[Tosh]

For those who've done it...

I've just bought an 11 meter Gangster fishing pole to use as a modular WFP from this place:

www.cheshirefishing.co.uk/shop/rthompson/poles.htm  (£65 including P & P), it should be arriving on Tuesday.

I've already made a shorter 15 foot (18 foot with two extra extension poles) DIY WFP from a Ron Thompson Zensorflex (£20 bargin) that I'm over-the-moon with, so my question is, is converting the longer Gangster pole just as simple?

And how long will this pole be?

PS.  The lady I phoned at the fishing shop told me she's sold loads of these to window cleaners, which made me smile.

[ftp]

Dead simple. The simplest possible way is to get the last four inches of a broom handle (the threaded bit), decide which section will be your top section (easy) hack saw the strengthened base of the next discarded section - about four inches - glue it to the tip of your pole and bond the broom handle in that. Will then take plastic angle adapters, swivels or/and Gardiner brushes.
There are other ways and you can combine the Zensorflex to go even longer - Jeff Brimble and Matt are the men to see.

[Sir Squeaky]

Tosh, I found that only the bottom 2 sections and the base (which is also the tube it comes in) is any use.
The rest are so thin.

I slot it into my top 2 sections of SL2, and it's around 20ft I'd guess.

I can go higher using one smaller piece of Gangster, but then it's pretty whippy.
I only do that if I really have to.

[Tosh]

Tosh, I found that only the bottom 2 sections and the base (which is also the tube it comes in) is any use.
The rest are so thin.

Thanks, but you're not filling me with confidence; maybe I should've went for the more expensive F15?

Ah, well, it's here on Tuesday; so I'll find out then.  I only have a small handfull of three-story jobs (and I've a fair few high two-story ones), so even if it's fine for these, I'll be happy with that.

But Squeaky, don't you think that brush head you're using could be contributing to your poles lack of performance?  You're using the black Ionics one, which is a fairly heavy brush; I've used that brush for years.

[Chris Cottrell]

Tosh

did you mean the F15 or the F16 (map)

[Tosh]

Chris, I think I meant the F16; the one Jeff B reccomends; I think I just confused a fishing pole with a fighter jet?!

[Chris Cottrell]

I see , the F16 is the one I use, it was very easy to convert I just took off the match top 3 and cut the no4 section to exactly 1mtr that fitted into the Mk1 Gardiner gooseneck perfectly, I've had this now for 2yrs or so still going strong although i did get another No9 section after i broke it

[Tosh]

Cheers, Chris, I'll see how I get on with the Gangster and (another second hand fishing pole I've just bought on e-bay) if that fails, I'll go for the F16.

I know some of Squeak's best accounts involve cleaning windows above long pitched roofs while standing on steeply sloping drives; so maybe his Gangster DIY pole just isn't up for this sort of extreme work?

Anyway, I'll report back about the Gangster once I've received, modified, and used it.

[ftp]

Pretty sure my Gangsta or Reload as it was then got to 25 feet and more. You have to remember Squeaks has previously been using the best modular money can buy in my opinion. Which is why the Gangsta is sixty quid and the S2 is four hundred ish pounds. It really answers your questions over why the S2 is so expensive compared to fishing poles.
Really you would be better comparing a fishing pole against a fibreglass extending pole then you would see the difference. Give Squeaky and old excel twenty four foot extending pole and i'll guarantee he'll be looking to buy a set of ladders instead.
Light poles need light brushes or your wasting your time.

[s.w.c]

if you got a lot of three story work you would have been better off getting a 12.5m pole as it copes better as some three story work are different heights depending if its a new build or older, a 12.5m pole should give you a 28ft pole without your reach, again some pole are different some 12.5m one will only give you 26ft to max of 30ft depending on there design, also in my time with building modular poles i would suggest that you look for older models as they have a thicker wall and there not much difference in the weight but the thicker wall will give you a stronger pole, example the old grim reaper poles shimano diaflash, shimano hyperloop etc.

[ftp]

What was the S1? I forget now, wasn't it something like a Maver Reaction with a modified top section?

[s.w.c]

it was a maver pole i cant remember if it was Jurassic or reload but it was na maver fishing pole