Short WFP - CLX 4 or 10 or another brand?

My daily pole is a SLX25.

Sonetimes when not extended I find it a little cumbersome on bungalows or in tighter situations. 

I was thinking of getting a CLX4 or 10 to swap on to. I've no experience of either or if their is another cheaper alternative. 

My wife is also threatening to come and learn the trade part time!

Would she be able to reach first floor Windows with a CLX10 ? (She is 5'9 ! ) And would that pole have a shorter un extended working length than say an SLX18 which is what I would get her once she works enough to pay for it. 

What's your experience? 

Thanks in advance for help 

I have on my van clx4 favourite pole best pole in the world weighs less than the brush lol well almost. 

2 x Slx18 which covers around 90+% or my work.

slx22 for townhouses.

Slx25 for townhouses as my son is shorter than me.

2 extensions to take the slx25 to 35 which is needed a couple of jobs.

I use clx4 at every opportunity great little pole and the worst pole I have is the slx25 it's very tall in its closed position much prefer using the slx 18/22 not just for lightness but also a fair bit shorter.

If she was doing downstairs only @Jagothen the clx10 would be good enough. If she has the upper body strength to do upstairs as well, then she needs an slx18 minimum.

There are a few husband and wife combos that seem to work well together - but not many. I'm afraid we didn't. So think very carefully about starting this. It may not end well.

You need to figure out how you are going to work the hose reels if she hasn't the strength to do upstairs windows. You need to allocate who is responsible for what. Be prepared for a new boss; it doesn't take them long to crown themselves that roll.

There was a shipping company that allowed their captain's wives to accompany them on the ship. But the max period was 3 weeks a year. Anything longer than that and the Captain's wife would start to influence the captain's decisions which weren't always for the good of the ship.

Den said:

I have on my van clx4 favourite pole best pole in the world weighs less than the brush lol well almost. 

2 x Slx18 which covers around 90+% or my work.

slx22 for townhouses.

Slx25 for townhouses as my son is shorter than me.

2 extensions to take the slx25 to 35 which is needed a couple of jobs.

I use clx4 at every opportunity great little pole and the worst pole I have is the slx25 it's very tall in its closed position much prefer using the slx 18/22 not just for lightness but also a fair bit shorter.

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I'm in the opposite situation to you Den in that my main pole is an Xtreme 22, lovely and light for every day use but it's short closed length means that on a lot of my upstairs work a comfortabe working length means I have to extend it two and a half sections whereas the slx 25 that I use only occasionally, I seldom have to extend more than two sections to do 90% of my upstairs work. However, due to getting RSI in my wrists elbows and shoulders quite easily, I don't like working with the extra weight of the SLX 25 all day so I'm currently saving for an Xtreme 25.

As regards the original post, the shortest pole I've ever managed to use to clean first floor (not ground floor) windows was a 12 footer. Even then it was often near virtical which wasn't ideal. Like Spruce, the minimum I would suggest for first floor windows would be an 18 footer. So why not go for a CLX 18 to start with, which is a very nice pole. The sizes both extended and closed for all Gardiner poles are on their website. I'm 5'10" by the way if that's helpful.

Marko067 said:

I'm in the opposite situation to you Den in that my main pole is an Xtreme 22, lovely and light for every day use but it's short closed length means that on a lot of my upstairs work a comfortabe working length means I have to extend it two and a half sections whereas the slx 25 that I use only occasionally, I seldom have to extend more than two sections to do 90% of my upstairs work. However, due to getting RSI in my wrists elbows and shoulders quite easily, I don't like working with the extra weight of the SLX 25 all day so I'm currently saving for an Xtreme 25.

As regards the original post, the shortest pole I've ever managed to use to clean first floor (not ground floor) windows was a 12 footer. Even then it was often near virtical which wasn't ideal. Like Spruce, the minimum I would suggest for first floor windows would be an 18 footer. So why not go for a CLX 18 to start with, which is a very nice pole. The sizes both extended and closed for all Gardiner poles are on their website. I'm 5'10" by the way if that's helpful.

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yes your right I wouldn't want to use the Slx25 all day maybe when I was younger but definitely not now, my son uses it only a handful of times every month. 

I will probably eventually get an extreme 18 for myself in the future due to having arthritis as the extreme 22 is the same weight as the slx18 so my brain is telling me not to pay the extra for the extreme 22 as no weight is saved and couldn't justify at the moment the money for a extreme 22 just for a few windows a month.

in the real world what would suit us is an extreme 18 and 25.

just to add to what Spruce and Mark067 said...... if my wife was to help me I would get her extreme 18 if she was to going to clean upstairs windows ( I know they are expensive) I know a couple of windies that use these and they feel great to use and I'm sure she would appreciate lightness.

Den said:

yes your right I wouldn't want to use the Slx25 all day maybe when I was younger but definitely not now, my son uses it only a handful of times every month. 

I will probably eventually get an extreme 18 for myself in the future due to having arthritis as the extreme 22 is the same weight as the slx18 so my brain is telling me not to pay the extra for the extreme 22 as no weight is saved and couldn't justify at the moment the money for a extreme 22 just for a few windows a month.

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It’s hard to explain, but it’s not just the weight difference of the Xtreme poles that makes them better to work with for me. It’s the lower mass as well that makes them easier to manoeuvre. I can literally flip my Xtreme pole about at times, something I can’t do at all with my SLX 25.

Use a old pole if you got one 

Den said:

I have on my van clx4 favourite pole best pole in the world weighs less than the brush lol well almost. 

2 x Slx18 which covers around 90+% or my work.

slx22 for townhouses.

Slx25 for townhouses as my son is shorter than me.

2 extensions to take the slx25 to 35 which is needed a couple of jobs.

I use clx4 at every opportunity great little pole and the worst pole I have is the slx25 it's very tall in its closed position much prefer using the slx 18/22 not just for lightness but also a fair bit shorter.

Click to expand...

Sorry for late reply... Thanks Den for info - I am a bit of a Gardiner snob so i think I'll prob get a CLX 4 and a SLX 18 for the van. 

:1f44c:

spruce said:

If she was doing downstairs only @Jagothen the clx10 would be good enough. If she has the upper body strength to do upstairs as well, then she needs an slx18 minimum.

There are a few husband and wife combos that seem to work well together - but not many. I'm afraid we didn't. So think very carefully about starting this. It may not end well.

You need to figure out how you are going to work the hose reels if she hasn't the strength to do upstairs windows. You need to allocate who is responsible for what. Be prepared for a new boss; it doesn't take them long to crown themselves that roll.

There was a shipping company that allowed their captain's wives to accompany them on the ship. But the max period was 3 weeks a year. Anything longer than that and the Captain's wife would start to influence the captain's decisions which weren't always for the good of the ship.

Click to expand...

Hi Spruce, 

Thanks for advise, in fact it made me burst out laughing cos I fully understand where your coming from re potential challenges of working with the wife! 

My wife has had a little go with the SLX25 on some skylights on a job in December and managed the weight quite well. 

That said its not the same as doing a day on the pole but she is pretty strong and fit.

And fit, pretty and strong!!  :1f602:

Her role would be very part time between school runs and other responsibilities but I appreciate the need to configure the role.

Initially I will set her up with my back pack (half filled and half filled drums) and the SLX18 and she can start at the front tops and I'll run the hose around the back. 

My work concentrates on fairly big houses which are well priced with quite a bit of driving inbetween as we are in the sticks.

I think it will work out well as she's a good girl but I take on board you points and I can't see it making us extra money for sometime but Initially the motivation will do me good and we can see how it goes..... 

Kind regards 

Marko067 said:

I'm in the opposite situation to you Den in that my main pole is an Xtreme 22, lovely and light for every day use but it's short closed length means that on a lot of my upstairs work a comfortabe working length means I have to extend it two and a half sections whereas the slx 25 that I use only occasionally, I seldom have to extend more than two sections to do 90% of my upstairs work. However, due to getting RSI in my wrists elbows and shoulders quite easily, I don't like working with the extra weight of the SLX 25 all day so I'm currently saving for an Xtreme 25.

As regards the original post, the shortest pole I've ever managed to use to clean first floor (not ground floor) windows was a 12 footer. Even then it was often near virtical which wasn't ideal. Like Spruce, the minimum I would suggest for first floor windows would be an 18 footer. So why not go for a CLX 18 to start with, which is a very nice pole. The sizes both extended and closed for all Gardiner poles are on their website. I'm 5'10" by the way if that's helpful.

Click to expand...

Thanks for your advise it's very interesting about the Xtreme poles... 

On 19 January 2018 at 09:35, mark m said:

Use a old pole if you got one 

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Thanks Mark M - excellent video... I love the idea of this. 

:1f44d:

Jago said:

Hi Spruce, 

Thanks for advise, in fact it made me burst out laughing cos I fully understand where your coming from re potential challenges of working with the wife! 

My wife has had a little go with the SLX25 on some skylights on a job in December and managed the weight quite well. 

That said its not the same as doing a day on the pole but she is pretty strong and fit.

And fit, pretty and strong!!  :1f602:

Her role would be very part time between school runs and other responsibilities but I appreciate the need to configure the role.

Initially I will set her up with my back pack (half filled and half filled drums) and the SLX18 and she can start at the front tops and I'll run the hose around the back. 

My work concentrates on fairly big houses which are well priced with quite a bit of driving inbetween as we are in the sticks.

I think it will work out well as she's a good girl but I take on board you points and I can't see it making us extra money for sometime but Initially the motivation will do me good and we can see how it goes..... 

Kind regards 

Click to expand...

If she is going to be able to do upstairs windows, then I would probably let her use the hose reel and you use the backpack. If you haven't a transfer pump then carrying 1/2 containers of water is going to take up twice as much space as full containers will with same same amount of water.

When she works with you, work the properties closest to your home. Understandably, women would rather use the loo at home than public conveniences or a pot in the back of the van. Its the regularity that can play havoc with your work schedule.

The positive side is that working with a wfp pole will strengthen her pectoral muscles. :1f603:

Our working relationship ended with a verbal disagreement regarding the window cleaning process on a customers front lawn. It wasn't a bad thing tbh. I needed some help, but I found it was taking me longer to clean the property with her help than if I did it on my own as I was the one reeling in 2 hose reels, packing equipment away and still wiping the lower sills, drying the front door down and writing out tickets while she sat in the van because she was cold.

Please, this is not a male chauvinist pig writing this and I'm not out to upset any lady windows cleaners who happily work with their spouses. It just didn't work for us. Basically, the experience just bore out what I already knew in my heart. When you have been married for 44 years you know the other person like the back of your hand. The same applies to her - she probably knows me better than I know myself.

You will already know if it will work or not before you do it.

I know of a husband and wife team that have worked together for some 30 years. He's an electrician. I have always praised their ability to support each other in their working environment.

spruce said:

If she is going to be able to do upstairs windows, then I would probably let her use the hose reel and you use the backpack. If you haven't a transfer pump then carrying 1/2 containers of water is going to take up twice as much space as full containers will with same same amount of water.

When she works with you, work the properties closest to your home. Understandably, women would rather use the loo at home than public conveniences or a pot in the back of the van. Its the regularity that can play havoc with your work schedule.

The positive side is that working with a wfp pole will strengthen her pectoral muscles. :1f603:

Our working relationship ended with a verbal disagreement regarding the window cleaning process on a customers front lawn. It wasn't a bad thing tbh. I needed some help, but I found it was taking me longer to clean the property with her help than if I did it on my own as I was the one reeling in 2 hose reels, packing equipment away and still wiping the lower sills, drying the front door down and writing out tickets while she sat in the van because she was cold.

Please, this is not a male chauvinist pig writing this and I'm not out to upset any lady windows cleaners who happily work with their spouses. It just didn't work for us. Basically, the experience just bore out what I already knew in my heart. When you have been married for 44 years you know the other person like the back of your hand. The same applies to her - she probably knows me better than I know myself.

You will already know if it will work or not before you do it.

I know of a husband and wife team that have worked together for some 30 years. He's an electrician. I have always praised their ability to support each other in their working environment.

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Thanks Spruce

You make some very valid points.

I won't comment further otherwise I feel I could be in hot water so to speak.

I know it will work for me but it will be more part time than part timer...  :1f609:

Thanks again Spruce you have always been very helpful to me.

Best 

I also couldn't work with my wife, and the feeling is mutual, if I told her to do something I have a feeling that my SLX25 would end up somewhere other than on the glass.[emoji51]

Sent using the http://Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

dmw said:

I also couldn't work with my wife, and the feeling is mutual, if I told her to do something I have a feeling that my SLX25 would end up somewhere other than on the glass.

Sent using the http://Window Cleaning Forums mobile app
 

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Hi DMW

I start to type out a comment and find myself deleting what I'm putting  :1f602:

One has to be so careful about why one puts these days haha!

Stuff that people just say how it is for you 

Can you work with your wifey? 

A big no, she's got a dog walking business so our paths "literally" don't cross lol
Love her really though.

Sent using the http://Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

spruce said:

If she is going to be able to do upstairs windows, then I would probably let her use the hose reel and you use the backpack. If you haven't a transfer pump then carrying 1/2 containers of water is going to take up twice as much space as full containers will with same same amount of water.

When she works with you, work the properties closest to your home. Understandably, women would rather use the loo at home than public conveniences or a pot in the back of the van. Its the regularity that can play havoc with your work schedule.

The positive side is that working with a wfp pole will strengthen her pectoral muscles. :1f603:

Our working relationship ended with a verbal disagreement regarding the window cleaning process on a customers front lawn. It wasn't a bad thing tbh. I needed some help, but I found it was taking me longer to clean the property with her help than if I did it on my own as I was the one reeling in 2 hose reels, packing equipment away and still wiping the lower sills, drying the front door down and writing out tickets while she sat in the van because she was cold.

Please, this is not a male chauvinist pig writing this and I'm not out to upset any lady windows cleaners who happily work with their spouses. It just didn't work for us. Basically, the experience just bore out what I already knew in my heart. When you have been married for 44 years you know the other person like the back of your hand. The same applies to her - she probably knows me better than I know myself.

You will already know if it will work or not before you do it.

I know of a husband and wife team that have worked together for some 30 years. He's an electrician. I have always praised their ability to support each other in their working environment.

Click to expand...

Hang on a minute - how old are you spruce ?

Me and the wife worked together before we successfully reproduced. And we made quite the pair I'd say.

A bit difficult to begin with as one had to learn to work together in a professional environment, meaning I had to be able to say "that's not good enough", "you take that side, I take this side", without that hurting her feelings. We did work it all out and became quite the window cleaning duo.

She is the fastest learner I've ever seen, only taking a few weeks to do spotless trad cleaning, and mastering the wfp from the get go. She also has a brilliant mind when it came to figuring out how to set up and clean a house the most effective way when you were two. I'd happily claim we were twice as fast as when I worked alone, and I've never matched those speeds with any other colleague.

Jago said:

Hang on a minute - how old are you spruce ?

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66. Last week I made application to be a pensioner which I should have done last April. :1f61e:

spruce said:

66. Last week I made application to be a pensioner which I should have done last April. :1f61e:

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Bloody hell Spruce didn't realise you were a pensioner lol, at least you can take the bus if you van breaks down haha.

have you any plans to cut down or stop in the near future.

Den said:

Bloody hell Spruce didn't realise you were a pensioner lol, at least you can take the bus if you van breaks down haha.

have you any plans to cut down or stop in the near future.

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Yes I was going to mention Free bus pass.... 

44 years marriage - these days that's very commendable... Well done matey  :1f44c: