[paul@ctcs]

Hi Guys,

Have any of you chaps ever modified a wand to increase air flow at the tip, improving water recovery on rubber or bitumen backed commercial carpets?
I should recieve my new machine complete with new wand shortly so have a spare prochem twin jet , I am building up commercial work steadily and for any inital cleans if heavily soiled i prefer to extract then follow up with a LM method for periodic maintenance.
The obvious problem with extraction cleaning is recovery so may vent the spare wand, one idea is to either grind or needle file 1mm (0.040") slots with a depth of 3mm (0.120") at 5mm (0.2") intervals on the inside lip of the wand slot ( side closest to operator ) to improve flushing action from jets.
 
What do you chaps think??

Paul

[Dynafoam]

Paul,

This can improve airflow at the required point, resulting in dryer carpets but I prefer to adapt wand technique rather than the wand itself as with this approach the airflow can be finely adjusted for different areas of the same carpet, let alone different carpet types.

Also with a standard wand the airflow can be transfered to the other lip for a foreword drying stroke, whereas with a wand adapted in the manner described, the main airflow will always be on the one lip.

[paul@ctcs]

Hi John,

I agree with your comments regarding your preference to alter the wand technique, but the reason i'm considering modifying the wand is due to the volume of commercial work, quite often i'll be working 8+ hours so a vented wand, if it works would make life easier. doubt i would want to be raising and lowering the wand all day  
 With the old wand being redundant and commercial work being my main line of work it may be well worth while???

Paul

[Dynafoam]

Hi Paul,

I find that technique is second nature, so requires no extra effort - but perhaps that's just me.

With commercial (especially glue-down) carpet, one problem frequently encountered is uneven flooring. Here I found a vented wand a disadvantage as the airflow became excessive at these areas.

A cleaners' relationship with his wands is a personal thing - What suits one will not necessarily suit others. If you do proceed with the modification, do so in stages (you cannot go back wards without fitting new shoes) and the shape of the air channels will make a difference. I found 'V' shapes notches to be less effective than half-round and flat to be the best.

As an alternative you may find glides to be better, and if you do not get on with these they can be removed an the wand can still be notched.

[paul@ctcs]

Thanks for your advice John, As always much appreciated

If you had a pound for everytime you helped us chaps on the forum you would be a very rich man

And  I'd be skint 

Paul

[Dave_Lee]

Paul,
I agree with John, regarding technique versus alteration. Personally Ive never had problems with large area low profile carpets, tiles, or even Flotex. I just alter wand angle to create airflow. Dont forget most stainless steel wand have a doubled over carpet contact area at the wand slot. If you grind or cut into this you will break through into both SS layers, making a sharp rough edge, if you see what I mean. I know some go the way of introducing small holes into the wand head. I have an upholstery tool with pre formed holes to increase airflow.
Now I may be completely wrong, but to my mind, the airflow needs to come through the the item you are cleaning (Carpet or Upholstery fibres) slots like what you describe mat help this process, but holes above the wand intake creates airflow that is not drawn through the carpet etc. Thats why I think technique works better. ?
Dave.

[Dynafoam]

Dave,

I've seen wands with holes drilled half an inch above the lips - to me this is no more helpful to the cleaning than having a split hose. both would increase airflow but, as you say, the important flow is through the fibres.

[Ed Valentine]

I remember years back, having sold many wands with holes drilled in the cleaning head just above the nozzle opening.
Did this effort keep the air moving? Yes. However, as John Bolton attested to, there was little benefit in regards to drying because the air was not being pulled across the fiber(s).
Will a Glide with slots do better? No, because of the exact same situation in that the Glide remains above the surface level. However, a Glide may make it easier to move the wand back and forth.

We discontinued our efforts of drilling these holes and concluded that we had to do other  things (to the machine) instead, in an effort to accomplish a "deeper air-flow draw" within the fiber(s). And, we will continue to move in that direction.

Those are just my thoughts and experience(s) over the past.

Good topic &
Good Fortune to all Brits during this Holiday Season;
Ed Valentine
cross-american corp.