[Ian_Giles]

The supalite base pole has a bright yellow rubber coating to protect against just that eventuality, though if you are lugging around an aluminium ladder you are at just as much risk of giving yourself an afro

Not that I make a habit of caressing electric cables with any of my poles...and my one pole is an aluminium pole
But as Tosh says, unless you are rubbing against a powerline with a perished outer rubber insulation layer, you are highly unlikely to fry yourself...it is  possibility of course, but the likelyhood of it happening is pretty remote...

I've used the Supalite on domestic work today, some of the ones that were the most awkward on my round with the Aluminium pole, a real strain on the body.

Here are a couple of pics of the complete pole in use, note the yellow insulation on the base section.
All 35ft are in use, I must be 25-30 ft out from the house, these windows are a real sod with an Aluminium pole, I'm usually having to rest the pole itself on the guttering for support, but as you can see, I'm holding the pole with one hand while I take the pics with my other hand, the bend in the pole is very, very little.

There are three of these houses all next door to one another, I'm stood in the pavement and simply walk along doing all the tops, easily holding the pole and confident enough to work directly over the customers cars.







Getting used to the modular sections wasn't too bad either, got to re-think things a little, but overall I was a little quicker and by the end of the day I was getting the hang of taking just the right amount of sections with me, and it's childs play to pop on or off the relavent sections, way easier than farting around with the Unger twist grips and yanking away on the various sections!


Ian

[Tosh]

Jeff,

Being honest, do you reckon I could do a DIY pole as good as the one Ian has shown?

[Jeff Brimble]

We have an earth wire in the electric supply here, in the states they only have a 2 wire system and its where most of the elecrocution figures come from.  Maybe less of a risk over here as all overhead supplies are also insulated.
Having an insulated base is no good if you are working at say 20ft because the base being modular and thicker cannot be fitted. If you get a cheap glassfibre pole similar to a Zensor flex, you wil find that some of the sections will fit in between any of the the carbon fibre poles whatever model in various positions , so in effect you have a non conducting section that can be fitted at various heights on any carbon fibre pole. I had these sections tested by an approved electrical engineer and they are non conducting to 1000 volts.  So if you are anywhere near an electrical supply, just fit one of these sections.  

[Jeff Brimble]

Hi Tosh, Yes but maybe the diy site is the best place to discuss it as this is a superlite topic ?

[Tosh]

Cheers, Jeff!  See you there!

[Ian_Giles]

jeff as ever makes good points, maybe in the USA things are different, I hadn't thought about that!

A point about Gardiners Supalite poles is that they have undergone a fair bit of R & D, the top section has been strengthened for instance and although it is of course fishing pole derived, it is also in conjunction with the manufacturers off the carbon fibre poles themselves.
And that brush is something else too, I've used the salmon brushes up until now, but I think this is superior, the bristles are lightly flocked and their density seems just right, and so much lighter than the Vikan brushes...and not so densely flocked either, though not having used a Vikan I can't say whether that makes a difference or not.

So far, unlike the ionics double trim brush, the bristles don't flop or collapse, and even if I have to replace it in 6 months, it is only about £15 or so to do so (too many so's!)

I am now a needle jet convert too, as a result of using them I have been able to do the job with less water and in the same time too (possibly less actually, but that is from a combination of factors (brush + pole + jets)

So all in all I think my move over to the lightweight pole and brush has been a really top move.
It is also going to put way less strain on my body and joints...providing of course I follow Jeff's advice and don't over extend just because I can! :

Ian

[U.S. wfp USER]

I would love a photo of the connection/joint on these poles as well as a photo of where the gooseneck/brush attaches.

If only they werent so far away.

[JM123]

Hi US, have you got winXP?  If so I'll e-mail you a short video of our own modular pole in testing today.

[U.S. wfp USER]

you have my email from the email i sent you last week. 

feel free to send the video.  i would love to see it.

[JM123]

ok, was that about the 4040ro's?

e-mail on its way.

Only a short videobut at least you get to see it working.

[Jeff Brimble]

Could I have a look JM ?
jeff.brimble@onetel.com

[Ian_Giles]

I'd love a butchers too JM?

I might be kitted out at present, but I'd love to see...er...your pole in action

you have my email address...

Ian

[Alex Gardiner]

I'd be interested too JM123.  Here's my email alex@gardiner.e7even.com

[JM123]

ok guys calm down!  I'm having the pole modified and then rebuilt to my specs (I'm sure most of you know I'm an Engineer - a real one, with letters after my name, yeah I know I'm a snooty so and so)

You need a player that can play MP4 to view by the way.  I'll send it to each of you this evening, my internet connection is very slow today.

Ps Gaz's swivel brush is on the pole in case you recognise it.  Can't recommend it enough.

[Pj]

Thanks johnboy!

It looks very light!

Don't much like the posture of your neck, sorry about that.

[www.mrgutters.co.uk]

can i see?

[JM123]

thats not me using the pole, thats another shiner, stephen - I can't comment on his neck posture, I think thats just the way he works!

[S.A.J]

JM123 Can i have a look please 

sajwindowcleaners@fsmail.net

[Chris Cottrell]

And me too please if I may

Chris

[JM123]

videos sent to everyone who asked.