30" squeegee rubber is just too #%**& expensive

OK, so I have a 30" and a 24" Ettore aluminum super channel. I use both of them regularly for my storefront routes, but the rubber for 30" just too much (IMO). Should I cut the 30" down to a 12" and an 18" or not?

$5ish per rubber too expensive?
lol I have to pay $8 here I still use them, but I use sorbo, never liked the ettore wide body. The rubber in my 30" lasts me over a month usually since I only use it on large widows, and since store front is only 15% of my work.

Yeah it’s funny you say that. All the rubbers I use on large panes last much longer than the ones I use on small panes…

Yeah, i did a spreadsheet comparing size difference vs price difference using the 18" as base and noticed that the 22" rubber is the best value followed by the 36" rubber.

30" is the worst value.

Gotta agree…

if you are having trouble paying for rubber you are either
a)not charging enough
b)not charging enough
c)not charging enough
d)all of the above

I thought he was just making an observation. He didn’t say he couldn’t buy it but that he simply thinks it’s expensive.

I think 18" is the most cost effective size, but that might just be my ocd talking.

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the fact that it’s even a thought is alarming and lead me right to my multiple choice question. i mean, he’s considering CUTTING HIS SQUEEGEE IN HALF to save, like, A DOLLAR.

Wow that’s funny my old boss must of did the same thing. Many many moons ago I switch companies. With the previous guy I used a 24" as my main squeegee for storefronts the new guy wouldn’t buy 24" he made me cut my super channels down to 22" I got use to it , but didn’t like it.
The reason was , because the 22" was cheaper. From 22" to 24" we are talking $7.00 more a dozen . That is not a deal breaker in my book . Good grief we can’t take it with us !!!
I don’t do 5 days of route work anymore , but 2 rubbers could last me all week figure that out on what you make , an it’s not even worth worrying about. I’ve probably even stretched one rubber all week with the the cheap bastards I use to work for.

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True, but if you have employee’s that dollar can turn into hundreds pretty quick if you’re not paying attention. But for a small operation? Find something that works and just do it. And if rubber is a big part of your bottom line, then yeah, you’re not charging enough.

Yeah, I’m just ocd that way. The pricing on the rubber is not linear. 24 & 30 must be popular because they’re the most expensive. I wanted to see for the length vs price what the ratios are and from a purely math point of view, you lose money in those sizes. However, that doesn’t take into account the economy of motion of doing one swipe vs 2 swipes.

Oh, and it doesn’t take into account that if you’re mainly doing straight pulls the sorbo rubber seems to last a LONG time.

I like my 18 and my wide bodies seem to leave too much water on the edges (I guess I need to practice more with them).

There it is! I knew Jared would delve deeper eventually to put this in a greater perspective.
I’ve fought the tendency all my life to be penny-wise and pound foolish. Years ago I used to scratch my head at the veterans who said they don’t use the big squeegees anymore, but I’ve found that I’m fine using one of two sizes for every type of window cleaning I do 90% of the time. This simplifies the cost issues of buying rubber even if it doesn’t save money. Like Caleb said, it’s such a minor cost of doing business.

I used to get handed two rubbers a week. If one ripped before its time I would have to show it to him for another. It was like pulling teeth though.
I started buying my own tools after a while. Not rubbers tools.

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I buy 36" and cut everything to size. I don’t know if I’m saving money by doing it that way but I know I always have the size I need :stuck_out_tongue: To me that’s the main thing.

^this. that’s exactly what we do.

[MENTION=287]kbwc[/MENTION]

Check Out these two 36" size - also available in gross

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Ah…stop whining…LOL :stuck_out_tongue: That 36" rubber, even if you pay $10.00 for it can make you up to 300 bucks. A 30X return on investment not good enough for you? Yes, I remember when rubbers were < $1.00, and I whined about the price of those, then too.

I go through so many rubbers because, let’s face it, I love [SIZE=1][/SIZE]new rubber… The only thought of how much they cost is when, either, I’m buying them or I’m throwing them in the trash. New rubbers are part of the secret as to why I clean so fast…

That sucks… I’m cheap, but not that cheap… You need the right tools to do the job…

Most of the time I only carry a 14 and a 22… For the most part, that’s about it…

If you want to get more value out of the rubbers then, yes cut them down to use on smaller sized squeegees. The ends usually burn out much faster than the rest of the rubber.

This space for rent!