[Jonny F]

  Hello all,

    Its been a while since I have posted.....been so busy.  My name is Jon Firari and I'm a leather specialist from the states. Just wondering if anyone on this forum uses the Bane Clene System over there? If so, how does it compare to your domestic systems?  Whats the biggest selling the machine over there?   Jon

[Jim_77]

Hi Jonny

There are a few users, or past users, of the Bane machinery on here.

"Biggest selling machine", that's a very wide open debate!

The strongest presence in the portable market over here is shared between Alltec, Ashbys, Prochem and CFR I'd guess.  There are a few other manufacturers whose equipment is highly respected but not necessarily as high in the sales department, namely the Scorpion from Solution UK or perhaps Powrflite.  Hydramaster produce a very capable portable too called the Raptor.

Truckmounted cleaning isn't quite so standard over here as in the States, so the question of what's the "best machine" will get you a multitude of answers due to more guys running portables.  Machines are used by people, people are all individuals so you'll never get one conclusive answer.

Hydramaster, Prochem and Woodbridge are probably the three biggest players in truckmounts, but again there is a smaller but differing in concept machine called he Prowler which seems to be making headway in the TM market here.

[Jonny F]

  Hi Jim,

     Thank you for the reply.......its seems more and more the truck mount is taking over the industry over here, with the exception being high rises.  Jon

[Ian Gourlay]

Yesterday I was on a Web Site which had Video Clips 

A well known succesful cleaner said he used to have a Bane which was truckmounted but result wise no better than a portable but obviously ready to go etc.

He kow has a new Truckmount which leaves the carpets dry etc.

What made me laugh was he was telling his customers who he has on Maintence plans etc up to know Ive really have been doing a useless job but I fixed it know and you reallt will get fantastic job.

There were other Videos from his customers which said that he had done a fantastic job for the past ten years etc so the customers were pleased with the jobs done by the portables and banes they he used before.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I've had 2 bane's and they have both been excellent machines but you did need to do alot of the 'pie' chart cleaning to get results.

The Bane is probably the most reliable machine ever made, it's built like a tank and is well engineered practically nothing breaks on it, but it seriously lacks power to call it a true TM but they have been making inroads to this with direct drive and bits and pieces, good machine to pick up 2nd hand as they are expensive new.

Shaun

[Mike Halliday]

I used a bane for 3 yrs, first thing i did was add a diesel burner to give it some real heat.

very reliable machine.

mike

[Jonny F]

 Ian,

     I think your correct, I could do a great job with a tooth brush and a spray bottle......but it might take me a while to complete that livingroom!!  I do most up scale homes, and market by asking for referrals from my own customer base. Many of these homes are very lightly soiled, and really no need to have a power house. If I was doing more commercial or rental units, I would most likely use a different system.

   The US has seen a huge shift to the big high heat direct drives, that darwf machines made just 5 years ago. They are very high heat, and often the techs complain of burns, from contacting the brass. I can see the value of these High Vaccuum (very fast drying) and High Heat (just desolve it all..very fast) but I worry about safety in peoples homes.....lets say one of those line were to spilt??  (I'm very safey oriented...to a fault!)

    My main focus is leather repair, and I just use carpet cleaning to get my foot in the door to sell other services, stake my claim in that household.  Jon

P.S. Ian, I love your website!!  I have been looking around this site at all the well crafted websites, most everyone looks like they have invested in high quality websites.

[Ken Wainwright]

Hi Jonny

I use the European version of the Recoil3 with onboard tanks. Have you considered this option? Easily used as a portable as well as a van mounted system.  IMO, it's superior to my colleague's Bane, certainly upto about 150ft. After that you could always use the in line booster.

If you haven't been there, look in on Cross Americas forum for the Recoil family.

Safe and happy cleaning
Ken

[Shaun_Ashmore]

There's nothing wrong with the scorpion but a Bane will out live it be 3 score years and ten with no breakdowns that you get with vac motors and pumps. The Bane has 1 electrical motor which lasts a life time and the vacuum blower is more mechanical than electrical as is the water pump.

The newer versions of Bane are more efficient now and I read once 30% more effective so I think would probably have more power than a scorpion but you have to weigh up the costs.

Shaun

[Jonny F]

Ken,

    I'm very familiar, as I owned a recoil for many years. Mr Valentine is one of the most honest men in our industry and his equipment is very well made and performs very well.

  I decided a few years back to try a Bane unit, and I have not been disapointed. My unit is an Direct Drive Permamount (no belts) and does very well. I'm not sure if they sell this unit in the UK? It has an Aqua-mount system for the vacuum, which is much more powerful then the older belt driven base units (Big Round Tank on Wheel's) .

  Do the sell these in the UK?   They are sure nice to have on the truck  (See Link Below)

       

   

[Jim_77]

Jonny cut off the h ttp: part so the link just starts with www.

The forum software either filters out htt p links or else there's a bug

[Jonny F]

Ok, I will try again.....on this page click on the Videos and select CCS Demo......I have one of these its just another approach.

 www.ccsop.com

[stuart_clark]

Shaun, I think you will find that the Bane costs more than three scorpians!

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

Cleans more thoroughly than HWE does it ?   

[chosker]

we subcontract to someone who uses a bane-clene machine, they do about 2 jobs a week for us - we have never ever in over 3 years had a single complaint... so I would recommend it (even though it's not me that uses it!)

[Jonny F]

 Steve,

    Yes, that is the big debate over here!  There are like 4 companies that sell a system like this in the US. This system is not as versitile as HWE, but it is a nice tool to have to clean those "Rat Nasties" I often HWE and then use the CCS to help dry things quickly.

    One place it excells is in Poly-P Berbers, it digs in deep and cleans well. You really have to see it to believe it, I was a big skeptic for a long time. I really believe that there is a place for all systems, but not just one answer for everything. Like a said in that last post, just a nice tool to have on the truck.

P.S.  It does a good job on tile as well.

[Joe H]

Hi Jonny

Watched the videos - very impressed - especially with "the brute".

Obviously "we" cannot see the full result cause we cant get close up - but sure looks good in the video.

Just wish we over here could get the benefit of your dollar prices expressed as pounds. Seems by the time products from the USA get here its 1$ = 1£.

[Joe H]

Yes, but voltage incorrect as well.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Stuart the base unit is about the price of not quite 2 and then it lasts 10 times longer , as I have stated nothing wrong with the Scorpion but it all depends on what you want.

Shaun

[Len Gribble]

Steve

It beats shake and vac system but on par with what we used the other week, not the TM

Len