Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: geefree on March 12, 2009, 09:36:16 am
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Hi,
I think around £110 is a fair amount to pay for an everyday, standard use pole,... but after 6 months the clamps wear away,
take the pole apart to clean it.. and i find the hidden ends of each section have been eaten away with wear and tear, like its been chewed by a dog....
so clean it up...and on we go...making the most of a bad job...
patching the clamps up, tightening things every ten minutes..
The second thing to wear away is the narrowest first section..
firstly, the brush starts to spin around , hence no pressure to clean sills,
then its pulled out a bit , to give the clamps more grip on the pole.
after a month of doing this, that part even starts to wear out.
now, after around 14 months or so, i could squeeze any section of the pole .....and crush it with my hand quite easily...
two of the sections have a split.. about 6 inches long.
I know people say you get what you pay for......and people pay hundreds of pounds for a pole...... but i paid £100 ish for a pole to clean windows... not a tenner or twenty quid !
And.... i swap poles around , so i dont hammer any one particular pole to death.. but they still wear away with great speed.!
I think i am safe to say
i expect a better , longer lasting product for that amount of money.
Not happy.
Gary.
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£100 is the bottom end poles they are not built to last, are you talking about xtel poles by any chance ? if you are you can get replacement sections
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Hi Ian,
Yes.....
Also i know its the bottom end... but its not a bottom price at over a ton!
3 sections are no good really, so i will have to buy another...
i just didnt expect it to wear away so quickly,
like i said too, i alternate poles, and i am also trad too.
if i bought a used pole for 40 quid, i would expect problems..
but a new one.. well, problems started after 3 months , just a little suprised.
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I bought some araldite yesterday for £5.00 to try to re-enhance the sections of pole where the clamps bite, if I get another 2 months out of it I'll be happy, but Gazza the everyday 17' pole is £64.00 including VAT.
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My xtel pole lasted me over a year before i stopped using it due to spinning.
Although it went the same way as yours did gazza in around the same time.
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http://diywfpole.webs.com/
fishing pole
though mine is looking old now, but then again its 20 odd months old now
all for 21 quid , a steal and a deal ;D ;D
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i agree with garry £100 is a lot of money and like you say you can go into thousand of pounds for a pole but they are all over priced for what they are but you just can not get them anywere so they know this and that keeps the price up its like when you buy a new car and you have to buy a replacement part for it you have to take out a second morgage
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Its always a compromise, price vs weight vs durability.
I only have 2 poles, xtel hybrid 40 ft (over 6 months old and no problems with wear )
and a harris for bog standard everything else, cheap as chips. I adapted the black screw on piece on the end to take an angle adapter and run hose on the outside so when the pole has had it all I have to do is screw it straight on to a new one, a 60 second job. ;)
I know someone with a brodex prolong pole, if you are after durability over anything else ( ie; weight and price ) I'd suggest going for one of them.
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i got mine from emporium for 30 quid (or you could make it yourself for 20), its 17 footer and i keep the clamps loose and use it as a clampless pole ( no clamps to worry about ), i would never dream of paying 100 quid for a 17 footer, if i did have to fork out that kind of cash then i would be looking for a 40 footer at the very least.
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http://diywfpole.webs.com/
fishing pole
though mine is looking old now, but then again its 20 odd months old now
all for 21 quid , a steal and a deal ;D ;D
The fishing poles look great, and cheap, but they're modular arent they? Seems a lot of hassle for domestic work?
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Don't know what your moaning about - my first extender pole lasted five weeks!
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I am at the point of lopping another 15mm off my SL-X as the inner faces have worn yet again on the very top section...so I know so far that I personally have had to cut 45mm from the lenght of my SL-X to stop these spinning issues...carbon is ok...but is does wear...so be it a 100 quid pole or a 400 odd quid pole...wear will still occur.
Dave.
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http://diywfpole.webs.com/
fishing pole
though mine is looking old now, but then again its 20 odd months old now
all for 21 quid , a steal and a deal ;D ;D
The fishing poles look great, and cheap, but they're modular arent they? Seems a lot of hassle for domestic work?
exactly what i thought, too much hastle
then i glued them in double sections, so i have the short end for downstairs, then 2 other sections
as easy as you can get and faster then using clamps
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Trouble with fishing poles is that i think i would miss all that hose jamming up that you get with telescopic poles - you know when you need to extend that last section and it's wrapped like a boa constrictor round the pole. >:(
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Trouble with fishing poles is that i think i would miss all that hose jamming up that you get with telescopic poles - you know when you need to extend that last section and it's wrapped like a boa constrictor round the pole. >:(
add to that the dragging of the wheelie bin, garden bench, 2 kids bikes and 5 plant pots
;D ;D ;D
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http://diywfpole.webs.com/
fishing pole
though mine is looking old now, but then again its 20 odd months old now
all for 21 quid , a steal and a deal ;D ;D
The fishing poles look great, and cheap, but they're modular arent they? Seems a lot of hassle for domestic work?
exactly what i thought, too much hastle
then i glued them in double sections, so i have the short end for downstairs, then 2 other sections
as easy as you can get and faster then using clamps
Sounds good, could you give more detail? Have you got a picture?
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http://diywfpole.webs.com/
fishing pole
though mine is looking old now, but then again its 20 odd months old now
all for 21 quid , a steal and a deal ;D ;D
The fishing poles look great, and cheap, but they're modular arent they? Seems a lot of hassle for domestic work?
i have been using them with no probs for a while
once you get used to them you wont go back 8)
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I bought some araldite yesterday for £5.00 to try to re-enhance the sections of pole where the clamps bite, if I get another 2 months out of it I'll be happy, but Gazza the everyday 17' pole is £64.00 including VAT.
Hi
I paid 84 plus vat plus deliver 21 ft.
it seems they will all wear much the same as each other.... i have a fishing pole, but i do get annoyed with the hose outside, also they are not really long enough for a lot of windows over conservatories, and i based my leaflet drop on this....so i have lots and lots....
they are ok if you have a lot of semis on the same street....even so, i keep treading on the pole sections in the garden... and i always have panic attacks thinking i have left sections, so i stop van to check ::) ;D
Anyway , i want one with clamps that will last for a sensible price...
i have used areldite... oh i have dont lots of things to make them last.
They dont last.
But They Should !
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I dont mean to be a stickler, but for your run of the mill, bulk dross pole, at £64.00 which is probably going to get dropped, stepped on, thrown around like theres no tomorrow, forced at dodgy angles, made to earn its keep....if it lasts a year it works out (including holidays/sick time off etc etc) at about 29p per day.
Stop bloody moaning you old woman.
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;D ;D ;D
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Come of Gazza buy a decent pole you old skinflint... ;)
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I dont mean to be a stickler, but for your run of the mill, bulk dross pole, at £64.00 which is probably going to get dropped, stepped on, thrown around like theres no tomorrow, forced at dodgy angles, made to earn its keep....if it lasts a year it works out (including holidays/sick time off etc etc) at about 29p per day.
Stop bloody moaning you old woman.
you can be so hurtful at times Matt. :'( :'(
;D
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Well, SLX , are lots more money, they are classed as a decent pole Pingu.(dave)
how long do they last, on average? ;)
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I dont mean to be a stickler, but for your run of the mill, bulk dross pole, at £64.00 which is probably going to get dropped, stepped on, thrown around like theres no tomorrow, forced at dodgy angles, made to earn its keep....if it lasts a year it works out (including holidays/sick time off etc etc) at about 29p per day.
Stop bloody moaning you old woman.
you can be so hurtful at times Matt. :'( :'(
;D
PMSL :)
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You looking for a bloody punch on the ol' conk my son? have some respect..I've been cleaning windows long before you were born!! :P :P
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Anyone got a link for Baudin poles.
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you probably know this already but you can buy carbon spray and joint protector to prolong the life of carbon poles.i use it on my fishing pole and it,s great. idon,t mean fishing pole for work i mean for fishing,and you don,t want to know how much that cost,i dare,nt even tell the wife.cheers mick
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http://www.baudoin.nl/content_en/pag1_01.php
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Well, SLX , are lots more money, they are classed as a decent pole Pingu.(dave)
how long do they last, on average? ;)
Had my SLX a year now, just rinse out with water once or twice a week, still going strong. I used to buy 2-3 xtel's a year, great pole but dont last. One of my lads has the green unger xtel, wipes the pole hose everytime it goes back in the van, rinses it through every friday and thats 11 months old and still fine.
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i also clean the hose before putting it in van... i wipe the pole down once a week.... but to be honest its just rotted away....
still think they are expensive for the time they last
oh well gripe over... ;)
maybe the next one i get.... if i do..... i will spray it with something ...a thick layer and loosen the clamps to compensate.... then it may last longer.. ???
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I was just thinking it can't be a year ago i bought my SLX - i was thinking i'd had it six months and was getting annoyed at the wear. Just checked my records and it's a year. I said at the start if it only lasted a year i'd be happy. It's going to last a fair bit longer than that so i'm happy. :D
Probably go for the new one when it goes on sale and maybe pass the first one on, as there is plenty of life in it yet.
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Some of yous are of your head your paying about £400 for a pole and your happy if it only lasts a year i bought a Facellift 2 years ago apart from a few scraches its perfect.
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Some of yous are of your head your paying about £400 for a pole and your happy if it only lasts a year i bought a Facellift 2 years ago apart from a few scraches its perfect.
;)
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Map F16 3 years daily use, expecting 10 with a slight mod and some vaseline.
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Yes, but as it's my most important tool that gets used for ninety nine percent of all my work then if it only lasted a year it was still worth it to me. Like i said it's going to last a lot longer than that.
You're not the only one to claim their facelift is immaculate which leads me to think you don't use it for every job?
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http://diywfpole.webs.com/
fishing pole
though mine is looking old now, but then again its 20 odd months old now
all for 21 quid , a steal and a deal ;D ;D
The fishing poles look great, and cheap, but they're modular arent they? Seems a lot of hassle for domestic work?
i have been using them with no probs for a while
once you get used to them you wont go back 8)
Just out of interest, when youre not using the top sections, what do you do with them, just rest them against the wall?
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Facelift poles do last there`s no argument and no need for vaseline and tape either,there top end price wise but there light and they last.
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Mmm...... i asked Macmac how his carbon facelift was lasting and his answer was that the top section was very worn and his opinion was that all carbon telescopics were prone to wear. I'm inclined to take his word as he was very nearly a Facelift rep. ;D
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Yep, that's me. still got the old facelift, it's 2.5 years old but I've only used it once a month for the last year (44ft hotel job). It still works perfectly & up till getting the slx it was hammered daily! Does it look like new? does it bollox & no telescopic pole of that age & mileage would either,( FACT ;D).
Why don't I use it now (facelift, that is) well, for weight & rigidity it's fine, the slx is better though but not enough in it to argue about. Useability however, the slx pes all over the facelift (another FACT ;D) Get used to the clamps & use thier uniqueness to your advantage ;) this won't happen in 1 day though (yet another FACT ;D) After using the slx, my once unbeatable facelift pole seems just too big & laboriouse for a one pole solution! & that's exactly what the slx is- a one pole does it all from ground to knocking on 30ft. It's fast, light & rigid & at
400 quid, A BARGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why don't I buy cheap crap? (extel etc) spend the pennies where it counts & you'll see. ;)
Tony
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http://diywfpole.webs.com/
fishing pole
though mine is looking old now, but then again its 20 odd months old now
all for 21 quid , a steal and a deal ;D ;D
The fishing poles look great, and cheap, but they're modular arent they? Seems a lot of hassle for domestic work?
i have been using them with no probs for a while
once you get used to them you wont go back 8)
Just out of interest, when youre not using the top sections, what do you do with them, just rest them against the wall?
i lean then against a fence or wall
as its only 2 sections , so not a issue
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if you are after a cheap telescopic pole, you will not go far wrong with the unger, sure its not that light ( its about the same weight as them glass fibre poles though ), but it will last and last and last
i used mine for over 4 years and it only need the cones changing every now and then which cost a few quid
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Apart from scratches my facelift is in great condition and i havent cleaned it once since the day i bought it never had a problem with clamps top section spinning or anything like that ive no reason to lie maybe the SLX is the better pole i dont realy care.How many people have you heard complaining about wear and tear of ther Facelift poles it might not be the lightest or most rigid or the sexiest pole but it will outlast your SLX anyday.
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when the xtel pole starts to slip, do as dai suggested cut a bit of plastic from a plastic drinks bottle put it round the teeth grips, fully restored, it really does work, manufacturer can make split rings for them if they wanted, but why sell us something for a £1 when they can get another £100 from us, ::)
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Tucker poles will outlast anything for wear and tear. The pennel clamps prevent the need for a tool. Perhaps the SL-X clamps may fit it. Have to measure the dimensions and find out. For low domestic work Tucker pole with a swivel and heat shrink handle is all you need to last years. Tucker shouldn't have stopped selling their poles heat shrink wrapped (big mistake IMO) The poles will take years and years of constant use before the sections ever spin but the pennel clamps are too easy to snap (always in the same place), considering swapping the pennel clamps for SL-X clamps. Shame Facelift clamps won't fit any other pole as they are the best.
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So..... after all this my "dads bigger than yours" debate do you get what you pay for?
Pretty much i'd say - two or three cheap poles around £100 per year or a quality carbon telescopic lasting maybe two years? It's not just the cost but the way your pole performs day in day out.
The absolute bargains have to be the Harris poles and fishing poles. Fishing poles come out top for handling but bottom for accidental damage.
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fishing poles are great for one offs... or an hour here and there,
but they are not top for handling, how can they be,?.. parts all over the garden, ready to be stepped on...grasping the clear hose with the pole all day?..
they are light and quick, but are bottom of my list for handling.
so the advantages are evened up by the disadvantages.
the facelift though compared to a fishing pole....well look at the price difference... its a huge rip off...they both last the same.
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fishing poles are great for one offs... or an hour here and there,
but they are not top for handling, how can they be,?.. parts all over the garden, ready to be stepped on...grasping the clear hose with the pole all day?..
they are light and quick, but are bottom of my list for handling.
so the advantages are evened up by the disadvantages.
the facelift though compared to a fishing pole....well look at the price difference... its a huge rip off...they both last the same.
i dont get the parts all over the garden bit, if you are doing the bottoms with just he top ( brush ) section, then you have TWO sections of poles ( leaning against the fence ) , you dont need to hold the hose either, just leave it do what it likes
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which one would you recommend Matt for a first fishing pole DIY?
M16 seems a bit expensive, and Nat has just started using his Gangster, but said the Shimano was stiffer but not as well made.
what would the useable height from the base to brush be from an 11mtr pole?
30ft? maybe
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for those on a limited budget and want a really good 30 foot pole then you can do no better than a spiderbeam, all you do is take some top sections out and run some sturdy hose inside, add a brush holder and you have a great 30 feet clampless pole, all for less than 80 quid delivered.
spiderbeam
google it 8)
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I have a Facelift 44ft c/f and only this morning when the SL-X could no longer maintain any grip whatsoever on the top section..spinning...it would collapse with the slightest pressure..!! so out came the good old Facelift to save the day...been in use since 0ct 06 and though not as pristine as the day I got it..it does what it is supposed to do..i.e stay up when required.
Now the SL-X (1st used in May 08) is a bloody good pole..it's light, strong...but the sections do wear and require periodic chopping, sawing and filing.
I would imagine that but the time the end of year is upon us..the SL-X will be much, much shorter than it is today.
So when you ask questions like what is the working height of a pole...you would really want to know a few other things...like how long have you been using it..how many times have you had to chop it...things like that ;)
Perhaps instead of jumping in when a new pole comes on the scene..perhaps waiting a year and listening to the view and opinions of those who rushed and bought the item...might not be such a bad idea..
Cheers
Dave.
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I have a Facelift 44ft c/f and only this morning when the SL-X could no longer maintain any grip whatsoever on the top section..spinning...it would collapse with the slightest pressure..!! so out came the good old Facelift to save the day...been in use since 0ct 06 and though not as pristine as the day I got it..it does what it is supposed to do..i.e stay up when required.
Now the SL-X (1st used in May 08) is a bloody good pole..it's light, strong...but the sections do wear and require periodic chopping, sawing and filing.
I would imagine that but the time the end of year is upon us..the SL-X will be much, much shorter than it is today.
So when you ask questions like what is the working height of a pole...you would really want to know a few other things...like how long have you been using it..how many times have you had to chop it...things like that ;)
Perhaps instead of jumping in when a new pole comes on the scene..perhaps waiting a year and listening to the view and opinions of those who rushed and bought the item...might not be such a bad idea..
Cheers
Dave.
Dave,
Of the hundreds of SL-X's that have been sold yours is probably one of the 1-2% that have worn sufficiently to need this doing to it. The fact that you can chop and re-glue the clamp on is a handy life-extending feature. On most poles that had received the amount of wear to make this needed, you would have to look at buying a new clamp at £11 each (facelift) for each section that had worn.
You can buy replacement SL-X sections if required that would negate the need to carry on 'chopping' too much.
The reason that sections do not seem to wear as fast on some carbon poles (like the Facelift) is that due to their extended section length the poles generally do not get used as much as they lack day to day practicality.
All of the new more practical carbon poles (Hydra, Xtel, Fusion, Glyder) are going to experience the same wear issues as they are much easier to use on all work. They will get used more and will wear faster than their same-make longer counter-parts.
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which one would you recommend Matt for a first fishing pole DIY?
M16 seems a bit expensive, and Nat has just started using his Gangster, but said the Shimano was stiffer but not as well made.
what would the useable height from the base to brush be from an 11mtr pole?
30ft? maybe
if its for just normal houses, first and ground floor, then the RT zensorflex is great and only 20 quid a pop
higher the gangsta gets to about 3 and 1/2 strorey
i have combined 2 zenflex's and a gangsta ( with a few spare bits ) to get to 42 ft, which was stable and very usable
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which one would you recommend Matt for a first fishing pole DIY?
M16 seems a bit expensive, and Nat has just started using his Gangster, but said the Shimano was stiffer but not as well made.
what would the useable height from the base to brush be from an 11mtr pole?
30ft? maybe
a guy on the DIY forum has just got a f 16 ( with 2 extra sections )and he gets 55 ft from it
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thanks for that, ill take the plunge
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I think Alex has hit the nail on the head there. The SLX is the best all round pole you can get so it gets hammered. Mine is used for absolutely everything from bungalows to everything it will reach. It would seem that the guys with immaculate Facelift poles are not constantly using them day in day out but have them as a second pole for their higher work and use cheaper poles for bashing about on residential. The Facelifts were so pricey (carbon) that very few people would have the resources to buy two.
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I use my 24ft Facelift everyday and is in perfect condition over 3 years down the line with no spinning slipping nothing,the clamps are the best IMO nothing gets close finger tip adjustment is what you need and they have it.There is no way any pole should wear within a year so that it`s spinning and slipping with no way to stop this within minutes-seconds with fine adjustments.I believe the SLX will be a good pole and i look forward to getting 1 when these issues have been sorted.
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How do you think it will be sorted NWH, because the carbon will be the same on the next pole?
In your opinion how could the SLX be made to last?
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Hi Folks,
This is MY opinion based on MY work.
I would love a SL-X 8)
But, in my case, it would be a non viable investment.
£400 plus spend on a pole only would have to last me for the next 10 yrs with minimum (I can't spell ::))
maintainance.
David
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A good pole is one that you can use day in and day out and will save you time, energy, pain/strain and hassle. This is what is worth paying for.
Of course if the pole is that good and is used for more and more work it will wear - unfortunate fact of life. The strain on my body has become the most important issue in my work.
I used to use as my main pole a six section 31ft Universal, it weighed about 6kg and was relatively cheap, it lasted well - I still have it in my garage in usable condition. Would I ever use it again? No way although it is cheap and lasts, it is a killer on the shoulders and neck.The old Universal pole lasted a long time in my hands, but I could never go back to them as the strain on my body is more important than saving 50p a week in depreciation costs.
Whatever you end up investing in it should be to improve your working life, whether that is a cheap decorating pole or an expensive 'off-the-shelf' pole. You do get what you pay for, if you pay for old technology you will get a damaged body.
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A good pole is one that you can use day in and day out and will save you time, energy, pain/strain and hassle. This is what is worth paying for.
Of course if the pole is that good and is used for more and more work it will wear - unfortunate fact of life. The strain on my body has become the most important issue in my work.
I used to use as my main pole a six section 31ft Universal, it weighed about 6kg and was relatively cheap, it lasted well - I still have it in my garage in usable condition. Would I ever use it again? No way although it is cheap and lasts, it is a killer on the shoulders and neck.The old Universal pole lasted a long time in my hands, but I could never go back to them as the strain on my body is more important than saving 50p a week in depreciation costs.
Whatever you end up investing it should be to improve your working life, whether that is a cheap decorating pole or an expensive 'off-the-shelf' pole. You do get what you pay for, if you pay for old technology you will get a damaged body.
thats a good call
i used the unger 3 X 2 M pole for years ( then when the first pole died i used the cleantech own brand pole ) its a ali pole and lasted for years, it only needed the clamp cones changed every year or more ( they cost a few quid each )
i was happy with it, a very nice pole, it gave me good VFM
i then had a neck problem, we dont know what caused it and i decided to try that pole i had in the garage for he last 18 months, it was the RT Zensorflex, i thought " oh modular, this will be hard work " thus i glued the bottom 2 section together and then the next 2 sections togehter, thus only 3 sections of the pole
the lightness was amazing, it took me a day or 2 to get used to the modular, but the weight was the selling point, oh it only cost 21 quid to build, but that wasnt the issue, it was the lightness, i said at the time, if the pole lasts me 3 months, then 21 quid is still a good buy, 20 something months on and the pole is still in use ( yes its looking worn, very worn infact ) buts its cost me 1 quid a month
for me the issue has to be lightness, your using your pole day in day out all day, the lighter the better
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£1 a month is fantastic, but it wouldn’t be unreasonable to have bigger budget for an important piece of equipment.
but thats not the point, even though its a advantage
the point of the pole is its so light and easy to use
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I understand and agree about using a pole that is light as possible.
My point is that something like the SL-X is still a small outlay relative to the money you will make from it.
Better to look at what that piece of equipment can return, rather than the cost of the equipment alone.
Ewan, I have just ordered a new SL2, but my every day pole will still be the Harris, It's cheap, light and does the job, and most importantly, I don't have to worry about breaking it.
Have you ever tried one?
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Crikey Dai, that's going to cost more than your van! ;D
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£1 a month is fantastic, but it wouldn’t be unreasonable to have bigger budget for an important piece of equipment.
I dont normally stick up for matt, but what is the point of buying a pole at say £500 when he pays £21 it does same job that would be business madness or a taxable expensive would it not ?
By the way I have never used matts pole nor seen what it looks like
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This thread got me looking at a few website at the prices of 24' poles, as my dad is currently looking for a new one.
24' isn't much,... its a height I used to achieve from ladders, so well below the height where you can charge a premium for the work, and its low enough that you'd imagine it wouldn't be a huge engineering challenge to produce a good one, yet the weights of most 24' poles aren't anything to write home about. But my research so far has shown that unless you look at the glass fibre extender poles, you're still paying BIG money for a very basic bit of kit.
The harris pole is my tool of choice for lower work at the moment. Its light, rigid enough, cheap, and almost indestructible. Also I'm told another section can be added to bring it up to 21' (26' reach). Heat shrink the base section and it looks professional enough too!
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I had a quick look at the Facelift site and a carbon pole of just over 30' is £764 plus the vat - seems a tad expensive to me.
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ftp if you cant afford one dont buy one but then again if its gonna last a few years at least its money well spent ftp you seem to have a hang up with facelift poles.
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Re: Poles. You get what you pay for. or do you.?
I think you do get what you pay for.
I payed for a £15 pole and i got a £15 pole.
I payed for a £400 pole and i got a £400 pole.
I think i got what i payed for.
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Some people on here cant get there head round that you can use a pole day in day out for over 2 years without it falling apart like i said before my pole isnt imaculate its got loads of scratches but it still works as good as the day i bought it is it over priced probably but wouldnt swap it for anything how many people have you heard on here complaining about there Facelifts not many.
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brought my first pole yesterday at the show 28ft so if its bad then i will learn from that, its heavyer than i thought but thats going from trad to WFP.
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ftp if you cant afford one dont buy one but then again if its gonna last a few years at least its money well spent ftp you seem to have a hang up with facelift poles.
No, i don't have a hang up with Facelift poles, i've been slightly dissapointed with the wear issues on my SLX pole and am wondering what to go for next time. If the Facelift does indeed outlast anything else out there and by a considerable margin then i want to know why, i expect Alex would want to know too. Price wise then it makes no sense to buy one unless it truely is an indestructable pole because the SLX is far cheaper. We have a couple of members who have both poles so i tend to listen to their posts rather than someone telling me "my pole's better than yours :P"
Is your pole used daily for just about every job? That's what i'm asking - trying to find out why owners think it's so good.
I think a 30' SLX at £387 is a lot of money but a 34' Facelift at £764 is a huge difference. If it lasts three times as long then it's not so bad.
If Gardiners can produce a carbon pole and make profit at £387 then why can't Facelift do the same? Same materials surely?
Which is what this thread is all about - do you get what you pay for?
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ftp if you cant afford one dont buy one but then again if its gonna last a few years at least its money well spent ftp you seem to have a hang up with facelift poles.
No, i don't have a hang up with Facelift poles, i've been slightly dissapointed with the wear issues on my SLX pole and am wondering what to go for next time. If the Facelift does indeed outlast anything else out there and by a considerable margin then i want to know why, i expect Alex would want to know too. Price wise then it makes no sense to buy one unless it truely is an indestructable pole because the SLX is far cheaper. We have a couple of members who have both poles so i tend to listen to their posts rather than someone telling me "my pole's better than yours :P"
Is your pole used daily for just about every job? That's what i'm asking - trying to find out why owners think it's so good.
I think a 30' SLX at £387 is a lot of money but a 34' Facelift at £764 is a huge difference. If it lasts three times as long then it's not so bad.
If Gardiners can produce a carbon pole and make profit at £387 then why can't Facelift do the same? Same materials surely?
Which is what this thread is all about - do you get what you pay for?
When we set out with the SL-X project our aim was not to make a pole that outlasted an Ionics/Facelift/Brodex Carbon pole (although they will last just as long if used in exactly the same way and the same amount of use). Our aim was simple to make the lightest, most compact, most usable telescopic WFP in the world. I believe that we achieved this and despite competitors recent attempts have still achieved this goal. Achieving this does not mean that we have made a cheap or everlasting pole because unfortunately we are working in the real world.
I personally feel that the game has only just started with decent poles. Just over a year ago the SL-X project lifted the bar for serious poles, it didn't answer all questions and it wasn't cheap. We have just seen the first 'salvo' of response to this with the 'Hydra/Fusion/Glyder'. I personally am looking forward to the next 12 months to see how the 'bar' can be further raised. The issues that I still think can be improved on are weight, rigidity, size and wear factor. The one area that will not improve is price as carbon is only going one way - up.
Do you get what you pay for? Most times yes, but it does depend on your priorities. For instance if I speak to a client who prioritises wear above all else, I usually recommend they go to Brodex for an aluminium pole. For each priority there will be a different answer.
My priority when spending my money has to be weight and size.
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Very true Alex, but things have to be built to last. My first leisure battery lasted nine months and packed in, a bought a much dearer one after - i used it for half a day thursday and forgot to charge it thursday night - it lasted untill 2pm yesterday so obviously that's on the way out too.
Trouble with me is i want everything good price, top quality and it has to last for years, anything that lets me down gets me very angry.
So far your products go a long way to meeting those three requirements and try as i might i can't find an alternative that suits me. ;D
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great pole ,great price, great weight, i can go on i use them weekends with my mate and for what they sale them for is great regards carl
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Have got to agree with ftp here...
Various points of the SL-X annoy me no end...I despise the clamps, the wear rate does give me some concerns...but tommorow I shall be working again and guess what..the SL-X will be the one that is making me money...as it has this week and will again next week etc, etc.
I suppose that we all want a pole that is all things to all men and will last forever without a blip...Just not going to happen to be honest.
I work my gear hard, to me it's a pole and I do not want to carry it as though is wear some precious object...it's a tool, just like the facelift and the 2x2ft g/f dinky pole I have...just a tool...
So....in conclucion...when my SL-X needs replacing..I shall cut the whole thing down and make a super lite mini pole...
The SL-X is a pole that does do many things and reach many heights...it on account of it's lightness has saved much wear and tear on my body...
So the question for any product is would I buy another one...oh yes...and the customer service shown by Gardiners to me when I really needed it..was outstanding...
So the combination of the 2 say...I will buy another SL-X...unless of course he gives me one ;D
Cheers
Dave.
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It's about priorities, what are they?
Mine are= anything that makes my working life easier, faster, more profitable.
My facelift is good, infact a superb pole. Does it last well? yes! It's problems are=
1. It's approx 7ft long when collapsed (24ft).
2. All facelift poles are approx 3ft shorter than the stated advertised length (so a 30ft facelift is only 26-27ft long in real terms. where as the slx are ACTUAL LENGTHS).
3. It's heavier, less rigid than the slx.
4. It's far less usable than the slx for every day work.
5. It's knocking on twice the price of the slx.
Now, if the facelift was twice as good as the slx it would be worth all the extra money, no question of that for me. The trouble is it's not, it's not even AS good as the slx IMO.
I've used both poles for long periods of time. I own both poles, i can use them both if i want to, any time.
I choose the slx out of choice, not because i own one & not the other.
IMO the SLX is just Sooooooooo Damn usable, I haven't had any issues with exsessive wear either, although i do now have to admit that i have cleaned it once!
The once "wierd" clamps are now my preference, there are things you can do with these clamps that you can't with convensional ones.
The slx is a very profitable pole for me, there are things I can do with this pole that i can't with the facelift, at it's current price I personaly would be happy with 12-18 months use from it. When my top section does wear out then i'll just buy another top section, problem solved. ;)
Tony
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ftp i will say it again i use my 24ft Facelift on 95% of my work and nobody said the Facelift was the best pole out we are just saying it last well.When i bought my Facelift the SLX wasnt out if it was i would of bought that instead because of all the good reports about it but saying that if i had to buy another pole tomorow i would buy another Facelift because of what ive read on here the SLX dosent seem to be robust enough but its only a new pole and no doubt inprovements will be made over time.
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ftp i will say it again i use my 24ft Facelift on 95% of my work and nobody said the Facelift was the best pole out we are just saying it last well.When i bought my Facelift the SLX wasnt out if it was i would of bought that instead because of all the good reports about it but saying that if i had to buy another pole tomorow i would buy another Facelift because of what ive read on here the SLX dosent seem to be robust enough but its only a new pole and no doubt inprovements will be made over time.
Facelift poles are definitely quality. Regardless of any other points they are well made and I consider them a benchmark to beat!
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Crikey Dai, that's going to cost more than your van! ;D
Your right there mate, nearly three times as much.
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A good pole is one that you can use day in and day out and will save you time, energy, pain/strain and hassle. This is what is worth paying for.
Of course if the pole is that good and is used for more and more work it will wear - unfortunate fact of life. The strain on my body has become the most important issue in my work.
I used to use as my main pole a six section 31ft Universal, it weighed about 6kg and was relatively cheap, it lasted well - I still have it in my garage in usable condition. Would I ever use it again? No way although it is cheap and lasts, it is a killer on the shoulders and neck.The old Universal pole lasted a long time in my hands, but I could never go back to them as the strain on my body is more important than saving 50p a week in depreciation costs.
Whatever you end up investing in it should be to improve your working life, whether that is a cheap decorating pole or an expensive 'off-the-shelf' pole. You do get what you pay for, if you pay for old technology you will get a damaged body.
Have to agree totally with Alex with the above mentioned. A decent pole allows me to work quicker, easier and puts less strain on my joints which is a major benefit as I suffer from chronic arthritis. I don't consider saving some money on cheaper, alternative poles that have wider diameter base sections, unbalanced, overweight and less rigid, value when comparing value for money over health issues. If you have your health, look after it and consider that one day you may not have the option of using cheaper poles.
The reason Facelift carbon poles don't slip and last longer than the SL-X is because it's not just carbon. It's a composite just like the Xtel hybrid pole. It is carbon with some composite on the outside of the pole making it very hardwearing unlike the Xtel hybrid. I tried hacksawing one down to reduce the pole length and found it hard going whereas hacksawing an Ionics ergolite pole was very brittle, like paper.
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its just snapped ! :o
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i know this is an old post but i just wondered how you slx users are getting on with your wearability issues. As i will be needing a new pole soon and the telescopic slx is my number one choice at the mo...
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A pole is just a tool...look and compare the cost and how much it enabled you to work....personally I think 18months for a pole to last is about right...it will have earned it's keep and will then be cut down as a munchkins pole.
Poles will not last forever...
Cheers
Dave.
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Mine is well over a year old and was starting to wear bad, then I put the new clamps on and the wear has stopped, no more grinding noises no black dust, the clamps really grip well as well. I can see this lasting for years more not months with the new clamps.
Simon.
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Going WFP soon and have been looking at poles.... only need one for domestic houses so about 30ft pole max I think.
Have a nice little budget so was going to get a SLX straight off the bat - having read about the wear and tear on some of poles covered this thread .....is getting a top notch pole a good idea or should i get something middle of the road until i learn what the hell i'm doing? ;D
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i use an old broom stick works well for me ;D
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We use X-tel hybrid poles for our residential work. They get used and abused on a daily basis and apart from having to tighten the clamps every so often they give us trouble free use. They're not at all expensive; they're light enough to use all day and they're rigid enough up to around 4 stories.
For the price you can't go wrong. We've had around two years use out of the poles we have at the moment and I can't fault them ;D
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We use X-tel hybrid poles for our residential work. They get used and abused on a daily basis and apart from having to tighten the clamps every so often they give us trouble free use. They're not at all expensive; they're light enough to use all day and they're rigid enough up to around 4 stories.
For the price you can't go wrong. We've had around two years use out of the poles we have at the moment and I can't fault them ;D
How much for an x-tel hybrid off the top of your head?
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Totus if you are serious going down the wfp route the new SL-X is a really good pole..ok it costs a few quid...but well worth it.
As for the wearing issues..ok its still early doors as it has not been out long but and here is the but..
They have totally changed the clamps so now you are getting a plastic against the carbon fibre and not carbon clamping against carbon....and with a set of clamps costing around 8 quid...it'll be a doddle to change any if they wear but as of yet I have not heard of anyone having any issues with wear yet.
If you have the cash and want a top notch pole...get an SL-X.
Cheers
Dave.
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Totus if you are serious going down the wfp route the new SL-X is a really good pole..ok it costs a few quid...but well worth it.
As for the wearing issues..ok its still early doors as it has not been out long but and here is the but..
They have totally changed the clamps so now you are getting a plastic against the carbon fibre and not carbon clamping against carbon....and with a set of clamps costing around 8 quid...it'll be a doddle to change any if they wear but as of yet I have not heard of anyone having any issues with wear yet.
If you have the cash and want a top notch pole...get an SL-X.
Cheers
Dave.
I did have my heart set on a SLX!!!! ;D But needed to be adult about it and make sure i wasn't wasting my dough. Thanks Dave you've made a grown man very happy!!! :P
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I got my first SLX last week and its superb, obviously its still early so no wear & tear just yet.
Maybe if you put a quid away a week over five years, by that time your SLX 20 footer may be a tad worn oot, then use your £260.00 to purchase new said (SLX pole. ;)
Jobs a guddin.
Maybe this should be in Viz comics top tips 8)
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Not to side track from the main thread but can someone tell me what brush head is best for using on domestic WFP and can also be used for a little commercial work here and there.....dual trim, dual trim flocked, single trim what's the bloody difference ???
My head hurts from all the researching. I AM COMPLETLEY FLOCKED!!!! ;D
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get a harris pole costs peanuts make u thousands before you retire it ;D
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Dual trim...works for me....others may have different favorites...
Cheers
Dave.
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Dual trim from gardiners is what I use, used a vikan to start out, and even with my ridiculously heavy brodex fibre glass pole, it made a difference to weight, and is great for scrubbing.
As soon as I can, I will be weighing in for an slx, my back and shoulders are killing!
I was warned about buying a carbon pole as 1st pole as I would be at risk of damaging it, until I get used to having a 25 ft pole in my hands! I bash ity off all sorts!
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Why are most of you guys trying to scrimp and scrape?
your in a business, businesses have overhead this includes poles, spare pumps etc. Even £100 for 6 months is good.
Just look back on how much that £100 pole has made you in that 6 months.
£100 is peanuts.
Most people on here spend that on fuel in 1-2 weeks, but no moaning about that. lol
Matt
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Going WFP soon and have been looking at poles.... only need one for domestic houses so about 30ft pole max I think.
Have a nice little budget so was going to get a SLX straight off the bat - having read about the wear and tear on some of poles covered this thread .....is getting a top notch pole a good idea or should i get something middle of the road until i learn what the hell i'm doing? ;D
it will be too big as your only pole, get an extel...24ft, nice and light and will do downstairs windows with ease too
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Going WFP soon and have been looking at poles.... only need one for domestic houses so about 30ft pole max I think.
Have a nice little budget so was going to get a SLX straight off the bat - having read about the wear and tear on some of poles covered this thread .....is getting a top notch pole a good idea or should i get something middle of the road until i learn what the hell i'm doing? ;D
it will be too big as your only pole, get an extel...24ft, nice and light and will do downstairs windows with ease too
The slx has removable sections so you can buy a 40ft'er & use it at any length you like. Just add/remove sections as you require.
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i would have to get an end cap for each section too tho? i would smash the end off so many walls and plant pots...