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UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Pureandclean on January 18, 2009, 09:02:58 pm

Title: What to do with old poles ?
Post by: Pureandclean on January 18, 2009, 09:02:58 pm

What to do with old poles ?
I have been wfp for over 5 years now, and I have an interesting collection of old fibreglass poles developing in my garage.
 Any creative suggestions as to what I could do with these poles ?
Other than take up fishing  ;D

Title: Re: What to do with old poles ?
Post by: Neil Williams on January 18, 2009, 09:10:14 pm

Cut them down into smaller usable poles. Or use them as bean poles.
Being fibre glass you should take them to a proper disposal place if you're going to go down that route.

Title: Re: What to do with old poles ?
Post by: Pureandclean on January 18, 2009, 09:15:48 pm

When I first started with wfp, I used to have a 6ft pole for doing the downstairs windows, but I haven't bothered with anything like that for years, just use one pole for 2 story houses.

I haven't had the time to strip them down and see if I could re-use sections, anyway they are all different colours.

Title: Re: What to do with old poles ?
Post by: ducky on January 18, 2009, 09:16:07 pm

sell them and make some cash.

Title: Re: What to do with old poles ?
Post by: Oakley Windows on January 18, 2009, 09:20:30 pm

I use my first pole to clean gutters out with, it has a trowel fixed to the with cable ties, yes I must be a cowboy  :D but it saves moving the ladder, I cleaned 3 houses in the same street with  just one ladder positioning, I think if Id stretched I might have got a couple of others in the street round the corner  ;D  ;D

Title: Re: What to do with old poles ?
Post by: tomy jackson on January 18, 2009, 09:21:03 pm

send the polls home  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Title: Re: What to do with old poles ?
Post by: Pureandclean on January 18, 2009, 09:22:17 pm

Well these are all old poles that are worn. I tend to use them right up to the point where they are slipping or cracked. So they would not be of use to any other window cleaner.

A friend of mine came over last week needing some pure water as one of his filter housings had cracked due to the frost, and we got talking about poles etc. when I noticed in his van that he still had the first aluminium window cleaning pole that he started with about 3 years ago. It is the old type of pole we used to use with the t bars and squeegies. And his brush was an old vikan brush I gave him a year ago.
I have spent hundreds of pounds over the years since I started and he has only bought the one pole,
Any one else come across this ?

Title: Re: What to do with old poles ?
Post by: Simon Carter on January 18, 2009, 09:48:59 pm

If they've been in your garage long enough, they're probably entitled to benefits & a free house.

Title: Re: What to do with old poles ?
Post by: Alex Gardiner on January 18, 2009, 10:07:18 pm

I had this situation a while back. I had about six or seven old fibre glass poles that I was always going to get round to making something out of.  In the end I dumped them after having removed any useful fittings.

Title: Re: What to do with old poles ?
Post by: STEVE-UK on January 18, 2009, 10:24:36 pm

sell them on ebay as hardly used ;D lol

Title: Re: What to do with old poles ?
Post by: windowwashers on January 18, 2009, 10:36:32 pm

I store them in the hope I will reuse some of the parts lol, I now have about 9 not used, really should get some new sections for them one day

Title: Re: What to do with old poles ?
Post by: P @ F on January 20, 2009, 11:45:53 am

I have a shed full of poles , 18' extenders mainly , light but not hardwearing !

But the pole that has served me the best is still in use today , he will be 5 years old in  June , 24 foot universal , by far the most hardwearing everyday pole i have come across , i just cant seem to break the thing !

It has had no new sections , clamps , or even internal guides , it has however had the odd coating of fiberglass resin , mechanic gloves on , smear all the sections , wait for it to go off and then lightly wet and dry sand it .

I think i paid £112 for it back then , not bad for 5 years service is it ?

 Rich P @ F 

Title: Re: What to do with old poles ?
Post by: Alex Gardiner on January 20, 2009, 11:52:25 am

Quote from: P @ F on January 20, 2009, 11:45:53 am

I have a shed full of poles , 18' extenders mainly , light but not hardwearing !

But the pole that has served me the best is still in use today , he will be 5 years old in  June , 24 foot universal , by far the most hardwearing everyday pole i have come across , i just cant seem to break the thing !

It has had no new sections , clamps , or even internal guides , it has however had the odd coating of fiberglass resin , mechanic gloves on , smear all the sections , wait for it to go off and then lightly wet and dry sand it .

I think i paid £112 for it back then , not bad for 5 years service is it ?

 Rich P @ F 

We had several of those in the firm and whilst they lasted well we couldn't wait to get rid of them as they were a bit of a back-breaker.

Title: Re: What to do with old poles ?
Post by: P @ F on January 20, 2009, 12:10:44 pm

And im betting they were green and from VARI TECH .
True , not a light pole as you say , but back then money was at a premium as i was starting out , i just lived with the back ache !

Alex , im going to be fitting out a second van in the next few weeks , are you mail order only , or do you have a shop ?

Rich P @ F 

Title: Re: What to do with old poles ?
Post by: Alex Gardiner on January 20, 2009, 12:21:03 pm

Quote from: P @ F on January 20, 2009, 12:10:44 pm

And im betting they were green and from VARI TECH .
True , not a light pole as you say , but back then money was at a premium as i was starting out , i just lived with the back ache !

Alex , im going to be fitting out a second van in the next few weeks , are you mail order only , or do you have a shop ?

Rich P @ F 

They were actually red and from Omnipole.  We have premises in St Austell, the address is on the website.

Title: Re: What to do with old poles ?
Post by: cybersye on January 20, 2009, 12:25:54 pm

Quote from: Pureandclean on January 18, 2009, 09:22:17 pm

when I noticed in his van that he still had the first aluminium window cleaning pole that he started with about 3 years ago. It is the old type of pole we used to use with the t bars and squeegies. And his brush was an old vikan brush I gave him a year ago.
I have spent hundreds of pounds over the years since I started and he has only bought the one pole,
Any one else come across this ?

just goes to show, if it aint broke don't fix
sure products have moved on but the principle and and how they are used has'nt.
If most my work was standard houses of just ground and first floors I'd propably still use an unger alu pole and a vikan or a harris pole.

Title: Re: What to do with old poles ?
Post by: P @ F on January 20, 2009, 12:30:27 pm

Cheers Alex , will be in touch

 Rich P @ F

Title: Re: What to do with old poles ?
Post by: Pureandclean on January 20, 2009, 08:14:18 pm

I still have a 30 ft Blue pole that I bought right at the start, use it for high 3 stories and those awkward sky lights on the 3 stories.

I remember using it on the first day of wfp, on a whole street of 3 story houses, my neck screamed at me at the end of the day, and I thought, what have I done, spent all this money, and my body aches like this. Those ladders looked extremely attractive at that time.

Title: Re: What to do with old poles ?
Post by: AuRavelling79 on January 21, 2009, 04:46:04 pm

Quote from: Stan The Man on January 18, 2009, 10:20:04 pm

Lone Ranger time  ;D ;D

To the dump to the dump to the dump dump dump? ;D