Ok
I can see where this thread could go after the putting the smackdown on glides thread.
There are those who swear by glides and those that hate them.
No amount of name calling or personal attacks will change one side to the other.
By all mean post likes or dislikes but any personal attacks or slanging matches will be edited.
Everyone has the same right to their beliefs so keep that in mind before you get all heated up.

Mick

I have no real feelings towards the glide or no glide issue. I never even heard of the issue before TMF. I have always used a no glided wand since I started. I never even tried a glided wand until I got the Bentley with the yellow Banana glide and I really didn't like it. It left a massive amount of moisture behind. It was replaced with an internal glide which did not push or pull near as easy, but recovery was markedly better, especially on shorter naps and berbers. From my limited experience with glides it is clear that all glides are not created equal. I would suspect if you did a recovery test using several different wands and different glides on each and compare to no glide that some of the glides would perform admirably and some would not do a good job of recovery. I am for anything that makes the job easier as long as effectiveness is not diminished. As for me, I'm back to using my old 2 jetter w/o a glide. Because it only weighs in at 7 an a half pounds it is very easy to use, but must be lifted up between strokes on some carpets. However, on the majority of carpets it will move quite easily on both the back and forward strokes and I get excellent recovery. I'm sure there must be some glides that simply work better than others and as long as they don't hinder recovery too much I can see where they would be beneficial. Isn't the whole point of the glide to make things easier in this back breaking job? At the same time though it must not hinder the wand from doing the thing it was designed to do which is the recovery of the solution so the carpets are left clean and so they dry as fast a possible. Any glide that does hinder recovery more than a slight percentage should be either redesigned or scrapped. Recovery and ease of use should be the major points of any good glide. Failure on either of these points is a failure of the glide,period. The yellow glide I mentioned earlier excelled on the ease of use part, due in part to it's very large size, but failed miserably on the recovery part. The other internal glide, which was much smaller than the other one, excelled on the recovery part, but failed miserably on the ease of use part, but at least it is usable and the other one is not imho.

Originally Posted by Mr. Slide

Roight Then!
Remember, easier is not always better!


Cheers, AL

One of your selling points is that the glide makes it easier to clean. Sounds like you might be contradicting yourself.


Ara, I don't understand the video. Is there more to it than the 14 seconds.

Matt, thats all we got was the results. I'm sorry you weren't able to see my wand technique. We were all so tired at that point the 105* Texas heat was starting to wear us all out. Matt's flip was acting funny and turned itself off a few times.

Mark, I am not surprised at what you are saying about your TM and not being able to push all day. TM's with higher lift like 14 and above are difficult to push. In those cases a wand glide or slide may be practical. I myself like using 12 or 13 hg non glided. Use what you like my friend. The only thing this test proves is that no matter what your lift is non glided will recover more water with the right tech pushing the wand.

And for the record I know there are people out there that clean like me. Matt Weddle is one of them. The technique I used at Nicks I mostly use on flood jobs and certain instances where dry times is of the utmost importance. As of right now I am 1-0 against any type of wand attachments. I'm calling out the slide right now to put a permanent end to claims that it pulls MORE than a naked wand. It aggravates me so much. OK OK your slide or glide can pull out water. But don't sit there and say its better than a naked wand when it is NOT. My 1/2 gallon more proves that it isn't. If there is a manufacture out there that wants to test my recovering abilities against the slide or glide, I'm Your Huckleberry!

Originally Posted by Ara Klujian

Matt, thats all we got was the results. I'm sorry you weren't able to see my wand technique. We were all so tired at that point the 105* Texas heat was starting to wear us all out. Matt's flip was acting funny and turned itself off a few times.

I bet it was operator error

Thanks Bud! You too

Philip there is a science behind it all and our test prove that this is not just theory. Our testing proved that lift was more responsible for removing water from the carpet than airflow. As I stated before airflow is an important factor but the lift carries the major role. Once the water is inside the hose airflow is more responsible for carrying or sending water to the tank.

Originally Posted by C Spot Stop

I get that part. I relate it to electricity. Volts. watts and amps.

What baffles me is not that there is a difference in opinion, but the difference is not a gray area.

More like a diametric bane. (some of you may have to look that up...and you know who you are)

diametric bane: Opposite view points that lead to destruction or ruin.( This is what I conclude it is from the definitions of both words.)

Yeah I had to look it up, but I was familiar with both words.
I think what Ara is trying to do is end the diametric bane, but it will take more test with more glides as I indicated in my previous post. I've only used two glides in my life. One worked ok, but was hard to push and the other was easy to push, but had terrible recovery even with a truck mount at 13 hg. I'm pretty sure it is possible to create a glide that both does a great job of recovery AND glides easily. I don't think this diametric bane is going to be over anytime soon. Why, because there is money to be made by the producers of glides and there are many cleaners who are used to them and would not give them up for anything. By the way the testing that would be required to end the diametric bane would need samples of several different wands and glides used on at least a few different types of carpet. Just a thought. I don't think it's possible to put this baby, I mean diametric bane, to rest w/o more testing. Even if it were proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that an unglided wand recovered better than any wand with any type of glide the people who use them will likely continue doing so. As far as those who manufacture glides go, they should be strictly tested against an unglided wand as the gold standard for recovery. Ideally a glided wand should not reduce recovery at all, but we will all have to wait and see if that is even possible. I tend to think it is possible.

I've handed my wand to a best friend. He couldn't move it 1 stroke and said this tough. Glides are like training wheels. Come to this side of the floor where we can move this with grace and eloquence without assistance from training wheels. Is this you? Can you move this wand without a glide or slide? If so ,you are regulating like it means something. Some people have ailments that the glide or slide will help. But a young buck should be all about that agitation in my opinion. Agitation and dry times! Stray from lazy results. Learn how we have been doing it for decades.

I've had big guys come to me and say they need a larger wand. So Igive them a bigger wand and they say ooooh its too heavy... I like this 1.5 Aw29. GIVE ME A BREAK. And you cant use a feather touch then expect to use a superior PC valve and have cleaners like it.

Here is a word for the day with it's definition.
Ergonomics Definition: Ergonomics is defined as the science related to man and his work, embodying the anatomic, physiologic, and mechanical principles affecting the efficient use of human energy.
Examples: Safe lifting techniques, proper posture, appropriate seating position,and adaptive equipment are only a few of the many examples of ergonomics in the workplace.

I've pushed and pulled a wand for a very long time. I think I did my first carpet job around 1980 using a small drag wand. I started my own business with a Castex portable in 1987. I've used a variety of wands with portables and truck mounts. Would you like to know what they all have in common? At the end of the day they make me hurt! Sometimes hurt really bad. Pain in my shoulders. Pain in my elbows. Pain in my back. Pain in my legs. Pain in my hands. Pain in my neck!!! I purchased my 3,300. RX-20 to make it so I didn't have to use a wand as my sole source of cleaning. I'm so glad I did!

Here is my point. Anyone who can make a wand safer and easier to use is my friend and the friend of all carpet cleaners. Yes, we must have good recovery, but we also must have wands that don't break our backs, make our elbows, wrist, and hands sore, and in general makes our job easier. This is not about how much of a he-man I am because I can pull and push a wand thats literally locked down to the carpet.(not a good thing btw) This is about making our industry safer with fewer work related injuries that can put you out of a job before you know what hit you. I was a hospital corpsman or medic in the Navy for 4 years, spent mostly with the Marines on Parris Island, S.C. and I know just how quickly an injury can incapacitate you. Repeated stress on certain parts of the body can cause you to develop problems over time that can actually prevent you from doing your job and not just for a day, week, or month, but ever again!

I've about talked myself into getting a glide, but since I have the RX-20 I don't need it near as much. My wand is mainly used to edge out the rooms or to do smaller jobs and I let my RX-20 do the heavy work for me most of the time.

You manufacturers of glides, keep it up. Try and make the best glides you can that give the best recovery and easiest movement. You are valuable to our industry. Wand makers, do everything you can to make the wand as ergonomic as humanly possible. I don't need or want carpal tunnel or a slipped disk!