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One near miss to many

HWCS

Well-known member
Messages
1,130
Location
North Norfolk
So after being a trad windy for 6 months, today has frightened the 5h1t out of me, assessed the ground and came to the conclusion it was safe, i was wrong, was lucky that i was only 4 foot off the ground when the ladder went from under me, like Lee Majors in the fall guy i managed to somehow land on my feet.

So with this near miss in mind, i have to cross to the dark side and get myself wfp'd up and start my trad work bottom and bungalows  and wfping anything higher than a step ladder sooner than i thought.

On the off chance that i may get lucky is anybody selling a cheap 2nd hand pole with a couple of brush heads?

Or if anybody can point me in the right direction of a decent deal online anywhere.

Funds are tight.

Will obviously need to be posted to north norfolk.

 
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Second hand poles can be a bit tricky if you don’t know what you are looking for, you could easily end up with a shagged out scaffold pole that will put you off for life.

Get a CLX-22 and I’d recommend a medium mixed sill brush with 50 degree fan jets. For under £180 you can’t go wrong. If you can stretch to a swivel gooseneck and a univalve you’ll make the job a doddle.

 
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Making the right decision, working safer is a good buisness plan, as above I’d recommend new pole. My brother took a fall a few years ago and broke his wrist needed an operation and was off for months wasn’t up more than five foot. Can’t earn money in the hospital bed or mortuary.

 
So after being a trad windy for 6 months, today has frightened the 5h1t out of me, assessed the ground and came to the conclusion it was safe, i was wrong, was lucky that i was only 4 foot off the ground when the ladder went from under me, like Lee Majors in the fall guy i managed to somehow land on my feet.

So with this near miss in mind, i have to cross to the dark side and get myself wfp'd up and start my trad work bottom and bungalows  and wfping anything higher than a step ladder sooner than i thought.

On the off chance that i may get lucky is anybody selling a cheap 2nd hand pole with a couple of brush heads?

Or if anybody can point me in the right direction of a decent deal online anywhere.

Funds are tight.

Will obviously need to be posted to north norfolk.
Glad you're ok.  Go new, although a bit more expensive it'll last you ages especially just doing tops.  Gardiner SLX22 has served me well.  Great all round pole. While you're at it you can order the backpack with them and get free delivery ? 

 
Glad you're ok.  Go new, although a bit more expensive it'll last you ages especially just doing tops.  Gardiner SLX22 has served me well.  Great all round pole. While you're at it you can order the backpack with them and get free delivery ? 
Yeah i think the plans gonna be contact Gardiner and get a complete set upand see what price they will do me, like i said though funds are tight 

 
Yeah mate your making the right decision I dont really understand why anyone uses ladders for window cleaning these days with the amount of money you can make the set up for wfp will quickly seem like nothing! You will be earning the cost of a pole and a decent brush a day. Also I find more and more when people call or approach me for quotes that they are checking I use wfp and not ladders which is a real reverse from  few years ago where lots still wanted to know what it was. There are still a few trad guys around my way but they are older guys who have been doing it forever and we seem to be getting more and more customers from them cos all the things they cant or wont do like velux in roof / loft extensions guttering jobs etc

 
We’ve just taken over a job from a tradder, poor old fella had been at it for donkeys years. Got electrocuted at the top of his ladder and fell all the way down. The customer said he must have either packed it in or not made it through as he disappeared over 6 months ago after decades of service. You can of course still get electrocuted using a water fed pole. But at least the fall wont come with it ?

 
As Green Pro said to me when I first asked for advice about switching, 'You can't clean windows from a wheelchair'. You've had a lucky escape mate and a wake up call. Defo get switched over to WFP!

 
Going to bite the bullet and order backpack and CLX22 next week.

My question now is, what brush, hose, gooseneck, jets, connectors should i be getting?

Should i be getting any spares?

Screenshot_20191023-150750_Samsung Internet.jpg

 
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Glad you were ok!

I got into WFP after a fall from a ladder and realising that the income I lost those 2 weeks with my feet up was equal to the cost of a cheap wfp startup. my opinion is spend on a decent pole like the slx 27 (this will get the awkward one above a conservatory as well and has less flex), a backpack and barrels. I did that for a year and half till I had the funds to get a van and system. 

I've attached what I would go for. 

Oh and definitely get a univalve! 

Screenshot_20191023-164009_Chrome.jpg

 
Could somebody have a look over this and make sure ive ordered correct, im assuming if i have a male connector of the hose i need a female connector on the back pack

Also have i chosen the right jets as i dont understand the differences

Screenshot_20191023-184326_Samsung Internet.jpg

Screenshot_20191023-184336_Samsung Internet.jpg

Screenshot_20191023-184349_Samsung Internet.jpg

 
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Yep, EZ male on the pole hose and EZ female on the backpack ? as far as jets go, that's a whole different rabbit hole but you can't go wrong with pencil jets imo

 
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As @Suhrly said start with 2mm pencils then work from there. If you can pay a bit more and get a swivel gooseneck, you will be extremely greatful for it. The only issue is it doesn’t seem to be a selectable option in the drop down menu, so perhaps give them a call to see if they can sell you it as part of the pole (obviously you would pay the extra). @Alex Gardiner is this deliberate or a oversight? 

https://gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/all-products/water-fed-poles/goosenecks-pole-fittings/plastic-gooseneck-system/quick-loq-resi-neck-type1-long-swivel-new.html

These video will show you the difference between jets. First one is just comparison, second one is a review. Still start with 2mm  pencils, though. 






 
I would get a stiffer brush, I find that the soft bristles require a bit of extra scrubbing compared. A medium or a medium mixed.

When you decide you need a sack truck to mount it on, buy this one . Nice and robust.

if you will be using barrels to top up your back pack, buy 20 litre ones, or don’t fill the 25 litre ones to the brim, your back will thank you.

 
Go for the bigger SLX 27....best thing I did.....got loads of new 3 storey stuff and quite a few with windows over the conservatory that none of the tradders could reach.

The 3 storey customers will pay more for the fact that you can clean them......did some today at £12/£15 a pop....3 at £15 and 4 at £12 all in same general area...moved van 100m twice and done in under 2 hours and really steady away no rush at all.

The 27 is ideal for these and over conservatories....you'll not do them with a 22.

 

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