Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Pittmonkey on March 27, 2009, 05:21:44 pm
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A few weeks ago I posted about seeing all the available poles at the NEC. Glyder, Facelift etc and decided to wait for the SL-X 30ft to arrive. Even without seeing it, in some respects I was taking a chance having already seen the competition 1st hand. But, I went with a bit of the gut instinct, existing happy customer of Gardiners and many positive reviews from users of the 25ft SL-X.
Been out today with it and did I make the right decision……………………………too bloody right I did!!!!!!!.
IMO I didn't find anything at the NEC that could match this pole. This has to be the best investment I have made since starting WFP. I can’t recommend this pole highly enough. Unbelievably light, rigid and so easy to use. It’s an absolute diamond. Yes only one day out with it, but it really did speed the day up and came home with enough energy to cook dinner for the Missus. ;D
(I need to tell her how much I spent tonight)
If you didn’t get the chance to go to the NEC and are looking for a new 25ft – 35ft pole and I’m sure there will be other SL-X users who will agree, this is definitely the pole to go for.
Wayne
(Psst!!! Alex, Don’t think I’ve overdone the testimonial do ya!! Let me know Sunday when you pop round for dinner)
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He won't - he's round mine on Sunday.
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How are the new clamps on the SLX, how different are they to the old ones?
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I want one, but they are too expensive. I use 17' xtel and get through about three a year. Alex should offer us a deal considering the credit crunch etc.
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I expect three xtels wouldn't be that far off the price of one SLX? 30' too don't forget.
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How are the new clamps on the SLX, how different are they to the old ones?
Old ones as in the 25ft SL-X or H-tel etc?
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I want one, but they are too expensive. I use 17' xtel and get through about three a year. Alex should offer us a deal considering the credit crunch etc.
Clive, you like to run your business as efficiently as possible don't you. Believe me this pole will improve your efficiency.
I will still use my cheap 17ft x-tels for std 3 bed semi's but this pole gives you the option of covering all the levels whithout having to swop poles.
Wayne
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I want one, but they are too expensive. I use 17' xtel and get through about three a year. Alex should offer us a deal considering the credit crunch etc.
come on clive, you cannot scrimp on such a important bit of kit
though the RT zensorflex is much lighter ;D ;D ;D
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But not Telescopic ;D
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How are the new clamps on the SLX, how different are they to the old ones?
Old ones as in the 25ft SL-X or H-tel etc?
SLX
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I wonder if we'll be seeing complaints here about the SL-X in a few months time once the clamps start wearing?
I've seen the pole in action and it does look good; but I'm not sure about the price-to-wear ratio.
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I wonder if we'll be seeing complaints here about the SL-X in a few months time once the clamps start wearing?
I've seen the pole in action and it does look good; but I'm not sure about the price-to-wear ratio.
ive seen both the old and new
on a serious note, they are nice poles, the old 1 i tried, just wasnt for me though
i can see the ease of use, not having to carry around pole parts etc etc, but when it came down to it, the lightness was my main point ( at the time i had a bad neck and was in pain )
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i've got an sl2, i can justify that by saying that the time it would have taken to invent one was too much.(ie copy matt and jeff b)
i haven't used it yet (£750 inc vat), but i'm sure if i ever do it will be fine.
If I was starting fresh i would buy a system (perhaps not as expensive as ionics)because you have to study this forum for about a year before you know what you are talking about,and if i had bought an electric reel instead of building my own that would have been more cost effective too.
My 4040 from cleantech has been brilliant, and i blundered into that purchase by accident.
On another thread matt says he doesn't mind spending £4 on biz cards every now and again, well i'm planning a bit of a coup here, and expect to be hit for about £600. That's okay too because it's one of my marketing ideas, and if it flops i only have myself to blame.
Where was i... oh yes slx price- to- wear ratio. Alex needs to come up with a compelling reason for people like me to make a purchase, without alienating all those prepared to pay the higher price.
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I got my new SLX on Tuesday and am using it on everything - domestic, commercial, the lot - except one ground floor commercial which I just used the top of my old fishing pole as it is obviously much lighter.
In fact after doing a fair chunk of different types of work I might even take off the base section and just use it when I need the height. That will save even more weight. I just need to get an end cap for that thinner section (tho' loads of gaffer tape will do for next week ;D)
I'm not "saving" this pole for "best" - if I spend the best part of £500 (inc the g/f extension) I want to get full use out of it. I don't care if I wear it out in a year (I hope not tho')- cuz if I do I will have made £1000's in extra revenue.
Like the original poster said - it is a huge leap forward for me in productivity - and my fishing pole was fine but this pole is so much easier to manage for the general work I do.
Oh, and this is the only thing I have ever bought from Gardiners and I am on commission from Alex to the tune of my usual fee which is one pint of finest bitter or maybe cider as the weather warms up! ;D
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For me it's my main tool, it's the bit of kit I handle for every job so i'm prepared to spend for the best. An RO unit does nothing for me it just produces water so i will scrimp all I can rather than buy the best - what's the point? Hot water? - alright for the one week when the freeze comes in but £3000 for the rest of the year - what's the pont? Fishing poles - brilliant, cheap, mega light and great 'till I step on them ::)
Just sold my 25' after a year and am now using the 30', i'll probably do the same next year. I can clean three storeys, skylights and bungalows all with one pole.
I really don't understand the braggers on here who earn zillions per week yet use a decorators pole or cheap fibreglass telescopic monster poles.
Slump, how did you manage to clean anything higher than second storey before the S2?
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Fiberglass extension eh,i will still class that pole as a 25ft if that`s the case you`ll have to do better than that Alex.
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i've got an sl2, i can justify that by saying that the time it would have taken to invent one was too much.(ie copy matt and jeff b)
i haven't used it yet (£750 inc vat), but i'm sure if i ever do it will be fine.
personally i would have gone for the SLX and made my own SL2, i guess the SL2 is going to be used on very high work and it will be used on the Odd occasion ( not every day )
dont get me wrong, the SLX is a nice pole, its well made and i can see the advantages of it ( afterall i used the Unger 3 X 2 M telescopic pole for long enough, personally i didnt think the feel of the SLX was that different to the Unger ali pole, thats a compliment by the way, i loved the Unger ali pole, it served me well ) why did i ditch it, the weight issue, i had a neck pain and as soon as i went down the lightweight pole route it stopped, as you will remember a while go i wanted to spend some money on my biz, i couldnt think of anything that would help me much, i did consider the SLX, but when it came down to it, the lightness of the RT pole was too much of a sway
now i can get to 45 ft with my set if fishing poles, thats 45 ft real length, so with my height thats over 50 ft, its very usable and whilst i wouldnt want to do it all day every day, its good for the occasional job
On another thread matt says he doesn't mind spending £4 on biz cards every now and again, well i'm planning a bit of a coup here, and expect to be hit for about £600. That's okay too because it's one of my marketing ideas, and if it flops i only have myself to blame.
the point about the 4 quid vistaprint was that when i get asked for a card from some1 in the street, its normally a waste of time, but the free ( 4 quid delivery ) cards serve that purpose well
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Fiberglass extension eh,i will still class that pole as a 25ft if that`s the case you`ll have to do better than that Alex.
It's an actual 30ft, all carbon fibre. Some people have added an extension to make it 35ft.
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Lol i thought you were online Alex ah well that`s alright then i`ll let you off,that thing i told you about yesterday regarding using the pump i spoke to June today and she thought that by doing what i said it would burn out the pump what do you think.
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Price to wear ratio, Well if I get 24 mths out of this pole, that will equate to around £4 pw. That's around 1 less Mc Dee a week. So think of it as an investment into your health. ;D and I mean that in more ways than one.
I remember macmac telling me to go for the Carbon Facelift when I first started. I didn't and been through a bag full of GF's in 24 months. He said the pole is your main tool you are going to work with all day everyday. Knowing what I do now he was absolutely right in what he was saying.
So when this SL-X needs replacing there will probably be another £400 pole on the market and more than likely better than this one. Will I spend another £400? Definitely!!!
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Lol i thought you were online Alex ah well that`s alright then i`ll let you off,that thing i told you about yesterday regarding using the pump i spoke to June today and she thought that by doing what i said it would burn out the pump what do you think.
I know one firm who have always used the 150psi Shurflo as a booster pump for the 4040 with no problems. It is only for 3-4 hours at a time. If you are concerned put it on a timer where it switches off for 5 minutes every hour. Talk to Tony if you need to know more.
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only used on 12 volts the cheapest best pump on mains is from dual pumps its a sea-lander it has a 10 bar pressure on it. very good, used them for over three years, you have to buy the cut of head and wire it in but its well worth the expense and on mains usage it only about 25 pounds more expensive than the 150 psi
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Price to wear ratio, Well if I get 24 mths out of this pole, that will equate to around £4 pw. That's around 1 less Mc Dee a week. So think of it as an investment into your health. ;D and I mean that in more ways than one.
I remember macmac telling me to go for the Carbon Facelift when I first started. I didn't and been through a bag full of GF's in 24 months. He said the pole is your main tool you are going to work with all day everyday. Knowing what I do now he was absolutely right in what he was saying.
So when this SL-X needs replacing there will probably be another £400 pole on the market and more than likely better than this one. Will I spend another £400? Definitely!!!
;) ;)
Spot on. I've used the SL-X for about a year now (the first one, 25ft) & I haven't suffered any issues with clamps or exsessive wear from the pole! That's one year of bliss, a stonking investment that's re-paid itself many times over. Everyone works in different ways/methods etc, but for me this pole hits the spot every time, it's useability is second to none! I only carry this one pole in the van, it's all I need. Still got the facelift but I only use that once a month for a 44ft reach job.
Some still miss the point though- "I can buy 3 f/g poles for what an SL-X costs" maybe true but it's 3 fat, heavy, bendy, shorter reach poles that slow you down & make your job harder.
P.S. a super-lite brush is the perfect match! ;)
Tony
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Yep!!! I have the SL Mono Brush on the SL-X and confident that you can rinse on when using it. I got the new Dual Flocked version with the pole which is now on my 17ft GF.
The point I was trying to make in the initial post was it was a shame Alex didn't show them off at the show. I'm sure he would have poached quite a few of the others sales.
Wayne
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Yep!!! I have the SL Mono Brush on the SL-X and confident that you can rinse on when using it. I got the new Dual Flocked version with the pole which is now on my 17ft GF.
The point I was trying to make in the initial post was it was a shame Alex didn't show them off at the show. I'm sure he would have poached quite a few of the others sales.
Wayne
At the moment we're quite glad there's a couple of alternatives from competitors as we have been fully stretched keeping up with the demand as it is. Potential sales are only any good if you have spare stock on the shelf to ship out. We are only just keeping up with demand as it is.
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Alex, it may have been asked before but why can't you sort supply out? You have an excellent item people will pay a premium for but you seem unable to keep up with demand.
Are you not in danger of loosing the momentum you built up with getting your research and development right ahead of the competition, only to have supply issues and allow yhe likes of Brodex, Ionics and the rest to catch you up. Lets face it there are some excellent copycats out there (and I don't mean DIY).
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Alex, it may have been asked before but why can't you sort supply out? You have an excellent item people will pay a premium for but you seem unable to keep up with demand.
Are you not in danger of loosing the momentum you built up with getting your research and development right ahead of the competition, only to have supply issues and allow yhe likes of Brodex, Ionics and the rest to catch you up. Lets face it there are some excellent copycats out there (and I don't mean DIY).
Supply and demand at the beginning is a very hard thing to get exactly right. We are a small family run company and only moved into new premises under a year ago. There is often only so much that you can do at a time. We have sold hundreds of SL-X poles now and we feel quite proud that we have been able to get the number we have out in the market place. I knew the SL-X concept would be copied, it's a no-brainer, but at least the competition are playing catch up. I have plenty more products up my sleeve and the R&D never stops.