[luther1]

Mine wouldn't screw right down whether i wiggled it or not so ptfe was the only option other than the gooseneck being re-threaded. Only been wfp just over 10years and have encountered every problem with every pole so experience certainly wasn't the issue with my pole/gooseneck.

[scud]

  Neil, you told me how much that pole was. I would play merry hell if the damn thing was falling apart the first day I used it and needed me to tape it up!

  Brodex all the way!

It's not falling apart at all. He's NOT screwed the goosneck on properly! :

There is no need to tape it up either, you just have to make sure it's screwed ALL the way on! Mine did the same but I was experienced enough to realise that the neck was not fully screwed on when it first "nipped up". A quick wiggle released this "nip" to then be fully screwed on.

I've used mine at 60ft, lift from ground at 40ft, clean one handed at 40ft & never has the goosneck fallen off or even come loose!

A superb piece of kit the SL2 that puts you ahead of the competition at those heights & makes life SOOOOO much easier above 35ft!!

Experienced AND patronising!

Thanks Neil, you're welcome, don't worry about the time I spent replying to try & sort your problem mate. :

Experienced as in- yes I know what you mean, it happened to me a few times (that's the experience bit) here's what I did to solve the problem. NO, I didn't dismiss your purchase as a bad one & tell you that you should have shopped elsewhere etc.

I'll go even further for your sake- if you do tape up the thread & it is still not screwed on fully you still risk it coming loose & falling off!

Beggars belief sometimes :

  The point I am making is, should you really need to be putting ptfe tape on something that costs so much money?

   I don't think it is on that you should, and on that basis I myself would be sending it back.

   I love the "experienced" people on here!

[luther1]

No you shouldn't is the direct answer.

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

  Neil, you told me how much that pole was. I would play merry hell if the damn thing was falling apart the first day I used it and needed me to tape it up!

  Brodex all the way!

It's not falling apart at all. He's NOT screwed the goosneck on properly! :

There is no need to tape it up either, you just have to make sure it's screwed ALL the way on! Mine did the same but I was experienced enough to realise that the neck was not fully screwed on when it first "nipped up". A quick wiggle released this "nip" to then be fully screwed on.

I've used mine at 60ft, lift from ground at 40ft, clean one handed at 40ft & never has the goosneck fallen off or even come loose!

A superb piece of kit the SL2 that puts you ahead of the competition at those heights & makes life SOOOOO much easier above 35ft!!

Experienced AND patronising!

Thanks Neil, you're welcome, don't worry about the time I spent replying to try & sort your problem mate. :

Experienced as in- yes I know what you mean, it happened to me a few times (that's the experience bit) here's what I did to solve the problem. NO, I didn't dismiss your purchase as a bad one & tell you that you should have shopped elsewhere etc.

I'll go even further for your sake- if you do tape up the thread & it is still not screwed on fully you still risk it coming loose & falling off!

Beggars belief sometimes :

  The point I am making is, should you really need to be putting ptfe tape on something that costs so much money?

   I don't think it is on that you should, and on that basis I myself would be sending it back.

   I love the "experienced" people on here!

Scud

The "experience" was regarding this actual problem, nothing else, as this actual problem has come up with me a couple of times at least.

The title reads "gardiner pole users" of which I am one. He then goes on to describe a situation of which I have "experience" of so I thought it would be helpful to give him that knowing exactly what he means in his original post.

I use PTFE on lots of threads within my system, in fact almost all male threads, including plastic angle adaptors & the like. However, these are still almost fully screwed in & PTFE helps you to line things up better that might otherwise naturally tighten up unlined without it.

The thread & goosneck in question however, I have not needed to tape but as said, I did find that the first few uses needed extra attention regarding the neck being "fully" screwed into place. The goosneck is aluminium & the pole thread is plastic. Maybe some people have damaged the plastic thread unwittingly & now have no choice but to use tape?

The advice was genuine & intended to "help" however, if some people are behond help for certain reasons then I'm affraid that I cannot help with that situation.

Hope that helps

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

Would you send back a copper plumbing fitting if it required PTFE?

Could you line up perfectly a male threaded elbow fitting on a boiler without PTFE?

PTFE tape is an aid & is in fact a must in many situations. It does not mean that the part requiring it has something wrong with it. It's use allows you to manipulate the tension & position of two threaded components.

Go & inspect your central heating system, then call the installer & tell him you want a full refund BUT please record the conversation!

[Clive McDonald]

I've been doing this (wfp) four years and my first poles were an aluminum trad thing and a fibreglass 24' that weighted a tonne. If you've been wfp ten yrs luther it must have been the dinosaurs tucker ionics and omnipole.

The issue that the chase for lightness and usability seems to be throwing up is weight versus strength.You are using cutting edge kit and it has to be handled with care.I seldom break clamp levers on the slx, but i broke plenty when i first had one.

Have you seen the video for the new carbon goose neck?He seems to change the brush with a snap on john guest inside the pole, something else for us to get used too.

[♠Winp®oClean♠]

No you shouldn't is the direct answer.

What if the two components don't line up when fully tightened? What would you do in that situation Luther? Send it back?

[luther1]

I bought a 47ft supermax last year with an aluminium gooseneck and  more thread was still showing than was actually done up,maybe 2 1/2  turns was all i could manage,therefore it wasn't tight at all. I wound some ptfe around the thread and it is now sorted. If i can overcome a problem myself i don't send things back.

'Back in the day' Tucker and OTT were the heavyweights in the wfp industry. Literally.

[luther1]

Btw, OTT stood for Over The Top,who are now Ionics,just in case anyone didn't know!!

[Neil Gornall]

  Neil, you told me how much that pole was. I would play merry hell if the damn thing was falling apart the first day I used it and needed me to tape it up!

  Brodex all the way!

It's not falling apart at all. He's NOT screwed the goosneck on properly! :

There is no need to tape it up either, you just have to make sure it's screwed ALL the way on! Mine did the same but I was experienced enough to realise that the neck was not fully screwed on when it first "nipped up". A quick wiggle released this "nip" to then be fully screwed on.

I've used mine at 60ft, lift from ground at 40ft, clean one handed at 40ft & never has the goosneck fallen off or even come loose!

A superb piece of kit the SL2 that puts you ahead of the competition at those heights & makes life SOOOOO much easier above 35ft!!

Experienced AND patronising!

Thanks Neil, you're welcome, don't worry about the time I spent replying to try & sort your problem mate. :

Experienced as in- yes I know what you mean, it happened to me a few times (that's the experience bit) here's what I did to solve the problem. NO, I didn't dismiss your purchase as a bad one & tell you that you should have shopped elsewhere etc.

I'll go even further for your sake- if you do tape up the thread & it is still not screwed on fully you still risk it coming loose & falling off!

Beggars belief sometimes :

  The point I am making is, should you really need to be putting ptfe tape on something that costs so much money?

   I don't think it is on that you should, and on that basis I myself would be sending it back.

   I love the "experienced" people on here!

Scud

The "experience" was regarding this actual problem, nothing else, as this actual problem has come up with me a couple of times at least.

The title reads "gardiner pole users" of which I am one. He then goes on to describe a situation of which I have "experience" of so I thought it would be helpful to give him that knowing exactly what he means in his original post.

I use PTFE on lots of threads within my system, in fact almost all male threads, including plastic angle adaptors & the like. However, these are still almost fully screwed in & PTFE helps you to line things up better that might otherwise naturally tighten up unlined without it.

The thread & goosneck in question however, I have not needed to tape but as said, I did find that the first few uses needed extra attention regarding the neck being "fully" screwed into place. The goosneck is aluminium & the pole thread is plastic. Maybe some people have damaged the plastic thread unwittingly & now have no choice but to use tape?

The advice was genuine & intended to "help" however, if some people are behond help for certain reasons then I'm affraid that I cannot help with that situation.

Hope that helps

WinproClean, I appreciate your help, I maybe read more into your post than was intended.
I think they have changed the design since you got yours. My gooseneck is Aluminium and so is the small pole section, the reason it won’t tighten is down to very poor quality machining, and low grade metal used on the pole section.
The gooseneck seems fine but the male end seems very poor.
I used to work as cnc programmer/operator at an Aluminium factory so know a little about it. (As does Scud)
PTFE is not ideal but I think will do the job in making it a solid joint, once in place I will also put electrical tape around the joint to make sure.

[Neil Gornall]

I would also like to say to anyone considering getting one of these poles.
Go for it!
Ok I have a small issue but I can see why it has happened, Gardiners are obviously trying to keep weight down.

I have been using wfp for years, I started with an Omnipole which I used continually for 3 years, I still have it, and use it often, (that’s why I have arms like Popeye)
I have used many types of pole over the years but have never found a pole I loved as much after the first 5 minutes.
It is simple to build, and so light it’s hard to believe you are working at 50 feet.
Out of 10 I would give it 8. (Try’s hard but some room for improvement, as my school report used to say) 

[Clive McDonald]

What pole are you talking about specifically nell? And how would you improve it?


There was a time when things said on here could well end up being incorporated.Sometimes all of this arguing does amount to something and a better product emerges.A lot of early issues have already been addresed.One issue remaining is black hands, another is keeping pole hose off the ground.

Anyone got any other issues, or solutions to the above?

[Newannaive]

had my 18slx about a month and its covered in tape holding it together  :
great pole though 

[Neil Gornall]

What pole are you talking about specifically nell? And how would you improve it?


There was a time when things said on here could well end up being incorporated.Sometimes all of this arguing does amount to something and a better product emerges.A lot of early issues have already been addresed.One issue remaining is black hands, another is keeping pole hose off the ground.

Anyone got any other issues, or solutions to the above?

I have the super lite 51, So far I have only used it for one afternoon, the wind was high so not easy.
I would say I experienced just 2 issues in that time but obviously time will tell if I have more. The first problem is the one mentioned above, the second problem was as I was working the bottom of the pole rubbed against my trousers pulling off the rubber ring from the end, If it happens again, (which i am sure it will) I imagine I will have to glue each one on otherwise I will lose them.
I will be using it again next weekend so will see how I get on.

[Moderator David@stives]

we use Superlites everyday, it is a problem with the gooseneck spinning. it can catch you at worst time, we have had to dismantle the pole at great height many a time to tighten the gooseneck.

one solution, wind electrical tape on the joint  when you have fully screwed on the gooseneck


another solution,  put the gooseneck on as normal, then drill a fine hole through the gooseneck and the plastic screw end, then insert a split pin. ( If you havent got a split pin handy, use a small nail, paper clip or a small peice of wire

PTFE we find is a waste of time due the the deepeness and sharpness of the threads.

[Llaaww]

can't help with the superlite, I have a slx 30, but have an interestin little tale.

I was out and about doin the shops on friday and a bloke strolled past and said, "you wanna get your pole on that".

I said it was easier to do this one trad. He asked about the dog and the van, and how wa business etc. He told me he was a windie but only does a couple or three days each week now, after a car crash knocked him a bit.

He said "I like the look of that pole you have got on the van", so I launched into a long speech about how these poles are the dogs, and how much they have done for the industry etc and how I tell everybody how good they are etc etc.

He was about two inches taller when he said "do know I am (I forgot) Gardiner, Alexes dad". I got to have a good old chin wag about the poles and how they came about etc. I took the chance to shake his hand and thank him for a job well done.

Apparently he has got a seriously light custom made job that would cost a fortune to buy, I wouldn't mind seeing that. 

He was out and about getting an haircut.

the end

p.s. not much happens in cornwall.....

[Richard Neal]

had my 18slx about a month and its covered in tape holding it together  :
great pole though 

Get onto gardiners mate and get them to send you a complimentary tub of glue! ive now reglued all of my clamps and base ring and they have not come off in over 2 months.

[dai]

I went on Gardiners site recently and just thought 'crikey' he's gone and done it again.Every time i go on there he has new and innovative products.I would say that almost single handedly he's rewritten our industry and changed the way we do things in the last three years.His latest new product is a carbon fibre goose neck that gives you reach at height.

Most of the guys on here who know whats what seem to use gardiners poles, they're cheaper and they're better designed.But the guy just keeps coming up with new stuff all the time- he's like apple, everytime you turn around he's invented something new, or better, or lighter. Better poles, better brushes means easier work for us and higher earnings because we can work faster and for longer without tireing.Plus constant innovation keeps the job interesting.

Thank goodess for Gardiners.

The secret of Gardiners success is the Alex listens to window cleaners, he never derides DIY guys who make something because they can't buy it, he takes the idea on board and develops it.
Alex has the common sense to realise that the best R&D people are window cleaners who encounter a problem, and find ways to get round them.
If he makes a million out of selling customers what they need, then good luck to him.

[Newannaive]

had my 18slx about a month and its covered in tape holding it together  :
great pole though 

Get onto gardiners mate and get them to send you a complimentary tub of glue! ive now reglued all of my clamps and base ring and they have not come off in over 2 months.

[Clive McDonald]

Has anyone else noticed ? Something very strange....

Where the heck is Ewan?