if you use a MKII swivel you will have to cut approx 10-15mm off the neck of the vikan to allow the swivel thread into it deep enough to engage the vikan internal thread. ;)
Tony
I wondered that, as your pics show one screwed in very deep and the other more normal.
Both are cut down, just one a bit more than the other.
Tony
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Funny, have you noticed what's happened in a year? I've bought a carbon telescopic pole and am looking at buying vikans now! Who'd have thought it? ::)
Yeah, it's been bloody hard work for me :o but i knew you'de come round in the end ;)
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Tony