[mikecam]

You could re-post, your post every hour Dave, its never going to sink in with some.

But can you think of any other profession that go to so much trouble to DIY there equipment, or even just a single piece of equipment.

In general DIY is a pain in the ass. But yes lots of proffesionals will have an adjusted or adapted piece of equiptment for their own job. Right through mechanics,engineers,plumbers etc. Spanners grinded off around the jaws to make them narrower to fit a particular job, an extension arm welded on something or other. Its all about personalising something to fit your own needs.
 In the case of van kits the saving of fitting your own are in the thousands of pounds, if anyones that productive in the day it takes you to fit it then good luck to them!!

[LQQK]

C:\Documents and Settings\Mike\My Documents\porn-folder\sexy.jpg

So, Mike you have pornography on your computer?

[mikecam]

C:\Documents and Settings\Mike\My Documents\porn-folder\sexy.jpg

So, Mike you have pornography on your computer?

No, pictures coming up fine for me here. Made it myself 

[andyM]

How many other trades DIY? Well I used to know a guy (a very succesful joiner) not short of a penny, who made his own Kitchen Worktop Jig for mitreing the kitchen worktops for his sons kitchen. Did he do this to save money, no he could of hired one or borrowed or bought one. He did this because he had the skills to do it and got self satisfaction from it. The time factor wasn't an issue either, he simply enjoyed doing it.
When I used to work in engineering there were occassions when I made some of my own tools, could I afford to buy ready made tools, yes.
Did I fret over the time I took to make the tools and consider that I was losing money? No
Did I enjoy doing this? Yes because I got self satisfaction from it, from knowing that I can.
You cannot assign a time and motion study or a costing exercise to everything in life.
 

[Dave Willis]

I had a guy come round to fix my dented van door - every tool he had he had made himself from stainless steel apart from a hammer. I often had tools made up for me in the workshop when I ran a printing press and would quite often adapt different blades for cutting paper sections. My brother-in-law is a chippie - he makes loads of tools himself such as mitre boxes and special shapes and template.

I think DIY is present in all trades.

[mikecam]

I agree with you as well, but were not talking about ‘everything in life’ just in the context of operating your business. See Dave M post.

LOL !! Now you know plenty of proffesionals do indeed DIY at least in part, you now mean in the 'context of operating a buisness '. Guess thats manufacturing knackered then, they're always making their own stuff 

[andyM]

If the process of DIY projects has a negative impact on a business, the individual in my opinion should be doing neither. Competent persons however won't encounter any problems.  

[geefree]

Other trades using diy methods, i dont think it will be  really important to people who are making money with a diy pole or a bought one.......

Why would it be of any use to window cleaners?,  what other tradsesmen are doing and using?

We all use specific tools to do our own chosen profession,

I personally dont care what other people use, (in any trade)

As long as i am making a living doing what i do. 

And using what i use 

[Dave Willis]

Maybe it's because this trade is so blindingly simple that it is open for DIY? Water,pump,pole and brush. You can't get much simpler than that.

[dazmond]

dont let him get to you craig!ewan just likes winding us all up!i think he also suffers from a narcissistic delusion of grandeur when it comes to running a window cleaning business!

[andyM]

Maybe it's because this trade is so blindingly simple that it is open for DIY? Water,pump,pole and brush. You can't get much simpler than that.

Exactly. I'll start worrying when the DIYers get bored with the window cleaning equipment and start tinkering with the Boeing 747's.  :
I can't see what difference it makes if somebody wants to DIY a water fed pole, hardly a life critical component with high risk of death or injury.
Seems theres an undertone of snobbery to me 

[dai]

We dont DIY anything anymore, our time is best spent earning and not making DIY.

like a bit of DIY then I cant see the problem, But if you want to spend your time more constructively, you would better spend said time creating new work, not tools.

Dave, You have SL2'S in daily use, what would you give for a rubber cone that fits the butt of every section from no2 up?
You must have found those end caps a pain in the ass by now.
But where could you buy a one size fits all cone?
If you can find a supplier please let us all know, I can then spend less time in the shed.

I once sent a converted Stanley paint pad swivel to Alex G for evaluation, He returned it in due time saying he now had an idea of what we wanted, these conversions are absolutely the best ever once you get used to them. I still can't buy anything that comes close to them, so make them I must.
I haven't had to make any for some time now as I have only managed to break one in 4 years.