[frames to panes]

Today my prized posession - my superdooper lightweight carbonfibre racing bike was sold on ebay to make way for a carbonfibre superdooper telescopic pole. My wife thinks i'm mad, my kids can't take anymore and i'm running out of tissues - please tell me i won't have to wait much longer - i can't afford the divorce i'm so miserable.
It's all your fault!










Actually i had a sneaky look on the darkside today ( a certain pole named after plastic surgery) but i would need to sell the kids christmas presents too for that.

[windowwashers]

Today my prized posession - my superdooper lightweight carbonfibre racing bike was sold on ebay to make way for a carbonfibre superdooper telescopic pole. My wife thinks i'm mad, my kids can't take anymore and i'm running out of tissues - please tell me i won't have to wait much longer - i can't afford the divorce i'm so miserable.
It's all your fault!










Actually i had a sneaky look on the darkside today ( a certain pole named after plastic surgery) but i would need to sell the kids christmas presents too for that.

divorce is cheaper in the long run, then you could have 2 poles  

[NWH]

You`ll have to wait till the end of the month.

[Alex Gardiner]

Couldn't you have made a pole out of your racing bike? It's all we're doing - buying up second hand racing bikes and modifying them. 

It's looking like the end of January/beginning of February - we are pushing production as fast as we can. 

[NWH]

Can you explain how the add on sections will work with the pole hose please.

[Alex Gardiner]

Originally we were hoping to be able to use Super-Lite extension sections on the end of the SL-X extension section itself.  However, engineering concerns have meant a re-think and now the extension section will be fully telescopic which we found in trialling was much easier to use than a modular extension but it won't be able to take Super-Lite extensions on the end. 

To deal with the hose issue, each extension section will be sold with a slim-line push fit hose connector.  This can be fitted just above the pole tail connector so that when you need to fit the extension section, disconnect the pole hose, pull off the pole end cap, slide on the new extension and re-fit the connector.  It should take about 30 seconds.

[frames to panes]

Maybe a daft question but i'm so used to using modulars with the hose on the outside could the SLX be used in this manner and then any extensions be added with no disruption at all?

[[GQC] Tim]

To deal with the hose issue, each extension section will be sold with a slim-line push fit hose connector.  This can be fitted just above the pole tail connector so that when you need to fit the extension section, disconnect the pole hose, pull off the pole end cap, slide on the new extension and re-fit the connector.  It should take about 30 seconds.

I'm finding it very hard to visualize how the pole hose thing goes? 

[windowwashers]

You`ll have to wait till the end of the month.

heard that one before

[Village Gleam]

Hard to visualise.
What I think he said was spit the pole hose out of the tap on the end of your yellow hose pipe. Unscrew an end cap that will be on the end of the new pole's base section. Put the hose through the extension bit, and then screw the extension bit onto the thread that the end cap came off.

Am I right, or just added to the confusion.

[Alex Gardiner]

Maybe a daft question but i'm so used to using modulars with the hose on the outside could the SLX be used in this manner and then any extensions be added with no disruption at all?

If you so desired you could run hose externally on the SL-X, but it really would not be as easy as internally.

I'm finding it very hard to visualize how the pole hose thing goes? 

The pole hose will exit the bottom of the SL-X pole as standard on most telescopic poles. To fit the extension section, you will have already fitted the quick release in-line connector to the pole hose just above the hose tail, simply disconnect this connector. This will allow you to slide off the end cap from the base of the pole, then feed the end of the hose in the top of the extension section and then slide the extension section onto the end of the pole. reconnect the connector and you pole is ready to use with the extension section fitted.

The up-side of this design extension section is that it will be fully telescopic so that it can be fitted when you start the job you will need it for and simply used as normal until it is required. It will add about 338g to the total weight of the pole which will take the total weight to about 1797g and the reach to about 35ft.

Most of the purchasers will probably only buy the standard pole and not bother with the extension, but it can always be added at a later stage.

We have already had just over 50% of the first production run reserved. A second production run is scheduled for March.

[NWH]

Surely you must be able to post a picture of the brush now Alex,i`ve already ordered my one so a quick pic wouldn`t go a miss.I`ve seen the pole and it looks superb,although the actual pole will more than likely be better.

[Alex Gardiner]

Surely you must be able to post a picture of the brush now Alex,i`ve already ordered my one so a quick pic wouldn`t go a miss.I`ve seen the pole and it looks superb,although the actual pole will more than likely be better.

This brush project has been driving me up the wall!

Designing and having a prototype made was fairly easy!, but then getting a production sample made and in our hands has been a lot harder. A production sample is now in existence and is only waiting for us to sign off on it, but we have yet to see it!! It has been delayed somewhere between factory, head office and us. The Christmas shut down has not helped. I have been on the phone about this with our production company nearly every week. We will get there at some point. I will email you a snap of it as soon as I see it myself!

[frames to panes]

Will it take more than one extension?
What sort of warrenty will you be giving Alex?

[[GQC] Tim]

Surely you must be able to post a picture of the brush now Alex,i`ve already ordered my one so a quick pic wouldn`t go a miss.I`ve seen the pole and it looks superb,although the actual pole will more than likely be better.

You've seen the pole? Hm I'd like to see a pic of that too!

[Alex Gardiner]

When we start off it will only take one 5ft extension. This is because we have had to abandon the idea of being able to add Super-Lite sections to the SL-X extension. This decision has been taken for operational and engineering reasons.

We will probably be able to offer extra extensions after about 4-6 months.

Warranty? Good question. Offering a warranty that covers wear and tear is very difficult as some people really wreck their equipment and give them no ongoing cleaning or maintenance. Even Brodex's 30 month warranty does not cover wear and tear only manufacturing defects. Offering a manufacturing defects warranty is fairly straight forward as any defect will usually show up within the first month of a product's use. A problem that shows up two years down the line would be almost impossible to prove as a 'manufacturing defect'.

We will be offering a warranty on them, we just have not decided what length to go for. The clamps could probably have a lifetime warranty as they are incredibly robust and tough. The maximum warranty that any firm offers on a composite pole is 3 months manufacturing defects warranty. We hope to be able to offer a warranty far in excess of this. For instance our Super-Lite modular pole has a 6 month manufacturing defects warranty.

[frames to panes]

What a headache - how do you tell the difference between wear and tear and a defect? Say one of the SL-X were to break how would you tell a defect from someone polevaulting with it? If it had a flaw in the weave or resin by the time it snapped it would be too late to tell?

[windowwashers]

When we start off it will only take one 5ft extension. This is because we have had to abandon the idea of being able to add Super-Lite sections to the SL-X extension. This decision has been taken for operational and engineering reasons.

We will probably be able to offer extra extensions after about 4-6 months.

Warranty? Good question. Offering a warranty that covers wear and tear is very difficult as some people really wreck their equipment and give them no ongoing cleaning or maintenance. Even Brodex's 30 month warranty does not cover wear and tear only manufacturing defects. Offering a manufacturing defects warranty is fairly straight forward as any defect will usually show up within the first month of a product's use. A problem that shows up two years down the line would be almost impossible to prove as a 'manufacturing defect'.

We will be offering a warranty on them, we just have not decided what length to go for. The clamps could probably have a lifetime warranty as they are incredibly robust and tough. The maximum warranty that any firm offers on a composite pole is 3 months manufacturing defects warranty. We hope to be able to offer a warranty far in excess of this. For instance our Super-Lite modular pole has a 6 month manufacturing defects warranty.

Alex I am not knocking you in anyway so please dont think this but "This decision has been taken for operational and engineering reasons".
what is the real reason? would it cost to much just not possible the people that make poles just dont want to change tools for you ?

Ian

[Alex Gardiner]

Alex I am not knocking you in anyway so please dont think this but "This decision has been taken for operational and engineering reasons".
what is the real reason? would it cost to much just not possible the people that make poles just dont want to change tools for you ?

Ian

The development process of any new product is an interesting one and many ideas get modified or developed along the way. Our original design for the extension section was based around a Super-Lite extension with a modified top end that would simply push fit onto the end of the SL-X giving a modular extension with the ability to take extra Super-Lite sections when needed, nice and simple. This would have been easy to manufacture and a relatively cheap product to bring to the market as an add-on to the SL-X.

However when we came to road testing this idea, a few problems cropped up. The first was to do with the ease of use. To fit the extension section you would need to have the pole already fully extended and then disconnect the hose and push-fit it on. This would have to be done with the pole fully extended. Once you had finished using the pole you would have to reverse the process before being able to use the pole on lower windows as the lowest clamp would be 10ft from the ground.

By comparison the fully telescopic section could be fitted at the start of the job and you could carry on using the pole as normal until you need to use the extra height. We road tested this idea with a cheap fibre glass clamped section and it proved a much easier concept to actually use.

Then came the engineering issue. Originally we had designed the adaption to the Super-Lite section as a straight push-fit onto the bottom 20cm of the SL-X pole. In the long term this would not have worked though. Due to wear, this push fit would have become slightly loose over time and would have allowed the pole to swivel in use which would have removed some of the efficacy of the whole pole. To ensure a push fit that would be a tight enough fit to use repeatedly the joint would either need to be a taper fit as on the Super-Lite sections or it would need a clamp on the top of the extension.

As the base of the SL-X pole is a straight section the taper section idea would just not be feasible. To fit a clamp would also not have worked due to shape and the make up of the Super-Lite sections.

This left us with the solution of manufacturing a matching fully telescopic section to slide on the bottom, which will be fully compatible with the rest of the pole.

For those that absolutely have to be able to use their Super-Lite sections with the SL-X extension section I am looking at the possibility of have a fitting made to fit to the bottom of the extension section that will allow these to be fitted. This would probably be custom made upon request. I will have to make one and test the strength of it though.

I am sorry that this reply has been a little long-winded, but that is the full reasoning behind the decision. You can see why I just used the phrase "This decision has been taken for operational and engineering reasons" instead.

Whilst the original concept was a good one it was also flawed so had to be improved upon.

[windowwashers]

Alex I am not knocking you in anyway so please dont think this but "This decision has been taken for operational and engineering reasons".
what is the real reason? would it cost to much just not possible the people that make poles just dont want to change tools for you ?

Ian

The development process of any new product is an interesting one and many ideas get modified or developed along the way. Our original design for the extension section was based around a Super-Lite extension with a modified top end that would simply push fit onto the end of the SL-X giving a modular extension with the ability to take extra Super-Lite sections when needed, nice and simple. This would have been easy to manufacture and a relatively cheap product to bring to the market as an add-on to the SL-X.

However when we came to road testing this idea, a few problems cropped up. The first was to do with the ease of use. To fit the extension section you would need to have the pole already fully extended and then disconnect the hose and push-fit it on. This would have to be done with the pole fully extended. Once you had finished using the pole you would have to reverse the process before being able to use the pole on lower windows as the lowest clamp would be 10ft from the ground.

By comparison the fully telescopic section could be fitted at the start of the job and you could carry on using the pole as normal until you need to use the extra height. We road tested this idea with a cheap fibre glass clamped section and it proved a much easier concept to actually use.

Then came the engineering issue. Originally we had designed the adaption to the Super-Lite section as a straight push-fit onto the bottom 20cm of the SL-X pole. In the long term this would not have worked though. Due to wear, this push fit would have become slightly loose over time and would have allowed the pole to swivel in use which would have removed some of the efficacy of the whole pole. To ensure a push fit that would be a tight enough fit to use repeatedly the joint would either need to be a taper fit as on the Super-Lite sections or it would need a clamp on the top of the extension.

As the base of the SL-X pole is a straight section the taper section idea would just not be feasible. To fit a clamp would also not have worked due to shape and the make up of the Super-Lite sections.

This left us with the solution of manufacturing a matching fully telescopic section to slide on the bottom, which will be fully compatible with the rest of the pole.

For those that absolutely have to be able to use their Super-Lite sections with the SL-X extension section I am looking at the possibility of have a fitting made to fit to the bottom of the extension section that will allow these to be fitted. This would probably be custom made upon request. I will have to make one and test the strength of it though.

I am sorry that this reply has been a little long-winded, but that is the full reasoning behind the decision. You can see why I just used the phrase "This decision has been taken for operational and engineering reasons" instead.

Whilst the original concept was a good one it was also flawed so had to be improved upon.

Respect for that reply Alex 
Many companies could learn from your openess to give real reason to a questions asked and that is what I respect.

Ian Wicks