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Removing pole sections?

Ana

Active member
Messages
233
Location
Stoke on Trent
 I have my eye on a Gardiner xtreme pole in the near future as a upgrade from my heavy and cumbersome clx 27. I began to look at the 18ft extreme as it's super lightweight and can still do the two story work (just about as im 5'9) which is the bulk of what I clean. However I thought as I have a small number of skylights and three story homes to do wouldn't it be more prudent to get a bigger pole and simply take off the lengths I don't need to use 90% of the time and bang them back in when required?

 Is it possible and practical to simply remove one or more sections of pole to reduce weight overall when doing smaller, lower level work? If so does the pole cap (at the base of the pole) couple onto the next pole up or would I have to buy another spare separately? 

 
Cheers guys, I just worry a 22ft might be a tad to small but I suppose at full extension it will likely do a typical three story, especially when you add its lighter. How much faff is taking sections on and off in your opinion @steve garwood?

seen a pre-owned extreme 35ft on fleabay hence why I ask about simply taking off extra sections that might be used in a handful of cases. I check out end caps @Iron Giant thanks  

 
Cheers guys, I just worry a 22ft might be a tad to small but I suppose at full extension it will likely do a typical three story, especially when you add its lighter. How much faff is taking sections on and off in your opinion @steve garwood?

seen a pre-owned extreme 35ft on fleabay hence why I ask about simply taking off extra sections that might be used in a handful of cases. I check out end caps @Iron Giant thanks  


IMHO Ebay isn't a good place to buy poles. They are usually rather worn and go for more money than they are worth.

There is a windie down south who pays very little for his replacement poles. He buys one, uses it for a year and then puts it on Ebay. He gets close to the new price for his used pole.

You could buy an Extreme 22 and use the base of your CLX 27 for those odd times you need an little extra length. Or you could buy an Extreme 18 and add 2 sections from your CLX27. The pole sections are interchangeable.

How easy is it to add and remove sections? Best way to find out is to try and remove the base section of your CLX27. It will depend on your pole's hose fitting and if you have a protecta ball on the end of it.

 
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I do wonder how good a quality the pole will be from eBay @spruce I must admit, it's simply going off the images that I'm making my judgment, that and the description of course. Ideally I'd simply buy a new pole, a 22ft would be the best fit imo.

using the parts off the clx I see a good idea if they fit well, I suppose they are all standard sizes anyway so interchangeable. I use rectus fittings with no protect-a-ball.

 
@Ana I think you need to get someone to measure you, I am 5ft and shrinking and I can manage 3 storey townhouses with my 22ft pole I have 2 extensions for higher work which are just left in the van most of the time unless you are having issues with shoulders, elbows or back I would just buy an SLX-22 as a daily and as @spruce says use the base of your CLX when needed.

 
I've worked with a 47 pole taking off the bottom sections making it a 25, for a couple of years. It gets old quick since I needed to add sections every other day. So happy when I got a dedicated 25.

In your case I'd buy a 22 to reach 95+% of the work and use the old 27 for the odd window.

 
Defiantly 5,9 @Iron Giant I got measured just the other day for a random reason haha, I think you and others are right, get a 18 or a 22ft to do the bulk of the work with a extreme.

are there any other good, low weight poles that would fit the bill? Considering the streamline poles but I've been told by a fellow windy that they are a bit heavier? We have a window cleaning supplying firm who have them in stock so I could go and see what I think of those in person.

looked at WCW Hi-mod and neon too but seem to have very limited use? 

hard to judge weight and feel without getting up close and personal with a pole.

 
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It's not all about weight, but more about stiffness in my opinion.

I'd rather use my extreme25 than my slx18. I think the weigh pretty much the same? But when you extend it fully the slx is like wipping around a cooked noodle compared to the extreme. I put a small brush on the slx18 and pretty much only use it non extended on a single customer every month.

 
Defiantly 5,9 @Iron Giant I got measured just the other day for a random reason haha, I think you and others are right, get a 18 or a 22ft to do the bulk of the work with a extreme.

are there any other good, low weight poles that would fit the bill? Considering the streamline poles but I've been told by a fellow windy that they are a bit heavier? We have a window cleaning supplying firm who have them in stock so I could go and see what I think of those in person.

looked at WCW Hi-mod and neon too but seem to have very limited use? 

hard to judge weight and feel without getting up close and personal with a pole.


You are over thinking. You just can't go far wrong by buying a Gardiner pole.

 
Gardiner are defiantly my first choice @spruce in all honestly I'm happy with my clx 27 but having something a bit smaller, lighter  and just as ridged @Nudel for 99% of cleaning time is very appealing.

Looks like an extreme it is then, 18 or 22ft should be fine for me.

thanks guys for all the advice too

 
I used to use an SLX 18 and 25 to do all of my work. The 18 did 75% of my upper work, the 25 did the other 25%. I switched to an Xtreme 22 a couple of years back and it covers all but six windows on my entire route. The three properties involved all have very large extensions.

 
Quite a few Phantom poles for sale on Ebay lately.
What bewilders me about the Phantom poles is there are no pole specs online in terms of weight, so I can't understand anyone parting with hard earned money on a pole that they have no idea how much it weighs 

 
This pole lark is bothering me now.

I’m terrible at making decisions.

I have 3 SLX22 poles that have been brilliant. 2 of them are over 5 years old.

I just wash them through and bung them in the van.

Now obviously there getting a bit worn, so I’m looking at replacing them to coincide when the new brushes come out.

I want to get extremes but what bothers me isn’t the money, it’s how robust they are.

I’ve read articles of how you should take them apart each week or month to clean them.  

I’ll be honest and say I can’t be bothered with all that.

Also read that they snap easier when lent over conny roofs etc.

Do you windies who own them keep up with this cleaning lark etc?

 
This pole lark is bothering me now.

I’m terrible at making decisions.

I have 3 SLX22 poles that have been brilliant. 2 of them are over 5 years old.

I just wash them through and bung them in the van.

Now obviously there getting a bit worn, so I’m looking at replacing them to coincide when the new brushes come out.

I want to get extremes but what bothers me isn’t the money, it’s how robust they are.

I’ve read articles of how you should take them apart each week or month to clean them.  

I’ll be honest and say I can’t be bothered with all that.

Also read that they snap easier when lent over conny roofs etc.

Do you windies who own them keep up with this cleaning lark etc?


How robust the extremes are is of concern to me also @steve garwood the money side is a lesser concern providing they are hard wearing or as hard wearing as can be. My clx is robust clearly, its pre owned from the window cleaner I brought the round from along with a gardiner back pack, both have been perfectly fine for me starting up.

i noticed that weights are given on the Neona2 Phoenix poles @Iron Giant and the standard Phoenix ones but not the others, including the hi-mod that I was also interested in. The guy I got the equipment and round off said "WCW are good for everything except poles, stick to gardiner for poles and backpacks".

not sure on people's views on that statement? 

 
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I have extreme poles. I am not that good at following the cleaning and maintenance procedures. But if I've been in a environment with sand I flush it out when I get home.

When it gets worn you can spray the clamping part of the sections with a few coats of spray lacquer, and it's as good as new. There are some excellent tutorial videos on this.

Never had any problems with mine snapping and I have used them in some extreme conditions. I do take care not to throw them around and slam the sections together, but I wouldn't do that to any pole.

The quality increase up from the slx is worth it in my book. It doesn't matter if it doesn't last as long and is expensive. It's an excellent piece of kit that leaves me less fatigued from longer days of work. Can't put a price on that, even though it does make me more money.

 
My experience with my Xtreme 22 is this. I've had it for 2 years and four months. It gets used 3-4 days a week as my round is very compact. It is used non stop during this time to clean 2,3,4 bed properties and a few three story townhouses. I do close windows with it but only push longitudinally on the pole to do this, not laterally.

I maintain it, not as rigorously as Gardiners recommend but more so during the winter due to wet hose pulling grit inside. I regularly wipe the hose down during the day when its wet for the same reason. I flush it out and re-tape it approximately every two months or before if I think it needs it. Section three has just worn through from the inside and been replaced. sections 1,2, seem to be pretty good though I think section 2 is likely to be the next one to get replaced as the red marker has now worn off. Sections 4,5, have very little sign of wear due to only rarely being extended and I expect will last for several more years not withstanding accidents.

As HMAN would say, 'That's about it' ?

 
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