Pile lifter question

[daniel@procarpet]

I take it a pile lifter has a more aggressive brush system. What are the benefits as far as dry soil removal over a normal vacuum?

 

[Dolly Llama]

I take it a pile lifter has a more aggressive brush system. What are the benefits as far as dry soil removal over a normal vacuum?

heavier and digs deeper..MUCH more aggressive
but it's not a good vacuum.

If you want one, Jim Martin has a like new one in the garage sale room


..L.T.A.

 

[XTREME1]

It is a great vacuum, depending on what one you have. It will pull more impacted soils up making it seem like it isn't as good of a vacuum and people only go over once with a pile lifter when they should go more than that like they would with a vacuum. I had problems in the past with mine but once I made sure the guards were clean and I changed the brush it has been MAHVELOUS. I have the actually metal CERTIFIED Pile Lifter

 

[Jeremy]

I have a certified pile lifter & as said above.... It digs stuff up from the backing, and does pick up OK... Not great but does a decent job. The main benefit to pile lifting is it brings the soil and debris up to the surface making it more accessible to a regular vacuum... Or you can hook it to your TM with a dust downer. They're also good for getting staples and such out on commercial and pet hair on residential.


Rick G has a nice looking model on his site... He claims it's a great fine particle vac as well. I can't say for sure how well it performs as I do not have one but Rick seems to like it.

Long story short:
Pile lifters can come in handy on commercial entryways, heavy traffic lanes and are great on berber/looped carpet. Pile Lifting is beneficial to the carpet and should be beneficial to your wallet. It's a higher level of/additional service and you should charge a bit more for it or at least make mention of the fact that you include this service in your price...

 

[Jim Martin]

Make me an offer I just can't refuse.......Like brand new.....metal CERTIFIED Pile Lifter

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Why can't you hook up a tm hose on low or idle and use a dust downer to really provide aggressive dry soil removal? Could the plie lifter be used to agitate your cleaning solution in without vacuum?

 

[XTREME1]

This is the one I have that I was refering to

 

[bmas]

I have the same one. My father bought it about 30 years ago.

It is a great vacuum, depending on what one you have. It will pull more impacted soils up making it seem like it isn't as good of a vacuum and people only go over once with a pile lifter when they should go more than that like they would with a vacuum. I had problems in the past with mine but once I made sure the guards were clean and I changed the brush it has been MAHVELOUS. I have the actually metal CERTIFIED Pile Lifter

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Well no one answered my question about using a tm hose connected to the pile lifter with a dust downer. This would be used for on location rug cleaning only and not normal vacuuming.

 

[joe harper]

Well no one answered my question about using a tm hose connected to the pile lifter with a dust downer. This would be used for on location rug cleaning only and not normal vacuuming.

The problem with your suggestion is the design...It has a "sand trap"..that leaks air..
I guess you could "disable" the Vac. motor ...BUT WHY....?



If that is what you want ...Just get one of these.. :!:

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Do you want to know the real reason? Ok here goes which is long by the way, but first a story about the brush head.

Before I knew the first thing about cleaning carpet I dropped 3 grand which was every dollar I had at the time on the largest power flite portable and that brush attachment. I was told by my mentor that it was too heavy and to just get a 175 and be done with it. When I got the machine I knew right away I could never work with a 170 pound machine. I took it back minus a 250 restocking fee.

This is a true story. I had no equipment and was hooked on the casinos playing black jack. I guess at the time I had around 1500k from selling a fishing boat. I got up 400 using a double down method which is crap. If I bet 5 and lost I would bet 5 again, then 10, then 20, then 40, then 80, then 160, and then I would quit if I lost 320. This worked for a while, but I abandoned the strategy after I played for like two hours and was only up like 40 dollars. I just started betting and got up 400 and before I knew it I lost all that plus about 400. The next day I went to my bank and took out all of my funds drove to the casino and placed 1200 on the table. I got 12 black chips. I tried getting my bet in but couldn’t. Finally I got in and put 600 on one shoe and 600 on another. The cards came and gave me a 14 and 18. I should have hit the 14 but I stayed on both hands and the dealer busted. The managers started freaking out about me counting cards as college kids around this time were hitting them pretty hard. My heart was POUNDING. I was sweating bullets. Anyways the next day I bought a 175 and have never looked back. I can honestly say if I lost that hand I would have never started cleaning carpet and would have likely stayed in school and finished my engineering degree. Who knows how that would have turned out? I guess everything works out for a reason. By the way I haven’t been in a casino in three years. I learned my lesson the hard way.

I wanted to use the pile lifter because I thought it was a more aggressive vacuum to remove more dry soil for on location rug cleaning. I would sell the service as pile lifting for thorough dry soil removal, pre condition, agitate with the pile lifter with vacuum disconnected, extract, and groom. This would be done on location for about what I get now which is 2 dollars a foot and 3 for pet urine removal. It was a good idea but if the suction is not there then there is no need for the pile lifter. I am going to use the same concept with a twist. I am tired of lugging rugs around. I always wanted to know how my friend had at least one or two thousand dollar jobs every week with a 175. Instead of running a wand over a rug for 30-40 dollars he would scrub and groom for 1.25 a foot and clean every rug in the house. I could never go for that but I can get 1.50 to 2 dollars a foot for a thorough on location cleaning, but I feel I need to do more than just vacuum, pre-spray, and suck. I should be able to get at least 4-5 more jobs in a week that would average a little over 500 just from on-location rug cleaning.

 

[joe harper]

Sounds like a honest story...Glad you were able to QUIT..."BRAVO"...

I have seen many of my freinds LOOSE everything..in the Casinos..

Daniel...We get $3.00 sf for in home rug cleaning.."Wool"

We have GREAT results with the "DRIMASTER"...It is worth the investment...

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Sounds like a honest story...Glad you were able to QUIT..."BRAVO"...

I have seen many of my freinds LOOSE everything..in the Casinos..

Daniel...We get $3.00 sf for in home rug cleaning.."Wool"

We have GREAT results with the "DRIMASTER"...It is worth the investment...

Exactly my point of demoing tools and coming to your own conclussion. It may be a nice tool, but it isn't worth three grand. Heck I bought my RX-20 HE used twice for 700. Even it should only cost 1500 new.

 

[Captain Morgan]

If that is what you want ...Just get one of these.. :!:

Hi Harper,
Is that one of those Powerhead or powerbrushes talked about earlier this week?
Thanks, Bill

[/quote]

 

[joe harper]

I have one ..that I will trade you for your "ON-DEMAND" tank off that everest...


"IF you know a GOOD WELDER.." :shock:

Les says it can be repaired... 8)

It is the old 2 piece model...

 

[Dolly Llama]

This is the one I have that I was refering to

That's the same one I have.
new brush, gaskets, seals etc.
it's in tip top shape.

it digs impacted crud out of carpets MUCH better than a vac.
It digs crud out like no vac can...cause that's what it was designed to do.
But it's NOT a good vac....it's a pile "brush"

as Germ said, use the pile brush, then an upright for a superior brush 'n vac.


Dan, we've hooked ours up to the TM.
It made some difference, but it's still not a good vac.
We've also used it to agitate pre-spray and even used it to encRap with.
a 175 rotary works better for that though


..L.T.A.

 

[lance]

I was thinking about a pile lifter until a few years ago when Larry the Cap wrote about his experience with one, even using a TM with it. He knows a lot.

You can get great results with a CRB and a regular vacuum. A host is light enough to carry in and will not damage the rug or carpet if you use the soft brushes running it "dry" and then using the vac. The dirt that has been there awhile will be loosened and easier to get out.

If you are going to get serious about rugs, make sure to look at a Rug Badger with the metal screen. You can use it to beat the dirt out before you vac. And with the screen you can show your customer how much dirt you have gotten out even before cleaning it. They will know that they are getting their money's worth when they see you use it.

 

[Nate The Great]

I was thinking about a pile lifter until a few years ago when Larry the Cap wrote about his experience with one, even using a TM with it. He knows a lot.

You can get great results with a CRB and a regular vacuum. A host is light enough to carry in and will not damage the rug or carpet if you use the soft brushes running it "dry" and then using the vac. The dirt that has been there awhile will be loosened and easier to get out.

If you are going to get serious about rugs, make sure to look at a Rug Badger with the metal screen. You can use it to beat the dirt out before you vac. And with the screen you can show your customer how much dirt you have gotten out even before cleaning it. They will know that they are getting their money's worth when they see you use it.

I have a rug badger and 2 metal grids. I would never think of taking that on location, it's just too heavy and would take up too much room if you have a cargo van. Maybe with a box truck, but not with a cargo van with a TM inside it. You also have to be careful with rugs get badgered using the grids. Some can't use the grid.

 

[lance]

Ok Nate. That makes sense.

How do you like the RB and metal grids? Does it do the job the way you want it to do?

 

[Nate The Great]

Ok Nate. That makes sense.

How do you like the RB and metal grids? Does it do the job the way you want it to do?

It does the job it's intended for. We used to have a big a$$ looking cement mixer looking thing that would tumble dust rugs. Our new shop didn't have 3phase power to run it. We got rid of it and would do the old fashion vacuum flip, vacuum flip, etc... We have 2 certified pile lifter that would get used sometimes. We got the rug badger and it continues to do it's job. You need to watch out for fuzzing the back of some rugs. Also take caution when using the metal grids, some rugs can handle the grid marks that are hard to remove. When in doubt about the grids, just use the floor. Same with the fuzzing, I taped tyvek paper to the bottom to stop the fuzzing but you can go deaf....it's really loud! I'd love to have all 3 dusting methods available, air, badger/vacuum, and tumble. We've got the big commercial dryers and converted them to tumble dusting. 6x9 and smaller can go in it, as long as there is no visible damage.

Hopes that helps.

 

[Larry Cobb]

Daniel;

These are the 15" veg. fiber and nylon brushes used in the Certified Pile Brush.

They are turned by a 1/2 HP AC Induction motor with a timing belt.

The resulting "cloud of dust" is vacuumed by a 1 HP Royal vac motor.

(Debbie wouldn't like my story of "pile-brushing" behind a "Dry Powder" machine)

Assuming the heavy object trap has the proper gaskets,
and the vinyl cigarette catch,
it works very effectively.

Many times commercial customers thought it was the actual cleaning machine,
because of the pile-lifting results.

Larry

P.S. Certified actually had a spray attachment to turn it into a "low moisture" cleaning system.

 

[Nate The Great]

Daniel;

These are the 15" veg. fiber and nylon brushes used in the Certified Pile Brush.

They are turned by a 1/2 HP AC Induction motor with a timing belt.

The resulting "cloud of dust" is vacuumed by a 1 HP Royal vac motor.

(Debbie wouldn't like my story of "pile-brushing" behind a "Dry Powder" machine)

Assuming the heavy object trap has the proper gaskets,
and the vinyl cigarette catch,
it works very effectively.

Many times commercial customers thought it was the actual cleaning machine,
because of the pile-lifting results.

Larry

Certified actually had a spray attachment to turn it into a "low moisture" cleaning system.

I've only ever had the nylon brushes... What's the difference between the 2 other then looks... Plus, you either need a 2x4 to keep the brush proped up or lay the machine down when not in use... Ask me how I know..... Can we say flat spot on the brush?? My a$$ still hurts thinking about it... !dork!

 

[Larry Cobb]

Nate;

The reason you have seen the Nylon brushes...
is because they are best for SAND.

You have plenty of that in the Islands.

The vegetable fiber is for softer soils, like clay.

Larry

 

[Nate The Great]

Nate;

The reason you have seen the Nylon brushes...
is because they are best for SAND.

You have plenty of that in the Islands.

The vegetable fiber is for softer soils, like clay.

Larry

Cool Larry... Thanks for the heads up... I learned something new today...