[Window Washers]

I use a pole hose tidy on my pole to keep the hose off the ground, no cleaning needed anymore.

I'm into time saving to get the most work done per day, does the pole hose tidy really save time over a month ? if it does I will test it out, I can see it costing money

[Alex Gardiner]

I work with SL-X poles all the time and only occasionally switch to the Super-Lite when needed.  My personal recommendation for use (this is what I actually do!):  After each property I coil and wipe the pole hose either with a cloth I keep at the back of the van or a gloved hand.  I always wear gloves of one sort or another when working, either thin nitrile/latex powder-free gloves or summer weight work gloves.  This not only protects against carbon dust but also from all the grit and muck from the pole hose and microbore.  Also, if the pole starts to sound gritty, particularly after working in sandy areas, I hose it down by sticking a hosepipe in the base cap and letting the pole flush clean.  Usually this only needs doing a couple of times a month.  I do only work 2-3 days a week but my oldest SL-X has been in use for over 2 years now and has very little evidence of wear.

I have to say that some people's lack of care (macmac) and other's people's lack of care can be very different.  I know that macmac is actually quite a careful worker and has good methods of work.  When other people say they don't look after a pole, they can really mean it.

I use a pole hose tidy on my pole to keep the hose off the ground, no cleaning needed anymore.

I have to say Tim, having seen your year old SL-X that you take the prize for best looked after pole.  I personally couldn't stand working with a pole tidy but it has obviously contributed to the good condition of your SL-X.

[ftp]

Alex, I reckon your kit lasts so well because you are a commercial cleaner perhaps?
Set your pole up and keep it there for quarter of an hour then adjust for the next level.
I think the residential cleaners amongst us are altering the pole length maybe three or four  times as often throughout the day - wizz it up for two windows at three storey then back down for three at two storey then collapse it for three at ground level, walk round the back and repeat.

[Alex Gardiner]

A third of the use is domestic and the commercial I use it on usually has fairly frequent adjustment.  Down in Cornwall even the commercial is awkward and at varied levels!  However, it is true that domestic work puts the greatest strain on water fed pole equipment.  If I want something tested to destruction (connectors, hose, etc) I usually give it to a member of our firm who does 80% domestic work and guarantee it gets the hardest use.

[ftp]

Send it to me - I can destroy anything. 

[[GQC] Tim]

I work with SL-X poles all the time and only occasionally switch to the Super-Lite when needed.  My personal recommendation for use (this is what I actually do!):  After each property I coil and wipe the pole hose either with a cloth I keep at the back of the van or a gloved hand.  I always wear gloves of one sort or another when working, either thin nitrile/latex powder-free gloves or summer weight work gloves.  This not only protects against carbon dust but also from all the grit and muck from the pole hose and microbore.  Also, if the pole starts to sound gritty, particularly after working in sandy areas, I hose it down by sticking a hosepipe in the base cap and letting the pole flush clean.  Usually this only needs doing a couple of times a month.  I do only work 2-3 days a week but my oldest SL-X has been in use for over 2 years now and has very little evidence of wear.

I have to say that some people's lack of care (macmac) and other's people's lack of care can be very different.  I know that macmac is actually quite a careful worker and has good methods of work.  When other people say they don't look after a pole, they can really mean it.

I use a pole hose tidy on my pole to keep the hose off the ground, no cleaning needed anymore.

I have to say Tim, having seen your year old SL-X that you take the prize for best looked after pole.  I personally couldn't stand working with a pole tidy but it has obviously contributed to the good condition of your SL-X.

Yea it does help a great deal, most of the wear you saw was from before I used the pole hose tidy, also, I dropped the pole accidentally a couple of times, landing on the clamps, that didn't do it much good either.

It's working very well now, thanks for your service Alex.

[pingu]

I also like others here wipe the pole's hoses through a rag when coiling it up to go back in the van...just easier to stow it as well...

But in the main...Way less than a year from a pole if I was not earning good money would really make me very angry...as I have said I am not working every day 8 hours, 5 days a week...the pole is extended to max length on most jobs but then again this should not be worth a mention ....so for those of you who have no wear on your SL-X on either the inner or outer walls...mmmm...I suppose I must be taking a file to mine whilst sleep walking...

I have ordered another SL-X from Alex...but this is mainly because there is no other real alternative on the market....so until that time I shall use his poles but when something else comes along that can work for it's money...I'll bite the mans arm off that can provide it.

So I suppose I should ask ...what am I doing so differently that is causing this wear?..I mean It looks like I clean it as much as Alex, I coil the hose like him...so what it the realm of window cleaning can I have done that has caused this rate of wear?

macmac...you say 'you just dont get this wear issue', whats not to get?...the pole has cracked along the weave line and 8 inch top portions from sections 2 & 3 have needed to be cut out in order to obtain pole walls sufficient enough to re-instate the clamps to work.

I am starting to feel really 'bad' as I seem to be the only one to have had any wear on their pole at all....if I could be instructed how not to get wear I would love your advice as in July I shall have a brand new pole and do not want to make the same mistakes again....and I'll pay you 50 notes if your advice allows me not to have to buy another within 18months

Cheers
Dave.

ps...FTP...I do have a 44ft c/f Facelift and worked with it for 18 months and that has not experianced the wear that the SL-X has...ok I have replaced a couple of clamps but nothing in comparison to the SL-X.

[Alex Gardiner]

I also like others here wipe the pole's hoses through a rag when coiling it up to go back in the van...just easier to stow it as well...

But in the main...Way less than a year from a pole if I was not earning good money would really make me very angry...as I have said I am not working every day 8 hours, 5 days a week...the pole is extended to max length on most jobs but then again this should not be worth a mention ....so for those of you who have no wear on your SL-X on either the inner or outer walls...mmmm...I suppose I must be taking a file to mine whilst sleep walking...

I have ordered another SL-X from Alex...but this is mainly because there is no other real alternative on the market....so until that time I shall use his poles but when something else comes along that can work for it's money...I'll bite the mans arm off that can provide it.

So I suppose I should ask ...what am I doing so differently that is causing this wear?..I mean It looks like I clean it as much as Alex, I coil the hose like him...so what it the realm of window cleaning can I have done that has caused this rate of wear?

macmac...you say 'you just dont get this wear issue', whats not to get?...the pole has cracked along the weave line and 8 inch top portions from sections 2 & 3 have needed to be cut out in order to obtain pole walls sufficient enough to re-instate the clamps to work.

I am starting to feel really 'bad' as I seem to be the only one to have had any wear on their pole at all....if I could be instructed how not to get wear I would love your advice as in July I shall have a brand new pole and do not want to make the same mistakes again.

Cheers
Dave.

ps...FTP...I do have a 44ft c/f Facelift and worked with it for 18 months and that has not experianced the wear that the SL-X has...ok I have replaced a couple of clamps but nothing in comparison to the SL-X.

It will no doubt be down to level of use.  Everybody uses their WFP poles in different ways and to different extents.  What someone thinks is a medium amount of use another person will class as heavy use.  You are not alone, other people wear their poles as quickly as you.  One of our clients wore out a section after six months.  When he returned the pole for us to fit a new section, he said he wasn't surprised as he has used it an awful lot and considered the level of wear commensurate with the use he'd given it.

I imagine that as your Facelift is a long sectioned 44ft, it will never have received the same level or type of use that your short sectioned SL-X receives.

The only real alternative if wear is of primary importance is to buy an aluminium pole, perhaps a Prolong or a Powerpole.  The downsides of aluminium poles are familiar to most WFP users - flexibility and increased weight.  We have looked at making an aluminium version of the SL-X, in fact I have the sections in the workshop which we've been experimenting with.  If we produce it, it would no doubt sell well.  However, I never like selling a product that I would not use and I guarantee I would not use the aluminium version.

[pingu]

Alex ...don't take my posts as a pop..none of this is personal..as I think you have done so much for our industry and you customer service to me has been some of the best I have experianced...full stop.

But I just feel that another side was needed..as hearing all the time that people were not getting any wear after a year on their poles was a concern to me...as what else can I be doing..other than cleaning windows..I mean I don't use the pole for fishing at weekends..I just clean windows with it.

Like I said none of this is personal...but this is a forum and a place where we can all share our experiances and concerns at various subjects. And to be fair I have not just posted this without consulting you on this subject...we have had dialogue on numerous occasions, so I felt enough time had lapsed in order to post my concern and experiances.

Dave.

[Alex Gardiner]

None of it is taken personally pingu.  It's constructive to get comments and feedback on any product.  I know you're talking about the product, not my good looks (which have never been in doubt) 

[pingu]

No arguments from me...cheeky

[Moderator David@stives]

Back in the rreal world, the only time our slx gets touched is when its making money, no wiping at all, no wrapping the hose, just chucked straight in the van with the house being launched in a bundle after it. It never gets washed or anything. as Alex will testify.

While you are cleaning and carefully treating your pole you could be half way through your next job.

The clamps were an issue at first and were always slipping, having an allen key is a big no no for me, I even sent it back to Alex everytime the clamps slipped too bad.
 I have since upgraded to the mk2 clamps which have made a huge difference.

Still not showing much sign of wear as yet, a bit battered and bruised, but still fully intact

[AuRavelling79]

To Pingu: Do you use it with all the sections in place all the time? If not have you got an end cap for the smaller section, cuz if you put the exposed carbon end to the floor too often it will pick up grit or even chip. I bought a 30mm rubber ferrule for mine as I often only use the top four sections on domestic.

Perhaps when you put the pole end down on the ground (to write up how many seconds each window takes and the percentage contribution it makes to your income and the amount of water used and the weather conditions at the time, and... ) - then it picks up dirt?

[Pj]

Just to share a few comments:

I have been using an SL-X for just over a year, probably gets, conservatively, about 25 hours use a week.  I don't use it for ground floor, I find it too heavy.

I don't look after it like it's my pet or something, it is a costly and valuable tool.

I haven't cleaned it as regularly as I should, so that gets Alex off any warranty issues.  In fact, although the hose gets a wipe down every couple of days, I have taken the pole apart to clean and maintain about 3 times.

I left it so long this last time that some of the sections were almost seizing up - stuck with grit and carbon dust.  The clamps had worked a bit loose so the sections were slipping and turning.

Interestingly I have discovered (mine's a mk 1) the section circumferences are not consistent, ie. tight in some parts loose in others, nothing to do with wear and tear.

So last weekend it got some TLC.  I took the whole thing apart, tied a bottle brush to a long stick and cleaned the sections internally - (flushing with water not sufficient), wiped down the sections externally, scrubbed the hose and reassembled. 

I had to reset all the clamps, one of which is slightly loose on it's own section.

Then the vital final touch... A few drops of Loktite.

Got the pole out to use yesterday....I couldn't open the clamps at all!  It took me about 20 minutes and I nearly snapped them!  They had all firmly seized up with Loktite!  Instead of a couple of drops per clamp I had used about 10 per clamp.  You can be too thorough!

Anyway, it's still a very good tool, the best of it's kind all round.  Bit of a nuisance to maintain, but I wouldn't swap it, there's nothing better, as far as I have seen.

[pingu]

Malc Old..I keep the pole as is...owing to the fact I have a lot of 3 storey, over conservatory work...so the end cap stays on all the time...I'll give you...write down how many seconds...

Cheers
Dave.

[macmac]

Just to make clear.

My pole is worn & looks worn- naturaly!
BUT- not anymore than I would expect given it's daily exclusive use & age! It does still work perfectly every day. As said- it's only been cleaned (flushed out) once- BUT I don't recommend this obviousely, I was just giving the example that this pole, for me, hasn't needed any extra &/or special care over any other pole I've used.

Pingu- when I said "get" I meant it doesn't happen to me. I wasn't insinuating you were abnormal or anything.

[pingu]

Macmac..you would'nt be far off the mark if you did 

[Window Washers]

Got mine today, will post back when I have used it, first impression after playing with it is very good, very rigid more so than I thougth it would be. Blue beast is going on the buy it section soon 

[pingu]

Got to thinking about this..All of you guys with a SL-X and have had them around the year mark...YOU'RE ALL A BUNCH OF GIRLS.....does'nt look like you know what real work is....if it ain't Dutch it ain't much..

We work our poles hard here...

Cheers
Dave...

[sair]

alex

 Is the slx a good pole! Yes possibly, in my humble opinion only been using poles for over 10 years now, its the most adaptable, versatile pole on  the market and  that was the old version

why do i say

 ours have been in use since november 2007 "possibly earlier cant remember if you sent me one pre production, think you did cant recall"   7 days a week in-excess of £500 a day never been sent back to you for refurbishment, never cleaned, never wiped only used by staff, eastern European, not cared for at all
 
condition still good no sign wear tear, whats to complain about, worth its weight in gold

the new style one with clamps is an overall improvement, lighter more ridged mush nicer cant weight more my new custom one in june/ july

only problem with them paying for them ! sooner spend it on lifes luxuries or the boat i want and will slowly save for , but cant have now due to the one who wears the trousers says "pay off mortgage off quicker then have lifes luxuries"

cant see comparison on the market if there was would be using it