The Preacher
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if you only did uph cleaning would a Steamway Sidekick or HydraMaster 3.2 be a good way to go???
what TM would you suggest???
what TM would you suggest???
Upholstery only TM
- Thread starter The Preacher
- Start date
Good question.
Since about 50% of my business was upholstery, not 100%, I give my take on this.
The smallest and quietest machine would be my choice, since a lot of heat, pressure, and vac are not needed.
I generally set my machine at 100 psi, and let it run on idle for upholstery, so a big, fire breather is more than is necessary.
For the first 5 years after I started my business, it was 100% upholstery, and I used a 10 gallon portable for that.
I wanted a Truck Mount for carpets, and upholstery to eliminate the portable's shortcomings.
Gary
Since about 50% of my business was upholstery, not 100%, I give my take on this.
The smallest and quietest machine would be my choice, since a lot of heat, pressure, and vac are not needed.
I generally set my machine at 100 psi, and let it run on idle for upholstery, so a big, fire breather is more than is necessary.
For the first 5 years after I started my business, it was 100% upholstery, and I used a 10 gallon portable for that.
I wanted a Truck Mount for carpets, and upholstery to eliminate the portable's shortcomings.
Gary
The Preacher
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i've done it both ways and a TM is head and shoulders above a porty. i'd like to spend about 4-5k on a set up!
Steve in Omaha
Member
Who wouldn't?
Jay D
Member
I prefer using a portable for upholstery. If I know I am doing several pieces, I bring the portable. If When I get there the lady says "can you do this layzboy" then I will use the truckmount. A truckmount is way overkill for upholstery. I use a ninja with 2-3 stage vacs and 250psi pump and it works great. Oh If you are going to use a truckmount those or similar will work great.
Jim Martin
Supportive Member
time is money.........
Gas should already be figured in to the job...........
fire it up.......
Gas should already be figured in to the job...........
fire it up.......
Scott Rogers
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- Oct 7, 2006
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Why not just use your predator?? Turn the temp and pressure down and have at it.
Desk Jockey
Member
I would want a machine with a large recovery tank, both those you listed would have plenty of power to do the cleaning but I like more recovery capability.
Tools like PC's upholstery tool, bypass water to give you hotter water for those dirty synthetics you'll see in a commercial setting.
I suppose a you could use a APO but you already know what a pain those can be. When you're cleaning more than 10-chairs, you'll be glad you have the additional recovery space.
You were talking about commercial cleaning?
Tools like PC's upholstery tool, bypass water to give you hotter water for those dirty synthetics you'll see in a commercial setting.
I suppose a you could use a APO but you already know what a pain those can be. When you're cleaning more than 10-chairs, you'll be glad you have the additional recovery space.
You were talking about commercial cleaning?
Kevin B
Member
As I suggested in the HP room, I would not buy a TM just for upholstery.
Thats just me, A TM is overkill, and will cost a minimum of 25 dollars a day just to operate it. Thats 5000 a year with a 200 day work year. You could buy your wife a nice diamond necklace with the money you will spend not burning fuel with the TM.
Gas prices are always a concern, no matter what you charge. Every expense in biz should be a concern, because profitability is maximized when you can eliminate unneeded expenses.
Sure, you can charge more to account for it, but why not charge more anyway and use a portable, increasing your profit even more?
Thats just me, A TM is overkill, and will cost a minimum of 25 dollars a day just to operate it. Thats 5000 a year with a 200 day work year. You could buy your wife a nice diamond necklace with the money you will spend not burning fuel with the TM.
Gas prices are always a concern, no matter what you charge. Every expense in biz should be a concern, because profitability is maximized when you can eliminate unneeded expenses.
Sure, you can charge more to account for it, but why not charge more anyway and use a portable, increasing your profit even more?
Desk Jockey
Member
Kevin you make good points, but you can be far more productive with the TM.
A lot less down time dumping and filling, which will make a big difference when you have dozens or hundreds chairs to clean.
The heat is also a big benefit for heavily soiled upholstery.
I spend more than 10-years exclusively cleaning upholstery and I'd prefer a TM any day in a commercial setting.
Residential is less of a concern, you're not looking at high production and I could get by with a portable. In fact a TM can be too much vacuum if you don't have a vacuum relief.
A lot less down time dumping and filling, which will make a big difference when you have dozens or hundreds chairs to clean.
The heat is also a big benefit for heavily soiled upholstery.
I spend more than 10-years exclusively cleaning upholstery and I'd prefer a TM any day in a commercial setting.
Residential is less of a concern, you're not looking at high production and I could get by with a portable. In fact a TM can be too much vacuum if you don't have a vacuum relief.
Bryan Irvin
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- Nov 15, 2006
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- 244
Why would you want to leave so much money out of your pocket by being 100% upholstery?
Bryan
Bryan
Kevin B
Member
Alright, go pour yourself another cup of coffee, cause who the hell is Greg? LOL!
Kevin B
Member
Bryan Irvin said:
I think he is saying, he does enough upholstery that he could justify a truck just doing that.
Desk Jockey
Member
LOL Sorry Kevin! I'm not quite awake yet?
:?
I think you could make as much or more hourly, I just wouldn't want to do it for long.
My forearm & elbow hurt just thinking about it. I use to challenge the carpet crews on how much I could do in sales a day.
I could usually double them, of course I didn't have travel time and the upholstery was brought to the shop. It was on carts I cleaned it, rolled it in the drying room and started another piece.
10-years later and my elbow bothers me when ever I use it too much.
8)
:?
I think you could make as much or more hourly, I just wouldn't want to do it for long.
My forearm & elbow hurt just thinking about it. I use to challenge the carpet crews on how much I could do in sales a day.
I could usually double them, of course I didn't have travel time and the upholstery was brought to the shop. It was on carts I cleaned it, rolled it in the drying room and started another piece.
10-years later and my elbow bothers me when ever I use it too much.
8)
KevinD
Member
27+years and thousands of pieces or furniture cleaned, I will take a good portable over any truck mount for cleaning furniture.
Ron Werner
Member
With the new tool I bought in Vegas I like having the flow, heat and vacuum the TM provides.
Porties are great cause they cost hardly anything to operate but they don't use much water, which is great if you're using a kleenrite or other old school tool.
I'll stick with the TM for uph yet.
Porties are great cause they cost hardly anything to operate but they don't use much water, which is great if you're using a kleenrite or other old school tool.
I'll stick with the TM for uph yet.
The Preacher
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i want a small heat exchange TM i can mount in my mini van. i really don't want to use a porty and deal with the fill and dump, load unload deal. i think a small HE TM would be the bomb!
i have a Predator Unleashed and it's a good machine, but the van is a gas hog and i can use my paid for mini van that gets 20mpg for my platform!!!
i have a Predator Unleashed and it's a good machine, but the van is a gas hog and i can use my paid for mini van that gets 20mpg for my platform!!!
A million miles away & far, far, from care.
For years I used a porty for upholstery and thought it was the ducks guts.
It has it's place, mainly now in the shed where I use it for flushing rug fringes.
I love my little old truck mount for upholstery with it's heat exchanger instead of lpg for heat, (THAT was always a burning factor in my mind).
It does use gas (petrol down under), about 3 litres per hour, which is less than a gallon per hour.
To me, that is negligible, I factor ALL costs into my pricing, be it carpet or upholstery.
Thanks to Gary Heacock, most of my commercial upholstery work is now done via the encapsulation system.
Cheers,
Shorty.
For years I used a porty for upholstery and thought it was the ducks guts.
It has it's place, mainly now in the shed where I use it for flushing rug fringes.
I love my little old truck mount for upholstery with it's heat exchanger instead of lpg for heat, (THAT was always a burning factor in my mind).
It does use gas (petrol down under), about 3 litres per hour, which is less than a gallon per hour.
To me, that is negligible, I factor ALL costs into my pricing, be it carpet or upholstery.
Thanks to Gary Heacock, most of my commercial upholstery work is now done via the encapsulation system.
Cheers,
Shorty.
Desk Jockey
Member
Yea, "D" that should work well using a mini-van, but unless you're using your other van at the same time, the cost of setting up a new one is going to far out weight your gas savings.:roll:
Damm I sure hope you make better calls on the football field!
LOL
:]
Damm I sure hope you make better calls on the football field!
LOL
:]
hogjowl
Idiot™
Well if you're going to do something as stupid as getting an underpowered TM that you will only use on upholstery, then you might as well be a real dumb-ass and get a Savage rig, or one of Terry's electric weenies.
Who in their right mind buys a TM just for upholstery? If you're going to put a second truck on the road, make it capable of doing carpet too.
Try to think ahead, doofus.
Who in their right mind buys a TM just for upholstery? If you're going to put a second truck on the road, make it capable of doing carpet too.
Try to think ahead, doofus.
diamond brian
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Be a Mikeys Board guinea pig and buy The Prowler. Nobody will laugh at you--really.
Craig Lindquist
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Finally,
I can advise someone to get a Bane.
On second thought, screw that over priced shop-vac, get a V.
I can advise someone to get a Bane.
On second thought, screw that over priced shop-vac, get a V.
TimP
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I already advised Danny to get a bane. Although I can say my 1 ton extended gets around 18-20 on the hwy. The new vans are a lot better on fuel economy than the old ones. I burn most of my fuel running the TM though, I work for about 2 days heavy on a tank of fuel in my truck. I personally don't worry about the fuel driving around cause I only do about 9,000 miles a year right now anyway. And it's nice to have all the tools I need on board for just about anything that comes up cleaning wise. I can do tile, upholstery, carpet all no problem out of my van. The more you're diversified the better you can keep yourself busy. I wouldn't trade it out to do just upholstery in a puny van just to save a few bucks in fuel. If you can't cover it you're over extending yourself (driving too far) and under charging for profit.
