Showing posts with label attachments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label attachments. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Selling That Attachment? Why?

Selling that attachment? Why?

I see alot of power washers selling off tools and attachments, I know sometimes we miss the boat and buy the wrong thing. A surface cleaner is a good example we buy a floater and find out that one with wheels would fit our needs better. We buy one to big for our washer and pump out put. Most times you take a big hit when you sell off your equipment or attachments.

I see lots of power washers selling their old X-jet, they don't use any more, I only down-stream now. Really why? I mean why sell it off it's paid for and it is not eating anything. There are times I use an item or tool that may have not been used for 6 months I have it and it is right tool for the job. When I was a motorcycle tech I many not have used my 1/2" wrench each and every day but would I sell it? No, the same thing now applies to my power washing tools. You may not use it everyday but boy is it handy to have when you need it.

I may just be a tool or attachment hoarder the more I have the more I want if for nothing else to see if they work. Why do you need all those tools an attachments some may ask? I can simply answer to do the best job. Sometimes a job throws you a curve and if you have the right attachment it will save you. One example is this since the "long range nozzles" came out there is not much need for the old water cannon. I was on a job a couple months back when due to the angle of the roof, a close fence and an ill planted tree I could not get to a dormer on the upper part of a home. It was covered with algae and need cleaning in the worst way. I could not get to it all with the long range nozzle no matter what I did. Some how the water cannon reached it and I was able to clean and rinse it with this tool. I did not want to crawl up on the roof or put a ladder on the guttering the fence was to close for this also. Having the right tool or attachment for the job saved me time and labor. You never know when a customer will have an add-on. The other day I did a house wash and up on completion they asked if I could was the RV? I had a brush and a foamer in the toolbox and it was a quick $50 dollars for having the tools to do the extra job.

If I had sold this or put it on the shelf I'm not sure what I would have done that day. Again back to working on motorcycles my fork seal drivers were use at least once a month but some sizes did not see use for a year or better did I sell them off? No I made money with them having them when you need them. Why do some sell off attachments or equipment if they are not using them on a regular bases? I'm not sure why do you shelf them if they don't see action daily or weekly? I would rather have it in the tool box just encase than a few dollars in my pocket to spend on something. Having extra tools and attachments may come in handy if something should break or go down. Finishing a job is a must it helps to show and prove to yourself if nothing else you are a professional. I know of a washer who sold his yellow noodle said he never used it cause of the uses of down-streaming and long range nozzles. He had to borrow it back from who he sold it to about 4 months later due to cleaning a wall over a open patio basement. It was an odd clean and a pole was the only way to do it. It had hung in the shop for a year with not action so he sold it, just luck he was able to borrow it back, buy another for a onetime job would have cut into the profits. I was looking at the local "want adds" the other day here was a almost new 12" surface cleaner it was one of the better ones BE brand I believe. Said "Used once now don't need", it was only $10 dollars off the original price. I asked the dealer that sells them about it he said ya we sold it to him (one of the other local power washing companies), he did the job now he wants to sell it. Why get rid of it will this be the only time it will ever be used? I found all types of uses for my 12" surface cleaner. Keep it in the truck all the time use it at least once a week for something. Did you not include buying or upgrading in your estimate? Do you need to sell it to keep your busy going tight margins? We all hope not.

Like I said selling off a large item you won't use as a surface cleaner that is too big or does not work with your set-up would make sense, but selling off an x-jet, the small 12" surface cleaner or say a foamer simply because you are not using it every day does not make a lot of sense to me. You may want to reconsider selling those tools, attachments, or equipment it may prove to be a better investment keeping it.

Cleaned by Pete
just a power washer serving the greater Springfield MO area
417.459.7869

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Guns & Whips: the power washing tools

Guns & Whips: the power washing tools

While at a lunch the other day with another washing company we were small taking. Things I take for granted are nuggets of information to the newer guys. Sometimes I forget what it was like starting out those many years ago. If you follow the blog you will know that my washing / cleaning career started in hood and kitchen cleaning, the exhaust systems working with my brother-in-law. Thinking back there were time I wish we had someone to ask, but most kept their trade secret just that secret. 

I thought I would blog about guns and whips. What is a whip? it is a short section of hose use off the reel, pump or the output and then at the end of the hose to connect the gun or ball valve or attachment. Why? There are two main points where your hoses or connections wear the most, where they are flexed. Up at the gun moving up and down side to side, you can see why it starts leaking there first. That tight bend where you first start rolling the hose is another place where this can happen. Why use your long hose and flex it in tight bends when you can use a smaller section of hose for the heavy wear areas. Cost a lot less for a short whip easier to replace and a one wire hose will bend and flex at the hose reel or the gun. What length should they be I was asked well I have whips form 2 foot to 12 foot depending on what I'm doing. Most are made form old hoses that have burst or have become worn. There are areas of older hoses that may just work for a whip. Use them save the longer hoses from flexing and bending and you will save money, in repairs.

Guns, the guys I was talking to did not know there were different styles of guns out there. They knew that several manufacturers made guns but never really looked into them. They had an employe that did not like to use the wand said it didn't fit him. I asked if he had tried another gun with a different angle or inlet. They said no there all the same What came with the "package". The "package" usually consist of the cheapest equipment that Northern can put together in my opinion. I gave them some pointers and ideas that may help their productivity just by getting a few different models.

Here are just a few pictured notice the angle of the handle to where the lance will go. Notice the placement of the inlet, the trigger itself is also important. The distance of the pull of the trigger is important to those with smaller hands. Lots of us have wives and girlfriends helping a gun is not just a gun. Most of these look very much alike but really evaluate them. What is your biggest dislike about your gun now? Look and see if there is a better fit. I have several guns. The one I like and use most is a 180* the inlet on the back then straight to the lance, as seen below in the pictures

no angle. This fits what I do and how I wash the best. Just changing a gun can speed up your cleaning and washing less arm pump and fatigue, in other words time saving.









These are but a few of the different models of guns from several different manufactures. Guns pictured are made by AR, Suttner, JE Adams, to a house brand. All do the same thing letting water flow. From easy pull triggers to the front entrance gun. 180* gun to those with all different angles, those with short trigger pulls all these things may make a big difference in your productivity. I did not list what each gun is or who made it the main idea of this blog is to show you there is a difference.

Cleaned by Pete
power, pressure & soft washing
serving the greater Springfield and Southwest Missouri area
cleaning up Springfield MO one home at a time.
417.459.7869

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Friday, July 25, 2014

Review of: Spray-Flex Flexible Wand 3000 PSI


Spray-Flex Flexible Wand 3000 PSI

Today while on a house washing job I was asked if I could clean the carport? The customer had moved everything out of the way so I could clean the home's siding. If I had been aware of them wanting this item washed I would have brought along the folding bench scaffolds or a small stepladder. Since I didn't have them I wondered would this work it's been in the tool box and have not had a chance or a need to use it.

Spray-Flex Flexible Wand 3000 PSI

Get flexible, not frustrated. The Flex Wand is the perfect solution for reaching those hard-to-reach washing locations. Bend it, Twist it, or Turn it and it still holds its shape! The Flex Wand takes up to 3,000 pounds of pressure and still holds its shape.

      Features include:
  • 90° flexibility
  • Single Braided
  • 13" Long
  • Inlet: 1/4" MPT
  • Outlet: 1/4" FPT
  • Max. Pressure: 3000 PSI
  • Max. Temp: 190° F
I was just sure that soon as I hit the trigger it would just straighten out  leak, spray water everywhere or spin / flop side to side. To my surprise it held it shape when the pressure was applied, it didn't flop around nor did it leak. I was quite surprised it was working.

The "Flex Wand" Cleaned by Pete use this to help on a job today.

Spray-Flex Flexible Wand 3000 PSI, being tested and review today on a Cleaned by Pete "real world job"

Using it on a 6 foot lance with a high - low adjustable nozzle it took a few positions to find the right angle and to get the sweet spot so as not to fight the lance. Working video below.


As you can see it did not change from the set position. I could reach form the ground to the top of the carport with out any trouble. It did not leak or try to move, flop or twist at all. I was cleaning and moving it quite a bit. Quite a stable product even on a 6ft lance. When I found the correct angle for cleaning the wand was easy enough to hold even while holding and filming with the camera. 
A quick change of angle I could get a better cleaning on the sides of the carport. The results that I had using it today were great. It is a item that will have a place among the other attachments in the tool box.

The flex wand works as described and is handy for getting into and around when power washing. I would have to give it a thumbs up. I was sure that this was not going to work but it does. Things seldom work or live up to expectations in the real world. This attachment does and it saved me time and work today and it is sure a lot smaller to carry than a ladder at least for this job. My house washing unit is 2500 psi at 5 gpm. 

Pictured below is the carport. I first used the foam cannon to apply soaps and cleaners both inside and out. Short dwell time and washed the inside. Then moved to the outside, This is when I knew I need something to help. This seemed to be the right tool for the job.  I then tried it on the gutters it worked well there to a slight angle let you set it to hit the full face of the gutter. A straight on blast instead of one with to much angle from the ground.
Cleaned by Pete readying to clean this carport of a customer, between Bois D'Arc and Springfield MO

Cleaned by Pete readying to clean this carport of a customer, between Bois D'Arc and Springfield MO. Over the years mold, algae, dirt, grime and tree sap have left it in a sad state.

Cleaned by Pete cleaning a carport between Bois D'Arc and Springfield MO for a customer, 417.459.7869

Cleaned by Pete has special tools for special jobs the "Flex Wand" came in and helped me to complete this job.

A cleaned finished carport from Cleaned by Pete

 Thanks for the visite please come back.

Cleaned by Pete 
serving the Springfield MO & surrounding area
417.459.7869
power, pressure & soft washing


A few shots of the complete job: