13 or 17 inch floor machine???

[Scott Hayward]

What to do? I am looking at floor machines...mostly for pre-scrubbing when I get the nasty residential or commercial job. Any of you guys use the 13 inch models? I go to the gym but the thought of lugging a 100 pound 17 inch floor machine around doesn't excite me to much. Then again it would be nice to have the bigger machine for more agitation, encap, and other duties.

Just wondering how they compare to each other.

Also, how long does it take to handle one without putting it through the wall? I have used one with the brush (another hack company) but not cotton pads. I assume the pads would make it easier to control the spinning devil.

Thanks

 

[Jay D]

If you are young and viril then get the 17" buffer it can be used for so much. Encap, bonneting, stripping floors and preaggitation. If you have to take it to the second story of a house then get the 13" buffer. The 13" is fine but the 17" will make quicker work of things. I have a 16" buffer, a 13" buffer and a host machine. The host machine does 90% of my preaggitation with the 16" being used for floor stripping mostly. You could get a 15" also but two story houses still make it quit a climb with even that. Ask what am I gonna use it mostly for? If you don't have any other equipment but the TM then get the 17".

Mister Sir

 

[Shane]

I bought A 17" floor machine to pre-scrub with and didn't really care for it. I like pre-scrubbing with my Cimex much better. One draw back to the Cimex....its fookin heavy

 

[-JB-]

We used a 17in. for years, for both pre-agitation, and post-bonnet. Just had a breakdown with the new 17incher, bought a 13in., and put a plastic 17 in., block on it, still running the same, 19in. pads, (I like the leeway for error the extra 2in gives ya, plus, wipes the baseboards, automatically) Maybe a little underpowered on the initial start up, but you learn to manage. The 17in. is like 80some odd lbs., the 13 is maybe 35-40lbs. I will not be using the 17 anymore, the little one is way easier to move, manage, haul and lift. It rules!