Upside down Hruby.

[Mikey P]

I wonder if the OPE manual covers this trick.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=gZfru2ejx1w



Jeff or Tom, do you think the added weight of the wheels when upside down adds 20% more agitation?

Less?


More?

 

[alazo1]

Someone must have given that dude on the video a triple shot of expresso

Machine looks cool though

Albert

 

[hogjowl]

Did you notice his hand position on the machine? The only time he used the upright portion of the handle was on the very first pass. His wrists were at a very unusual and apparently uncomfortable angle. He switched to the corners of the handle after that. That vertical handle is for show, but is an ergonomic nightmare.

Not sure what the upside down thing is supposed to show.

I like the over sized wheels, and the fact that the wheel supports are small enough not to drag while going over wooden steps. That is my only complaint about my Defender. I can't pull it up wooden steps, or the support will dig into the wooden lip of the step.

 

[Mikey P]

Get the 8" upgrade.

 

[Fred Geyen]

I guess it is not meant to have an on board tank!

 

[Jimmy L]

I wondered about the same design issues.
Did they consult any cleaners before they designed the handles?

 

[Greenie]

sweet!
I can see where that flip maneuver would offer a deeper or more aggressive scrub on a TL, could be very handy.
And I agree with Marty, the vertical handles could probably use a different angle, and nothing wrong with a "universal" horizontal handle bar allowing multiple hand positions, how about a "half moon" across the horizontal and a small radius to the actual vertical handles? I think the current handles are 1.5" dia. a 1.25" would be more comfortable. Love the folding handle thing, when it's folded does it lock solid?

 

[hogjowl]

You get the same effect on the Defender by just lifting up on the handle, G'Bean. It puts more weight on the cleaning head.

 

[Scott Rogers]

Try buffing off sealer of tile with the wheels on the ground and you will see how great of a feature that can be.

 

[Raedan]

You get the same effect on the Defender by just lifting up on the handle, G'Bean. It puts more weight on the cleaning head.

Yea but your holding the weight of the machine aren't you?

 

[Clark]

The Defender handle will flip over if you want to run it that way. I really don't see the difference.

 

[hogjowl]

No ... you holding up the weight of the handle. The machine is still sitting on the ground.

Was that a serious doofus moment, or were you messing with me?

 

[Raedan]

Hey we all have serious DOOFUS moments sometimes...

 

[pHilh]

I have used the new Hruby and the handle is a lot more comfortable than the standard set ups. :mrgreen:

 

[Royal Man]

Looks like a good way to run the wheels through the walls when you clean close to the edges.

I also wonder about running it in one place while he re-arranged the cord.

 

[Jim Bethel]

Did you notice his hand position on the machine? The only time he used the upright portion of the handle was on the very first pass. His wrists were at a very unusual and apparently uncomfortable angle. He switched to the corners of the handle after that. That vertical handle is for show, but is an ergonomic nightmare.

Hey Marty,

Since it's release over here in Oz, I have done quite a lot of jobs with the new Orbot. I am average size (6 ft tall) and find the upright portion of the handle the most comfortable. However, I understand that everyone has different likes/dislikes.

Jim

 

[hogjowl]

Could be the greatest thing since sliced bread.

 

[Jim Martin]

pretty damn nice.....would love to get my hands on one to try it out.....

what the price tag on it.........

 

[hogjowl]

Over two thousand dollars. Something like $400 more than an Orbitec.

 

[HOS]

Hey Guys,

....Turning the handle around basically adds the entire weight of the machine to the head of the driver. Some guys like to 'edge' their machines to try and scrub a stain a little bit more. The idea of flipping the Orbot over would apply an equal amount of head pressure over the carpet. Another advantage to flipping the Orbot over is if your sanding, scrubbing, or stripping VCT, tile, brick, grout, etc., etc.

To answer Greenie's Q, Yes the handle locks when it's folded down.

The handle grip bars are 1.75" in OD. This particular OD ended up being the popular choice as it gives the machine a more beefy feel to it than if it were a common bicycle grip of 1" or 1.25". Also the 2" cross beam that runs along the top is another good choice to grab on to the machine.

Jim are you maneuvering the Orbot in Australia mostly by the vertical grips or the 2" cross beam?

Thanks for the Q's guys....I'll do my best to get on the board more often.

Jeff

 

[Brad_Smith]

The thing looks to built much better than a brute. Those lower arms are much beefier than the thin sheet metal on the brute.

 

[Jim Bethel]

Jim are you maneuvering the Orbot in Australia mostly by the vertical grips or the 2" cross beam?
Jeff

I prefer to use the vertical grips. I find it quite comfortable. So did most of the guys that use it at the Clean Expo.

I also found that since we are in the southern hemisphere, that the Orbot oscillates in the opposite direction from the video the Mikey put up here at the start of the thread. Must me a Northern Hemisphere thing...

Jim

 

[Mikey P]

You'll have the whole continent bloomed in no time then.


A few reverse twists here and there will be the only survivors.

 

[Shorty]

I am average size (6 ft tall). Jim

AVERAGE SIZE ???


I predict that this machine will be much more popular down under than the "AVERAGE OP"


Having the second driest continent on the planet, this type of cleaning, I believe, is only going to get more popular.


Maybe we can hitch a ride on "Chem Who's" back, and stick it to them for a change

Ooroo :shock:

 

[Clark]

I think a man that pays 4800 in Aussie Dollars for the HOS or the Orbitec has lost his mind. Yes, that's right $4800. I ship to Australia every week. I give free shipping at list price to Aussie Land. That is a $2800 difference in price. Now you see why I'm not running to compete. The competition is over.

 

[Jimmy L]

Will we see more price wars?

 

[Desk Jockey]

Any plans to add a spray system to it?

 

[Clark]

A Defender with a spray system is a CX. The tank can be removable for residential work.

 

[Greenie]

I can see more of these new HOS systems being sold, very forward thinking.

Is a 20" version on the horizon?

 

[Jeff Brown]

Forward thinking was when Clark changed the op market with the Defender and CX. I would describe what HOS did with the Orbot as riding Clark's coat tails.

It's a nice looking handle on the Orbot but too much handle for residential work. I just don't see an advantage in the Orbot over the Defender. There are advantages with the Defender price being one of them also there's a proprietary feature with the Defender motor.