Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: groundhog on April 07, 2009, 10:27:01 pm

Title: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: groundhog on April 07, 2009, 10:27:01 pm
I've been considering getting an auto-brush, as I'm fed up with fiddly taps! Does anybody use one, and if so what do you think of them? I don't want to fork out £60 on one if they are no good! Thanks  :)
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: NWH on April 07, 2009, 10:28:57 pm
Hi Groundhog,you can adapt it to any brush i believe now which is better as the 15" brush it used to come with you`d hate.
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: groundhog on April 07, 2009, 10:43:33 pm
Thanks NWH, do you use one?
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: jouk45 on April 07, 2009, 11:06:22 pm
i use it daily, best thing you will ever use, i am amazed why everyone is not using it
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: HIGH LEVEL WINDOW CLEANERS (scrimmy) on April 07, 2009, 11:13:22 pm
i second that joe ;)
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: jouk45 on April 07, 2009, 11:15:35 pm
and thats another reason why scrimman gets his 55 houses done in a day  ;D all those little things add up you know lol
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: HIGH LEVEL WINDOW CLEANERS (scrimmy) on April 07, 2009, 11:16:06 pm
stirrer 8)
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: jouk45 on April 07, 2009, 11:19:06 pm
 ;D ;D ;D  dont forget the clampless pole, i will give your secrets away lol
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: HIGH LEVEL WINDOW CLEANERS (scrimmy) on April 07, 2009, 11:19:27 pm
lol :D
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Nathanael Jones on April 07, 2009, 11:22:12 pm
I had one,... it was good when I had a smaller tank, defo saves a lot of water.

To be honest though the weight put me off (The switch mechanism adds about 150 grams to the brush), so when \i got a bigger tank and RO I just gave it to a mate who was starting up.
The salmon brush that is supplied as standard is weighty too,.. I transferred the switch onto a bentley type diy brush after a few months of struggling with the salmon one!
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: jouk45 on April 07, 2009, 11:27:55 pm
it can be added to any of the super lite brushes to make up for the weight, but to be honest, i take it of weekly for maintainance and its not that heavy, i found away round this issue, but as its peters idea, its only fair not to disclose it,
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: [GQC] Tim on April 08, 2009, 01:01:53 am

Numatic George trigger on the pole is infinitely better.

Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: batterbee on April 08, 2009, 07:19:23 am
i use it daily, best thing you will ever use, i am amazed why everyone is not using it

I totally agree with you, I've used one ever since i started to use wfp 3 1/2 years, and wouldn't use anything else.

I don't really find the weight an issue at all and it's certainly a lot easier than using an in line tap.

John
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: groundhog on April 08, 2009, 09:09:11 am
Thanks guys, where do I order one from?
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Mike 108 on April 08, 2009, 10:47:52 am

Numatic George trigger on the pole is infinitely better.



I've never used an 'autobrush', so I can't comment on that.

However, I have 'Numatic' triggers on 4 poles. They have all been trouble-free and maintenance-free and have saved me 'loads' of water.

The ease of the 'on/off' action is the main 'plus', allowing you to 'scrub' without the continuous flow of water (which can sometimes be wasteful).

Mike
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: EZclean on April 08, 2009, 11:36:17 am
i cant work out how to fit a trigger ? is their a link to fitting one
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Peter Fogwill on April 08, 2009, 12:07:56 pm
Just to let everyone know I now use a lighter Salmon brush as standard for the Autobrush, it is now the lightest professional brush on the market that I know of. It also makes the Autobrush a little cheaper.

Mike triggers can be OK if you want to use many different sizes of poles instead of one pole.  Personally I wouldn't want to be swapping poles over, and wasting time doing so.

Peter

Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: [GQC] Tim on April 08, 2009, 01:24:55 pm
Just to let everyone know I now use a lighter Salmon brush as standard for the Autobrush, it is now the lightest professional brush on the market that I know of. It also makes the Autobrush a little cheaper.

Mike triggers can be OK if you want to use many different sizes of poles instead of one pole.  Personally I wouldn't want to be swapping poles over, and wasting time doing so.

Peter



What do you mean Peter? I use one pole, one trigger for all my jobs?

What is the weight of the salmon brush without the Autobrush assembly?
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: [GQC] Tim on April 08, 2009, 01:25:29 pm
i cant work out how to fit a trigger ? is their a link to fitting one

Simple, use some zipties, it's not elegant, but in lack of a better solution it works very well.
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Mike 108 on April 08, 2009, 01:58:02 pm
... or a 'Jubilee clip'  (There is a slot in the base of the trigger assembly).
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Peter Fogwill on April 08, 2009, 02:17:41 pm
Just to let everyone know I now use a lighter Salmon brush as standard for the Autobrush, it is now the lightest professional brush on the market that I know of. It also makes the Autobrush a little cheaper.

Mike triggers can be OK if you want to use many different sizes of poles instead of one pole.  Personally I wouldn't want to be swapping poles over, and wasting time doing so.

Peter



What do you mean Peter? I use one pole, one trigger for all my jobs?

What is the weight of the salmon brush without the Autobrush assembly?

The bare brush is 312g

Mike 108 has 4 poles and I assume he needs different sizes of poles, because of having a trigger fitted to each one.

If using the one pole then the trigger would need to be taken off every time you wanted to add or take away sections.  The trigger also has the disadvantage of having pole hose between the trigger and the top of the pole to allow for the pole to extend, this can get in the way and caught on things.  If you take a look at the picture in the previous page you will see hose coming down from the left hand side of the trigger, this section of hose would have to be 18 foot long for an 18 foot pole, and 40 foot long for a 40 foot pole.  Now when you are moving around with the pole the hose gets in the way.

The idea of the Autobrush is to eliminate such problems, and it does completely.  Yes a trigger may be a way to save water but it brings along another set of problems.  I personally played around with triggers and if there were no problems then there would be no Autobrush.   The new Autobrush saves water and adds no problems.  Yes it may be a bit more expensive than an ordinary brush, but you get far more in return.

Peter



Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: JSMC on April 08, 2009, 03:50:23 pm
so this autobrush system is it a trigger type system for controlling water flow
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Peter Fogwill on April 08, 2009, 03:57:39 pm
so this autobrush system is it a trigger type system for controlling water flow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1V7uQd-mDY

Peter
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: JSMC on April 08, 2009, 04:50:17 pm
so this autobrush system is it a trigger type system for controlling water flow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1V7uQd-mDY

Peter

doesn't tell ye much that does it. what is it's purpose and how is it worked etc
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: jouk45 on April 08, 2009, 05:28:26 pm
watch this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrrpH68eKOU
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Captain Scarlet on April 08, 2009, 05:47:28 pm
Just to let everyone know I now use a lighter Salmon brush as standard for the Autobrush, it is now the lightest professional brush on the market that I know of. It also makes the Autobrush a little cheaper.

Mike triggers can be OK if you want to use many different sizes of poles instead of one pole.  Personally I wouldn't want to be swapping poles over, and wasting time doing so.

Peter



Quote
The bare brush is 312g


You dont know about the Super-lite brush then? it weighs 260g and is made for window cleaning unlike the salmon

Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Peter Fogwill on April 08, 2009, 05:48:09 pm
watch this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrrpH68eKOU

The only problem with that video is that the Autobrush has been improved quite considerably since then.  

Peter
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Peter Fogwill on April 08, 2009, 05:50:59 pm
Just to let everyone know I now use a lighter Salmon brush as standard for the Autobrush, it is now the lightest professional brush on the market that I know of. It also makes the Autobrush a little cheaper.

Mike triggers can be OK if you want to use many different sizes of poles instead of one pole.  Personally I wouldn't want to be swapping poles over, and wasting time doing so.

Peter



Quote
The bare brush is 312g


You dont know about the Super-lite brush then? it weighs 260g and is made for window cleaning unlike the salmon



Is that Alex's new white bristle brush?  If so the brush I use is I think 15gms lighter.  I weighed one two weeks ago while fitting the Autobrush mechanism on it.

Peter
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Captain Scarlet on April 08, 2009, 06:06:20 pm
Quote
Is that Alex's new white bristle brush?  If so the brush I use is I think 15gms lighter.  I weighed one two weeks ago while fitting the Autobrush mechanism on it.

How can it be lighter, yours is 312g, Alex's brush is 260g ( the heavier version is 270g ) ? Would be interested if it is though! Can you post a picture of it Peter?
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Peter Fogwill on April 08, 2009, 06:10:49 pm
Just to let everyone know I now use a lighter Salmon brush as standard for the Autobrush, it is now the lightest professional brush on the market that I know of. It also makes the Autobrush a little cheaper.

Mike triggers can be OK if you want to use many different sizes of poles instead of one pole.  Personally I wouldn't want to be swapping poles over, and wasting time doing so.

Peter



Quote
The bare brush is 312g


You dont know about the Super-lite brush then? it weighs 260g and is made for window cleaning unlike the salmon


The Autobrush is much more than just a Salmon brush, and it was made for window cleaning hence the reason for the valve for turning the water on and off, and the fan sprays fitted.  Sometimes you don't need things made specially for a certain trade, as sometimes what is available is perfect for the job, with a little modification.  

Peter
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Peter Fogwill on April 08, 2009, 06:16:46 pm
Quote
Is that Alex's new white bristle brush?  If so the brush I use is I think 15gms lighter.  I weighed one two weeks ago while fitting the Autobrush mechanism on it.

How can it be lighter, yours is 312g, Alex's brush is 260g ( the heavier version is 270g ) ? Would be interested if it is though! Can you post a picture of it Peter?

The 312g is before I have drilled any holes or taken away a row of bristles.  I did weigh both of them a couple of weeks ago, and although there was very little in it, mines was lighter.  I will post a pic later.

Peter
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Robin Ray on April 08, 2009, 06:22:14 pm
The superlight is is definately lighter than the salmon. Just weighed mine and its 220g.
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Captain Scarlet on April 08, 2009, 06:22:34 pm
ooh cool!! get a pic up
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Peter Fogwill on April 08, 2009, 08:18:08 pm
The superlight is is definately lighter than the salmon. Just weighed mine and its 220g.

There seems to be quite a difference in the weights mentioned.  Is the brush your talking about the Bentley type brush, or the one with the white bristles?  The Salmon brush has a few different designs.

Peter
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: NWH on April 08, 2009, 08:31:27 pm
The Tucker is a light brush but when you compare the SL brush to it it feels heavy.
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Rogue Trader on April 08, 2009, 08:48:59 pm
Peter ,

1.can i just buy the mechanism with instructions to fit to another brush

2.do you supply the autobrush with pencil jets?

Matt
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Peter Fogwill on April 08, 2009, 09:49:02 pm
Peter ,

1.can i just buy the mechanism with instructions to fit to another brush

2.do you supply the autobrush with pencil jets?

Matt

Yes to both Matt, but I prefer to fit it to the brush myself, so as I know it is setup properly.

Peter
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: RPCCS on April 08, 2009, 09:50:33 pm
 I had two autobrush swiches and both broke, they either wouldn't turn the water on or wouldn't turn it off, I did away with it in the end and now use a trigger, as Peter says though the pole hose is a pain getting caught on things
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Peter Fogwill on April 08, 2009, 09:57:52 pm
I had two autobrush swiches and both broke, they either wouldn't turn the water on or wouldn't turn it off, I did away with it in the end and now use a trigger, as Peter says though the pole hose is a pain getting caught on things

How long ago was that Rich?  A while ago I was getting quite a few problems with switches, but since changing the position of the switch on the brush, and the metal toggles instead of the plastic ones, I seem to have a very reliable product now.  They would have been under guarantee if you had them less than a year, and you could have sent them back for repair or replacement.

Peter
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: RPCCS on April 08, 2009, 10:13:29 pm
I had two autobrush swiches and both broke, they either wouldn't turn the water on or wouldn't turn it off, I did away with it in the end and now use a trigger, as Peter says though the pole hose is a pain getting caught on things

How long ago was that Rich?  A while ago I was getting quite a few problems with switches, but since changing the position of the switch on the brush, and the metal toggles instead of the plastic ones, I seem to have a very reliable product now.  They would have been under guarantee if you had them less than a year, and you could have sent them back for repair or replacement.

Peter
I did get a replacement from you Peter, but sadly it went the same way as the 1st one. The stuff I got from you was purchased January 2008. The switch was the metal toggle type too.
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: [GQC] Tim on April 08, 2009, 10:22:20 pm
The superlight is is definately lighter than the salmon. Just weighed mine and its 220g.

There seems to be quite a difference in the weights mentioned.  Is the brush your talking about the Bentley type brush, or the one with the white bristles?  The Salmon brush has a few different designs.

Peter

It's these brushes. :)

www.gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/acatalog/Premium_Super-Lite_brushes.html (http://www.gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/acatalog/Premium_Super-Lite_brushes.html)
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Peter Fogwill on April 08, 2009, 10:56:24 pm
Yes Tim that's the brush I adapted to an Autobush and weighed while I was at it, and it was definitely a touch heavier than the Salmon brush.  I must have got the weight of mines wrong today, I will weigh it tomorrow.

Peter
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Robin Ray on April 08, 2009, 10:59:17 pm
The superlight is is definately lighter than the salmon. Just weighed mine and its 220g.

There seems to be quite a difference in the weights mentioned.  Is the brush your talking about the Bentley type brush, or the one with the white bristles?  The Salmon brush has a few different designs.


Yes its definately the super light not the bentley. It has had quite a bit of use (but no modification) so its probably lost a a little bit of weight, but my scales say 220g

Robin
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Peter Fogwill on April 08, 2009, 11:01:56 pm
I had two autobrush swiches and both broke, they either wouldn't turn the water on or wouldn't turn it off, I did away with it in the end and now use a trigger, as Peter says though the pole hose is a pain getting caught on things

How long ago was that Rich?  A while ago I was getting quite a few problems with switches, but since changing the position of the switch on the brush, and the metal toggles instead of the plastic ones, I seem to have a very reliable product now.  They would have been under guarantee if you had them less than a year, and you could have sent them back for repair or replacement.

Peter
I did get a replacement from you Peter, but sadly it went the same way as the 1st one. The stuff I got from you was purchased January 2008. The switch was the metal toggle type too.

I take it you had the 15" with the left to right switch motion?  The toggles were more exposed on these, and easier damaged if the toggle took a hit.

Peter 
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Peter Fogwill on April 09, 2009, 02:09:19 pm
For anyone who is interested the 11" Autobrush complete with angle joint and all connectors to pole hose is 478g.  And for those of you familiar with the old style 15" Autobrush that switched from left to right, the weight of that one complete is 732g, so quite a considerable difference.  I also weighed a 10" oval shaped Vikan with alloy goose neck and it came in at 766g.

Peter
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Peter Fogwill on April 09, 2009, 02:30:13 pm
I had one,... it was good when I had a smaller tank, defo saves a lot of water.

(The switch mechanism adds about 150 grams to the brush

The switch mechanism now only adds 58g.

Peter
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Rogue Trader on April 09, 2009, 07:13:50 pm
i would like a switch mechanisn on gardiners dt flocked brush ;)
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Peter Fogwill on April 09, 2009, 10:03:44 pm
i would like a switch mechanisn on gardiners dt flocked brush ;)

Hi Matt, was it you that phoned me up this afternoon?

Peter
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: kevin James on April 09, 2009, 10:08:45 pm
i would like a switch mechanisn on gardiners dt flocked brush ;)

Aye, Me Too,

Kevin
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Rogue Trader on April 10, 2009, 09:22:58 am
i would like a switch mechanisn on gardiners dt flocked brush ;)

Hi Matt, was it you that phoned me up this afternoon?

Peter

no not me peter
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Peter Fogwill on April 10, 2009, 03:19:53 pm
Kevin and Matt, you are more than welcome to send your brushes in to be modified, that way we know it is set-up properly.

If you are interested you can send the brush to..

17 Blairmuir Terrace
Broxburn
West lothian
EH52 5HF

Peter
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: Rogue Trader on April 10, 2009, 03:48:18 pm
how much would it cost peter?
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: kevin James on April 10, 2009, 04:52:46 pm
Kevin and Matt, you are more than welcome to send your brushes in to be modified, that way we know it is set-up properly.

Peter

Hi peter,
I'm in the queue for one of your clampless poles, on which I would likexa gardiner DT Flocked Superlight brush. So if I send you one, will it fit ok on your pole?

Thanks kevin.
Title: Re: Auto-Brush... any good?
Post by: kevin James on April 11, 2009, 02:24:31 pm
i would like a switch mechanisn on gardiners dt flocked brush ;)

Hi Matt, was it you that phoned me up this afternoon?

Peter

Hi peter,

I rang you on Friday last......

Kevin.