Zipper Wand Advice

Mark Roberts

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Nov 30, 2006
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Hi Guys

I'm thinking of buying the 13inch zipper wand and would value the advice of current users.

I'm in the UK so would have to import it without seeing or using it beforehand.

I run a Hydramaster Boxer 421 and 80% of the wands use would be on residential jobs with 100% wool or 80/20 wool or polypropylene loop carpets.

So questions as follows

1) I've lower back issues and wanding on the forward stroke kills it after a hard day. Is the zipper really more lower back friendly esp on residential? This is my main reason of interest in the tool.

2) it will never be used on CGD so how does it perform on residential carpets both short and long pile, twist and loop pile, wool and synthetic v a normal wand?

3) will my TM keep up with the tool?

4) is it not more awkward to use around furniture than a normal wand?

5) how does it clean better than a Ti wand as some have suggested. Is it not just a wand with two vac slots?

6) I'm 6'2 so is the handle adjustable to my height?

6) where's the best place to buy?

Many Thanks
Mark
 
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Mark
I bought the zipper 10 months ago because of pinch nerve and back shoulder arm problems I had for 4 years...
Solved the problem in a few weeks...only 1-2 flair ups since then.....
It will do fine on your boxer..better vacuum better drying time but I can't really say why accept it is in closed.
Some use it exclusively on homes, I still use my ti wand under furniture closets to speed up the process.
Your dry times can be twice as fast and less labor as you are not stressing your arm.
Call eric or order zipperwand.com
Best 2000$ I have spent on this business as I was facing shuting my business down if I hadn't got this tool.! !
 

mwall2230

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I'm also 6'2 and the handle height is perfect. I use my 13 inch zipper on empty homes and the 15 inch on pretty much all commercial jobs. Once your body gets used to the different motion it is less fatiguing than a wand. I also keep 2 titanium wands on the truck but would rather use the zipper if I can.
 

hogjowl

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A hole glide costs a LOT less than a Zipper.

If you aren't currently running a hole glide on your wand, buy one first. It will probably solve your lower back difficulties.
 

GeneMiller

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Other than Eric I Believe I've owned it the longest. It is definitely easier on your whole body and we don't use a wand anymore. I have the 13 and the 15 and use both. On really large homes or vacants we use the 15. I don't have any problems in closests. If the closet is small it's not as easy as the wand but still more than doable. I have never had to go and get the wand because the zipper couldn't do it.
It's so easy to push my wife has done it. I find it easier to use in almost all situations over the wand. I have trained 4 guys now who have never cleaned carpets on both the wand and the zipper and all 4 choose the zipper. It's just easier to use. It's hard to get people to change their ways but I'm over 25 years doing this and I love it. Don't listen to the nay sayers (Marty ) I owned the tool for 2 years before it was available and have never regretted. I didn't follow some board trend.

Gene
 
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ruff

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It is too bad that you can't try it, as like with many other tools it boils down to personal preferances.
I had a 13" Zipper and sold it. Not because it is not a good tool, quite the contrary, it is an outstanding tool.

It was bought when I thought I may have more commercial work (long story but that option currently is off) and got the 13" as it would work both on commercial and residential.
  • It is a tool that is made exceptionally well. If you're one of the people that appreciate a well made tool, you'd love it. You'll pass it along to your grandchildren.
  • It saves you money on glides as both sides can be used. Neat. Also very easy to switch sides on location which is handy.
  • It will dry the carpet quite a bit faster.
  • The zipper cleaning is very good. My hi flow Ti wand cleans very good as well. The angle of the Zipper jets is a little different than the regular glided wand (that almost hit the back side of the glide). My Ti's jets are angled more like the Zipper, I find it to be just fine.
  • I think it will be fine with your machine. You can reduce flow by changing the jet size if you wish, therefore getting more heat. Suction will be good, as the weight of the zipper locks it down better.
  • Wool or synthetic makes no difference, as you'll adjust the cleaning agents. I don't know how hot your unit gets and I am sure that you do not clean wool with excessive heat.
  • Here in San Francisco we have smaller rooms working there and around furniture can be a challenge. I found the Zipper slowed me down a lot and the movements were cumbersome. I got more (not less) tired than working with the wand. It is also a little heavier to carry to upper floors. However, on the carpet it moves very smoothly and it can be operated with the handle at carpet level, that way you can have it clean exceptionally well under a bed without moving the bed. Nice.
  • Any repetitious movement done enough time, will eventually hurt you. I found the forward movement with the zipper to be very easy in straight lines. Less so if you had to maneuver around furniture. Harder on my back when moving it backwards.
  • It absolutely shines when doing long open spaces. Will save you tons of time. Also, due to two vacuum slots, if you need a great flushing, you can substantially increase pressure or even jet size (great flushing) and still achieve great drying.

Hope this helps. However, it is just my personal experience, as other guys here seem to love it in the home environment.

Decisions. Decisions.
 
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dealtimeman

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Zipper is a great quality tool that you will have no regrets about buying and using, by simply using it, it will raise the quality of your work and thus your results while being easir on your body after the learning curve.
 

Jim Martin

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Zipper is a great quality tool that you will have no regrets about buying and using, by simply using it, it will raise the quality of your work and thus your results while being easir on your body after the learning curve.


^^^^^^^^what he said^^^^^
 

GaryM

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I bought a 13" to make life easier. C'mon let's face it, pushin/pullin the wand connected to 2" hose & 1/4" goodyear daily for years hurts.

I've done everything, method, tool, glides and beer.

End of the day with the 13" zipper at 74" on residential I have new problems: upper back spasms. Not to knock the zipper but the change didn't fit. My tech uses it and so do I to keep a rotaion of wand, zipper, rx, rv. She likes the zipper, I prefer the wand, nothing beats the wand in dry time and detail. I use the greenhorn. Rv claims faster dry time & so does zipper, not compared to my wand but that isn't a problem for me, comfort is important and the 360i quad head seems to fit the billet along with the wand to cut in/detail.

I'm at the time that I need to stagger my tool use or end up deformed. The selling points for each are bullshit. No offense to the MFR's but nobody tells the truth anymore. It's 2015 and Obama is still president cuz most don't give a fook. My greenhorn dry times are way better than the RV, RX and Zipper. I'm shilling for nobody.

Wand it till you can't then add the "old man tools".

Zipper on commercial nylon - great, RX - better, RV - forget it, Residential: you will never beat the high flow wand and RV combo.

The RV made my back so much better I yanked the zipper saving it for residental berber only or UPH and Carpet (my helper can UPH while I zipper)

The thing that scares me, what happens if I loose my greenhorn? Where is Jeff?
 

Mark Saiger

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Hey Mark,

You have see my comments from another board and probably remember them,

But again I say, I really love the Zipper wands and use them a lot.

I use the larger units and love how well they dry.

Also, they will work a different muscle group for a while, but overall....we use them every chance we can get.

here is my YouTube channel and also a YouTube playlist of mine.

If you have some other particular questions, please feel free to contact me. :)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi9UefjEixJPGgxWPTnEUhg

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLg45027waKT-BW4GqIEAj4Vvhcv07fZuk
 

hogjowl

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Just imagine. If Steamway had just named their drag wand "Zipper", it would have been a massive bulletin board hit.

Of course, there weren't many lemmings on the net back then.
 
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GeneMiller

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If the zipper tires you out more than the wand I would say your using it wrong. The zipper cleans going both directions. The wand cleans one direction. So ever time I make one stroke you have to make two. The zipper gives you two vacuum slots. Exactly why would a wand leave it drier. Are you using water on the pull stroke only with a 6 flow. The air flow to the tool on any machine is the same regardless of the tool attached. My wand is at 12 I think and my zipper the same or higher. Please explain why having one less vacuum slot would leave it drier. I honestly could care less which is faster, the zipper does a better job and is easier on my body. I can only speak for myself. We love it and clean exclusively with it. We are able to clean more homes in a day than with the wand. My wife can push the zipper , she can't push my glided wand. ive had some hires that couldn't push my wand. Maybe I have more vacuum than most. I have 4" I.d. pipe plumbed straight to my filter box and I only run on dual with me hg at 17. Personally I wouldn't take advice from people who don't own and use a tool. Just like a rotary it take a little use to get proficient with a new tool. Some just don't want to try. For years I kept track of time on jobs so when scheduling I knew how much to allow. The zipper saves about 15 minutes per hour on average based on my previous wand time.

Gene
 
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Desk Jockey

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Could it be the additional weight of the Zipper head that bothers him? The Zipper rolls easily but you can still feel weight when slinging it.
A wand head is much lighter but since it doesn't have the wheels the Zipper does you feel the work pushing and pulling it.
 

ruff

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The wand cleans one direction. Gene
And why is that?

And I agree, having both a Zipper and GreenHorn. No way that his Green Horn will get the carpet drier, unless he's doing something wrong with the Zipper or cleaning with substantially less flow. The Zipper will also pick more moisture beside the two vac slots and extra weight, due to the fact that it maintains the same angle to carpet while wand changes slightly with distance of stroke.

Personally I wouldn't take advice from people who don't own and use a tool.
Gene
Who from the above advisers, does not own it?
 
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GeneMiller

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When did Marty buy one? You can't clean on the push stroke of a wand. I do pull the trigger when pushing forward but your not cleaning until you pull it back. If you don't pull it straight back that water is soaking right in. Most guys don't pull straight back that I've watched so that water sits until they finally come back and dry stroke. Most guys clean in a vee leaving excess water soaking in until they finally come back and do a dry stroke. The zipper sucks it straight back up. It truly cleans both ways

Gene
 

hogjowl

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You Zipper shills sure are sensitive about me. Did I tell the dude not to buy one? I simply said a wand glide was a lot cheaper.

But you know as well as I do that drag wands are yesterday's news.
 

ruff

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You can't clean on the push stroke of a wand. I do pull the trigger when pushing forward but your not cleaning until you pull it back.

I guess you're being a stickler for protocol. Worked well for me so far, since ............well..........1989.
The responds so far have been somewhat positive:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/expert-clean-and-green-san-francisco

The zipper sucks it straight back up. It truly cleans both ways.
A great tool no doubt, as been well documented in the various responses, yours included. Does not necessarily walk on water. None of the tools does. Just needs to find the right match. That is why all the respectful responses can be of help.
Gene

The loaner program is a great idea: http://mikeysboard.com/forum/index....d-like-to-test-a-zipper-for-two-weeks.277123/
 
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dealtimeman

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I just realized Marty can be such a JERK!!

Stop bullying "our" new guys you Internet bullying jerk!!!!!

THEY HAVE FEELING YOU KNOW!!!!!
 

rwcarpet

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Just imagine. If Steamway had just named their drag wand "Zipper", it would have been a massive bulletin board hit.

Of course, there weren't many lemmings on the net back then.

As with Marty, I know of this Steamway drag wand. I used it with a Steamway 400 portable machine, in the mid 70's. That was the Steamway standard drag wand, about 11-12 inches. (I still have one) Heavier than a pad spinner (almost). I also got to use the large, commercial SW drag wand. Huge, maybe 16-18 inches wide. Now that was a truck!

Thank You Jesus when the Turbomatic came out with the SW scrub wand!
 
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