[Captain Scarlet]

Jeff ( of the Brimble variety! ) do you carry a laptop with George on your round? if so do you also carry a printer for receipts ( is George capable of making invoices? ) for your laptop ?

Thanks Jeff, Luke

[LWC]

i wonder how you would run a printer in the van?

would the invertors be enough power for them?

[Captain Scarlet]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Portable-Printer-Canon-BJC-85-Wireless_W0QQitemZ350013962105QQihZ022QQcategoryZ178QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

heres a portable colour canon printer like a laptop it runs off a battery!! Weve got this one but it runs off the mains instead, Luke

[Jago]

I thought the BJC can run of mains and batteries the old ones used too

[Captain Scarlet]

Jeff, if you ever read this!! could you answer me another question!! When you came round my house you showed me a clampless ( flag pole style ) pole.

I go on Nathanaels site a bit and he uses the sky blue ones, but what type do you use?

Also what height do you get to with them after removing the top sections?

And what is all this about tape to stop them spinning? Luke

[David Seaman]

Hi Luke. I have made four of these poles now. I have two and I made the other two for another local window cleaner. I use one every day and most days it is the only pole I use. I find the fact that it turns is not a problem and that once the brush is on the window it makes no odds at all. In fact, it is quite hard to get the brush to turn the "wrong" way. They are easy to use after you get used to them and cut cleaning time down considerably. The first two I made I used the skyblue flagpoles. They are OK but not as good as the poles from this link:

http://www.sotabeams.co.uk/maxi.htm

These are actually Lineaeffe telescopic fishing poles. They are, in my opinion, much better quality than the flag poles. The price for one is £25.95 delivered and they are sent out quickly. Finished length of the pole is about 23 feet plus the plastic adjustable neck and brush. Closed length is under four feet. You can use the rubber end cap to stop the brush turning when it is closed and that makes using it on downstairs windows very easy.

Hope that helps you.

DJ

[Captain Scarlet]

thanks for posting DJ. SO have you used the newest skyblue poles? I know there were two types and the more recent ones were better. So how whippy is the pole and did you put a vikan style thread in the pole? Luke

[David Seaman]

No, I haven't tried the new skyblue poles unless they are the ones I already used but, in my opinion, the fishing poles are a better bet. The flagpoles are designed to take a bit of cloth on the end that flaps around in the wind. The fishing poles are designed to take a 20lb plus fighting carp. I noticed a vast difference in quality. Fully extended the pole does bend a bit but, again in my opinion, it's not as bad as an exel extender pole and the weight difference is astounding. I really have no problems using it all day. I have used a vikan brush on the pole and even that was not too bad. As for the thread, I use a normal broom handle that fits the plastic adjustable goose necks and cut the fishing pole down until thee broom handle will fit into the pole. I glue about 6 inches of the broom handle into the pole and then wrap a couple of turns of gaffer tape around the join. I drill the hole for the brush hose through the pole and broom handle 'cause it makes it stronger than just going through the fibreglass. If you want to know anymore just ask.

DJ   

[Captain Scarlet]

Sounds great, thanks for the help. Do you know if this is the same one Jeff used for his clampless pole?

[David Seaman]

I have no idea what pole Jeff uses, sorry. I made mine 'cause I tried to buy one from another ciu member but never got replies to my emails. Got fed up with waiting so decided to go the diy route. Glad I did. Saved about £100 after the cost of the hoses, brush, post costs and vat etc are taken into account.

DJ

[Captain Scarlet]

Are you using algarde ( silicon hose )? Jeff came round my house a few weeks back but in my ignorance forgot to ask him about his telescopic he showed me....arghhh, and now I think hes dead and cant come on the forum! Luke

[David Seaman]

The hose that I use to go through the pole is microbore. It need to be stiff enough to keep the pole extended. I tried the normal internal type tubing but it didn't seem to work. It kept kind of folding/kinking in the pole. I use a short section of the algarde hose from the microbore to the brush only. Even with the weight of the microbore it is still a usable and useful pole. When I have any awkward or higher work on I use my home made carbon put over pole with a swivel brush. I seem to use it less and less now. I have also made a short, very light, telescopic clampless pole out of a 3 section fibre glass landing net handle. I am now using it for bungalows and the small cornish cottages I have on my round. It is as light as a feather!

DJ

[windowwashers]

Hi Luke. I have made four of these poles now. I have two and I made the other two for another local window cleaner. I use one every day and most days it is the only pole I use. I find the fact that it turns is not a problem and that once the brush is on the window it makes no odds at all. In fact, it is quite hard to get the brush to turn the "wrong" way. They are easy to use after you get used to them and cut cleaning time down considerably. The first two I made I used the skyblue flagpoles. They are OK but not as good as the poles from this link:

http://www.sotabeams.co.uk/maxi.htm

These are actually Lineaeffe telescopic fishing poles. They are, in my opinion, much better quality than the flag poles. The price for one is £25.95 delivered and they are sent out quickly. Finished length of the pole is about 23 feet plus the plastic adjustable neck and brush. Closed length is under four feet. You can use the rubber end cap to stop the brush turning when it is closed and that makes using it on downstairs windows very easy.

Hope that helps you.

DJ

dj do you have any pics at all ?

[Jeff Brimble]

Been in Sheffield on a very high job Luke, got to go back there , rain again I suppose !  Maybe I could reply some time later. I think there are two poles being talked about in this diy topic - a telescopic friction lock skyblue type pole and a clampless aka Peter Fogwills type that uses the stiff reinforced hose to hold it up. I use the originalal  Sky blue. Theres a knack to it.
Yes I have a small 7" screen ASUS eee pc and a basic small printer with a small inerter, works great and you can get all the customers info with you.

[David Seaman]

dj do you have any pics at all ?

No. But I will take some tomorrow.

DJ

[Captain Scarlet]

Been in Sheffield on a very high job Luke, got to go back there , rain again I suppose !

I'll talk more with you later then Jeff!! hope you have fun on the big job! Luke

[Nathanael Jones]

Hi Luke. I have made four of these poles now. I have two and I made the other two for another local window cleaner. I use one every day and most days it is the only pole I use. I find the fact that it turns is not a problem and that once the brush is on the window it makes no odds at all. In fact, it is quite hard to get the brush to turn the "wrong" way. They are easy to use after you get used to them and cut cleaning time down considerably. The first two I made I used the skyblue flagpoles. They are OK but not as good as the poles from this link:

http://www.sotabeams.co.uk/maxi.htm

These are actually Lineaeffe telescopic fishing poles. They are, in my opinion, much better quality than the flag poles. The price for one is £25.95 delivered and they are sent out quickly. Finished length of the pole is about 23 feet plus the plastic adjustable neck and brush. Closed length is under four feet. You can use the rubber end cap to stop the brush turning when it is closed and that makes using it on downstairs windows very easy.

Hope that helps you.

DJ

Great link DJ! I'll defo be trying out those poles, as I found the 10 mtr skyblue ones very whippy at full extension,.. I've been using the stiffer 9mtr Pac Hawk ones,.. but I really do miss the extra reach!

I'f anyone knows of a pole that can be used in the same way, but with a 30' length,.. I'd be a very happy man!

[Jeff Brimble]

Nat, Try fitting the base of an unused 9 or 10m into the base of the Pac hawk as a modular extension(should give you that few feet extra.  Luke it is the Pac Hawk 9m I use.