[Buckland]

Anyone know of a supplier in the UK for these machines - in particular Bensink Rotary Broom - found them on youtube - looks like an impressive tool:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bSLGG-v_oQ

I am looking for a quick efficient tool that can MAINTAIN pavers between pw

dave

btw - make sure you mute the music

[Kev Martin]

It looks more trouble than it's worth to me!  It makes a load of mess to start with!  IUt wouldn't be so bad if it had a vacuum port.

Kev Martin
Marble Life Ltd

[mike roberts]

Hmmm... could be handy for us we use Billy goats which dont have sweepers could use it in combination with these, have tried various other machines such as Kersten Vela (which incorporates vacuum) pile of poo cost around £5000 over engineered, useless German trash... that feels better  

It is very basic so not alot can go wrong ... famous last words ... how much are they?? ah just read original post thats the problem 

[BDCS]

If you really want one and can't find a UK supplier I'd make you one. Its only a mower motor and a sweeper side brush.

[mike roberts]

If you really want one and can't find a UK supplier I'd make you one. Its only a mower motor and a sweeper side brush.

yep, wouldnt take much to make one, hence assume they are cheap, could easily buy a 'little' billy goat off flea bay, 5hp block + frame ,remove impellar add brush - Usual prob just having the time!

[Cliff Horne]

Kersten near Reading

http://www.kersten-machines.com/moss-weed-removal.htm

[mike roberts]

Kersten near Reading

http://www.kersten-machines.com/moss-weed-removal.htm

poope - had Vela... £4000 useless, kept breaking down in the end they took it back - worst company I have ever dealt with - clueless

[Buckland]

Thanks guys for the ideas - yes I had found the Kersten site and one other company that make a more traditional sweeper - asked both of them for quotes for individual machines before end of last tax year - errr got absolutely nothing from either of them...wtf?

It does look a simple idea thats why I like it but I guess there is probably a bit more to it than just bolting a big rotary brush on a shaft...if I could get a brush like that in the first place - looks like the ones you see on scarabs - I could probably do something myself -  but I am sure theres more to it - I think the WAY it works is important in terms of bearing down on the pavers by simply applying downward pressure by lifting the handle up - I will approach the yanks - mind you not many of them are as export minded as H&M

Kev - mess is what its all about isnt it - rather have dry mess than wet mess!!

[BDCS]

The machine in the video is a direct drive so nothing much to it - brushes are widely available

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Road-Sweeper-brush-Compact-Sweeper-Johnson-Smitt-/380182753294?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5884a8700e

[Blast Away]

It looks more trouble than it's worth to me!  It makes a load of mess to start with!  IUt wouldn't be so bad if it had a vacuum port.

Kev Martin
Marble Life Ltd

I agree pal. You could suck them leaves up in a tenth of a time with a leaf sucker. It needs a sucker box to be effective. As it is in the video it just creates twice as much work. Also it's not just as simple to fit a small engine to a side brush. You would need the head and plate inbetween similar to the plate and head on a roadsweeper but with a modified rotator for the engine shaft to fit to.

[mike roberts]

We had a kersten with one gulley brush, for a replacement brush they wanted over £120  
I created simple linkage and had a brush made to measure cost just over £18  
Not surprised they have not got back to you thats the same attitude we experienced.

Reason we use Billy goats in essence very simple design,  As Carl says that machine is simple to create having watched the video again, personally I would prefer a support at the front (castor) in order to allow an exact height to be set, otherwise its down to the operator to determine the load on the brushes  which could make them wear quicker.

We have a local company which have helped us in the past ref Billies, I will ring them 2mw and see what they recommend / say,
Mike

[BDCS]

This would be better, just fit stiff or wire brushes !

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/APPLIED-414S2D-PEDESTRIAN-WALK-BEHIND-DIESEL-ROAD-SWEEPER-/260875434292?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3cbd633934

[Cliff Horne]

This would be better, just fit stiff or wire brushes !

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/APPLIED-414S2D-PEDESTRIAN-WALK-BEHIND-DIESEL-ROAD-SWEEPER-/260875434292?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3cbd633934

Definately the way to go, might help with works during hosepipe ban

[Cliff Horne]

What about converting a rotivator/cultivator

[Buckland]

Also heard nothing back from Bensink

Since last looking at the Kersten site I found this which I had not seen before:

The WKBH35 attachment consists of eight, easily replaceable steel 'Versa' brushes that would normally last up to an average of 30 to 40 hours, depending on application.

and a vid: http://www.kersten-machines.com/kersten-video/K2000Pro-weedbrush-blockpaving-video.htm

annoying not to see if it removes white lines as that might be a sideline - but in light of previous comments about Kersten I would need to see a proper demo on mossy pavers to be convinced

primarily it is a 'tween pw maintenance tool I am looking at - some people/surfaces would be satisfied with just the scrub operation - I still like the Bensink tool as it look simple in principle - does not need wheels at the front imho - thats the secret pushing forward on the handle gives more scrubbing power - yeah it will go through brushes - also dont think you need vacuum - who uses vacuum on pw jobs now anyway - not that many and dry soil alot easier to handle - just my thoughts!

Any other feedback on Kesten appreciated!

[mike roberts]

I think you can guess my thoughts customer service shocking, repaired a machine serveral times same prob my expense the last time they had my machine over 8 wks (Vela) ... How they get away with it is beyond me ...in the end they agreed to buy the machine.


 

[Buckland]

Cliff - you may be thinking along similar lines to me - I have a hire company near me who have a powerbrush system they say will clean pavers - not sure if its rotary or sweeping - am going to get a demo - remain to be convinced it can cut the mustard - as you say its got to make sense to replace some of the we work

Interestingly he is also renting out the HURRICANE COMBI P4 FLAT SURFACE POWER CLEANER which is 2900psi and 15 lpm I'd not seen one of these before but its on his website - I will be having a butchers at that - anyone else use or used one?

As suggested earlier on this thread I might try to build one with a lawnmower engine and a scrab brush - direct drive - how difficult can it be!? top gear tribute there

dave

[Andrew Harrold]

Hi Mike,
Can you advise on your replacement Kersten Gulley Brush. I've just been quoted £140 for a replacement.
Thanks

We had a kersten with one gulley brush, for a replacement brush they wanted over £120 
I created simple linkage and had a brush made to measure cost just over £18 
Not surprised they have not got back to you thats the same attitude we experienced.

Reason we use Billy goats in essence very simple design,  As Carl says that machine is simple to create having watched the video again, personally I would prefer a support at the front (castor) in order to allow an exact height to be set, otherwise its down to the operator to determine the load on the brushes  which could make them wear quicker.

We have a local company which have helped us in the past ref Billies, I will ring them 2mw and see what they recommend / say,
Mike

[M Roberts]

Blimey Andrew it was a few  years ago  , which model Kersten have you got ? Its not a  Vela is it ?

Back then I probably did a Google search  for Tenant or similar spec machines, Brushes we found worked fine fixings were the same pitch simply added a plate either side to hold it in position. 

[Mike Halliday]

Andrew,
How long do these £140 brushes last? If you get a year out of them I don't think it's too much to pay