175 or rx-20 for all round use

[Able 1]

I have a bunch of commercial stuff coming up and i did one today that I used the rx-20 and I think a 175 would have done a better job.

How dose it compare time wise?

I was thinking prespray with the omni, scrub, and have my helper extract while I am prespraying and scrubing the next section.

 

[Able 1]

What is a good brand 175? What do they cost like $1,500 or am i way off?

 

[The Preacher]

20" 175 should run you less than 1k. an RX20 with pad driver easy over 2k! get 2 rotarys and make some cash!!!

 

[Rex Tyus]

If you already have the rx they make an attachment for it that allows it to function as a rotary for less than buying a rotary straight out. I think TimP uses it for his. he can give you insight as to how well it works.

As far as the cost of a rotary the prices are all over the place. But you should be able to find a decent one in the $1500 to $2000 range if you shop around. But if you are going to go that route and primarily use it for commercial I would be tempted to kick in the extra for the Cyclone. They are quite impressive as a prescrubber.

 

[Able 1]

Are the carpet brushes out? All red 3m pads?

It has been a long time since i've scrubbed a carpet with a 175.

What brand is dependable? back in the day I used a clark with no problems.

 

[Rex Tyus]

The vct pads offer more surface area contact than the brushes. They generally outperform the brushes, particularly on CGD. I still use the brush when the situation calls for it. My rotary is an old ass SSS. Don't make them anymore. As far as I know Clark is still a good brand. Maybe some of the wealthier cleaners with newer equipment will chime in.

 

[Able 1]

Dosen't the cyclone have the two counter rotating brushes?

I think i heard that, that one is the only one approved by carpet man. is that true?

 

[Rex Tyus]

Made by Cimex. 3 heads I believe.

 

[Able 1]

Three brushes thing must weigh a ton!

Anyone own one? what do you think it weighs?

 

[TimP]

A 19 inch cimex is 105 lb's, it has 3 pads or 3 brushes and is planetary drive. But you can't hardly beat it for scrubbing ability with pads. I haven't tried brushes.

The Rx-20 with pad driver is a pretty nice set up for scrubbing in my opinion. It's very light and easy to get in and out. It's not heavy as many 175's and probably doesn't scrub as well but it does the job and is easier than using a hand brush to scrub carpet and it sure does give you more aggitation than by doing it by hand.

What I really want for residential is a procaps/icapsol machine. They weigh like 30-40 lbs and I hear do a pretty good job. I just can't see spending the money on them that they want for them.

 

[The Preacher]

Rex, who ACED you for $1500 for a 175??? why didn't you come see me at Peddie when i was selling equipment you could of walked out the door with a 20" for like $900!!! I just picked up a 17" Advance for $600

I have a friend who uses his RX for bonnet cleaning, i think it's only like a 15" drive pad??? not much area for commercial production, IMO.

Tim, go with a Brush & Clean or Whittaker GLS, way better machine than a Procaps/Icapsol from what i'm hearing. if you need a brush machine for traffic lane scrubbing look for an old Host machine!

 

[TimP]

But look at the price difference between a GLS and a icapsol.

 

[Jay D]

Dual speed 175/300 buffer. Cimex is heavier than 105 or maybe I am just getting old. I had a cimex for 4+ years great machine but akward as can be to load, so I finally sold it.... Then I used my 175 holt(17") for a while and it is good for just about anything. Well then I found a advance matador 20" 285rpm machine with a 3 gallon tank on it. MAN this machine encaps FASTER than a cimex. I like it and at $100 it was a steal. If you can get a Dual speed get one that is what I would do. Very versatile machine. I have a 175 and a 285 but I wish I had it all on the one machine. Powrflite.com has them on their website. 999 for a 17 Classic dual speed and 1049 for a 20 classic dual speed. If you can't afford one right now check craigslist.com in your area, you might be able to find a 175 for $300 or less. 16" min size. good luck

P.S. I just saw 2 diff 175's on craigslist in Milwaukee for $100 each. They are'nt pretty but would get you started.

 

[joey895]

Hey Tim, have you seen this on ebay? $650 seems like a good deal. I'd like to have it but have more important things to be spending money on right now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Carpet-Cleaning-Mac ... dZViewItem

 

[TimP]

I checked it out but without knowing what the quality of the machine is I'm very hesitant. I've never heard of the brand.

Too bad a company like clark couldn't make something for a reasonable price.

 

[Rex Tyus]

Rex, who ACED you for $1500 for a 175??? why didn't you come see me at Peddie when i was selling equipment you could of walked out the door with a 20" for like $900!!! I just picked up a 17" Advance for $600

Did you even bother to read my post? I have an OLD ASS SSS. I paid $150 dollars for from your buddy that now sells camping gear. I have not priced them and thought I acknowledge that in my post. If I was unclear I apologize.

Besides I didn't even know you back then. All I heard about you then was NOT flattering :shock:

 

[TimP]

For someone who wants a GLS this one will be going in just over an hour...it's a bit out of my budget right now....


http://cgi.ebay.com/GLS-carpet-cleaning ... .m14.l1318

 

[The Preacher]

[quote="Danny Strickland":3pnbqd2t]Rex, who ACED you for $1500 for a 175??? why didn't you come see me at Peddie when i was selling equipment you could of walked out the door with a 20" for like $900!!! I just picked up a 17" Advance for $600

Did you even bother to read my post? I have an OLD ASS SSS. I paid $150 dollars for from your buddy that now sells camping gear. I have not priced them and thought I acknowledge that in my post. If I was unclear I apologize.

Besides I didn't even know you back then. All I heard about you then was NOT flattering :shock:



[/quote:3pnbqd2t]

i hope if camping boy said it you took it with 2 grains of salt. the only way you could tell if he was lying was his lips were moving!!! :shock:

you didn't say how much you paid for it, just that you had one. you did say he could find one in the 1500-200 range, a new Advance Matador ran about 13-1500 new if i remember. Advance Nilfisk owns about every manufacturier of note now, so a national brand machine will be from them.



Tim, from what i've heard the Icapsols arn't holding up (handle problems i think??). the GLS/B&C are proven over the long haul. i plan on getting another one in the near future.

 

[KevinD]

If you already have the rx they make an attachment for it that allows it to function as a rotary for less than buying a rotary straight out.

Don't bother. The RX is too light and not enough rpm's for any kind of production.
It could get you by on a small job but a 175 is way better.

 

[Dolly Llama]

buy a rotary.

your plan to roto scrub while your wing man flush/rinse extracts will yield superior results to RX alone.

for the most part, 175 rotaries aren't all that expensive.
you'll want a 1.5hp motor.
The 1hp motors are fine for stripping tile, but lack the guts for agressive com carpet scrubbing

...L.T.A.

 

[White Collar]

I havent heard to much about using a prescrubber. Do you just prespray then prescrub and then wand it?
Does it work alot better than prespray, aggitate it then use the RX-20?

 

[TimP]

The idea of using a 175 or a crb machine rather than an RX is that you are working in your preconditioner allowing it to dwell and not rinsing it out as you scrub.

An rx-20 does a good job by itself. But you can finish a job faster with a high flow wand with hybrid/hole glide. In addition you often times get better cleaning results because of the fact that you are scrubbing with your detergent instead of scrubbing while extracting. It kinda doesn't make sense to scrub and rinse out your cleaner at the same time if you think about it.

 

[White Collar]

Thanks, I just want to do the best job that I can. RX worked pretty well but if there is a better way I want to do it fo sho..
What site sells good pre scrubbers. I saw the ones posted above from ebay, are they good prescrubbers?

 

[Rex Tyus]

The idea of using a 175 or a crb machine rather than an RX is that you are working in your preconditioner allowing it to dwell and not rinsing it out as you scrub.

An rx-20 does a good job by itself. But you can finish a job faster with a high flow wand with hybrid/hole glide. In addition you often times get better cleaning results because of the fact that you are scrubbing with your detergent instead of scrubbing while extracting. It kinda doesn't make sense to scrub and rinse out your cleaner at the same time if you think about it.

That has always been my issue with that device but I never wanted to damage the false sense of security the true believers seem to have.

 

[Dolly Llama]

I havent heard to much about using a prescrubber. Do you just prespray then prescrub and then wand it?

yep, that's pretty much it.
Does it work better than RX alone"
you betcha, every time!
You'll notice the greatest difference on trashed com

better than pre-spray, scrub, then RX?
never tried that, so I'd be talking out of my hat if said yes or no.
However, I'd expect if you did a "mechanical" scrub, then RXed, it would be the shizzle.
BUT...if a scrub with a grandi groomer then RX, my money would be on a roto scrub and wand flush/rinse extract.

get on Powr-Flite's mailing list.
From time to time they run a "first time buyer" sale.
In the past they've offered their 17" 1.5hp 175rpm rotary for under $500.
That's about the best price you can get a new 1.5hp rotary for

a rotary also gets you in the bonnet and encRapoo game too


..L.T.A.

 

[The Preacher]

What site sells good pre scrubbers. I saw the ones posted above from ebay, are they good prescrubbers?

Clarke mfg is in yore back yard!!! one of th best lines you can buy!!!

 

[XTREME1]

I have presprayed, prescrubbed with my 135 lb mercury and then rotovac'd and then groomed

 

[White Collar]

Clarke is in arkansas? Which model would you reccomend.
MEAT-I love your ideas, I'll get on their mailing list. sounds like a great deal.

 

[Able 1]

Clarke is expensive but you will never have to replace one! they are tough!

I just don't know that i can swing that price right now.

they are the top of the line.

 

[White Collar]

Where do I buy one?