Backpack advice

[Teddington Window Cleaners]

Hey all,

I’ve just purchased the big boy starter kit from WCW.

I’m a WFP Virgin so please excuse my lack of knowledge.

I guess the main thing is. What do you do with all the hose when the pole is collapsed and your in transit (backpack on back and pole in hand)

There is a lot of hose! Is there some kind of gadget? Like a belt reel or some thing?

Many thanks in advance

 

[Bart90]

My Gardiner backpack lives on 'The handy folding sack truck', attached with some pingers & clip ties. I wrap about 12 meters of hose around the handles

https://www.gardenlines.co.uk/shop/...MIwLfLi6Xz9gIV1OvtCh1_AQTdEAQYASABEgKdd_D_BwE

 

[ched999uk]

Don't put a backpack on your back you will kill yourself! When I used a backpack from the car I put it on a 'handy sac trolley' and strapped it on. As for the hose I used a 20m extension and just coiled it up and used a velcro tie or a Gardiner Gardiner EZ-Wrap (https://gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/gardiner-ez-wrap.html) to hold it together.
Hose 'management' is a pain with wfp but you get used to keeping an eye on where it manages to catch, like wheelie bin wheels, flower pots, rose bushes etc....

 

[Pjj]

As has been said most use a sack truck to put the back pack on and wrap the hose around the handles most don’t have more than 15-20 meters of hose .

 

[Iron Giant]

Hey all,

I’ve just purchased the big boy starter kit from WCW.

I’m a WFP Virgin so please excuse my lack of knowledge.

I guess the main thing is. What do you do with all the hose when the pole is collapsed and your in transit (backpack on back and pole in hand)

There is a lot of hose! Is there some kind of gadget? Like a belt reel or some thing?

Many thanks in advance

After all the hoo haa in the past, you're now doing some wfp

 

[tench0771]

Just coil the hose round the backpack ?

 

[helene84]

We always used a sack truck and wound the hose round the handle when we used backpacks. ?

 

[Dave B]

Claber aqua pony reel cable tied to the handles on handy sack truck
Very small and light but is possible to fit 70m of gardiner reinforced pole hose on
I used to do it this way with 30m of hose and just wheel the trolley to side gate on houses and pull hose off the reel to reach round the house

 

[Teddington Window Cleaners]

After all the hoo haa in the past, you're now doing some wfp

This is for signs and facias only

 

[Dave B]

This is for signs and facias only

That’s what we all say at first

 

[Bart90]

That’s what we all say at first

My excuse was "just upstairs windows". Didn't last long. Makes the job so much easier and quicker.

 

[Iron Giant]

This is for signs and facias only

I believe you

 

[Teddington Window Cleaners]

I believe you

I’m not fat enough or slow enough to stop using ladders ?

 

[Iron Giant]

I’m not fat enough or slow enough to stop using ladders ?

You need to be slimmer and fitter using wfp, people assume wfp is a lot easier than trad it ain't, I did 8 years of trad before converting and trad is a walk in the park by comparison ?

 

[Teddington Window Cleaners]

You need to be slimmer and fitter using wfp, people assume wfp is a lot easier than trad it ain't, I did 8 years of trad before converting and trad is a walk in the park by comparison ?

Ive got to be honest, after cleaning the African dust off a 30ft wide sign my neck was aching like crazy. do you guys all have thick necks?

 

[Iron Giant]

Ive got to be honest, after cleaning the African dust off a 30ft wide sign my neck was aching like crazy. do you guys all have thick necks?

A thick neck no, thick skin is a good thing though

I don't think my neck ever ached, aching shoulders, elbows and back though

 

[Part Timer]

Ive got to be honest, after cleaning the African dust off a 30ft wide sign my neck was aching like crazy. do you guys all have thick necks?

Usually only get an aching neck when I've had to stand to close as access poor. You might be standing to close

 

[Pjj]

Ive got to be honest, after cleaning the African dust off a 30ft wide sign my neck was aching like crazy. do you guys all have thick necks?

Try standing further way from the building this reduces the angle that your neck is at , I used to suffer the same but not any more , think your body gets used to it and standing back definitely helps

 

[Chris34]

My neck used to ache like crazy when I first started, to the point of nearly being sick and it actually crossed my mind whether I could put up with it. Over time it gets less and less and your neck does get used to it so it doesn't ache doing normal stuff.

Fascia's, town houses etc is when I still get the achy neck so I keep them to a minimum, in fact I won't take on any more town houses because of it, got two that I do but hate doing them.

 

[Dave B]

My neck used to ache like crazy when I first started, to the point of nearly being sick and it actually crossed my mind whether I could put up with it. Over time it gets less and less and your neck does get used to it so it doesn't ache doing normal stuff.

Fascia's, town houses etc is when I still get the achy neck so I keep them to a minimum, in fact I won't take on any more town houses because of it, got two that I do but hate doing them.

Did 4 of them today in high wind
I suppose you just get used to it as I have no issues
I am a rugby playing lump though so not a lightweight ?

 

[Chris34]

Did 4 of them today in high wind
I suppose you just get used to it as I have no issues
I am a rugby playing lump though so not a lightweight ?

The two I do are the terraced type, I'm guessing 1970's? The panes of glass are absolutely huge on them, the brush is tiny and it just makes it a nightmare, got really wide sills on them as well. Think the newer build ones might be ok if the windows are smaller but the old type like I've got are an absolute nightmare. There are about 50 of them and I never see any other window cleaners doing them, think it's because they're just a pita.