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.

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