The more I watch people work with a wagtail, the more I’m intrigued by the product.
I’ve never used them, and have no idea what the best new/old options are. It seems most use a combi, but I also see random other configurations such as the pivot control, slimline etc., but don’t really know the difference. I’ve seen some use ettore brass channels.
I know many of you modify them, but what’s the most useful size and configuration from your experience?
I like the efficiency of my 24" sorbo, but it’s boring…
The parts of the Wagtail that really shine are the handle and the rubber. Their channels and mops are really nothing special, IMO.
The most useful wagtail I own is a Pivot Control handle modified to hold a liquidator channel. I did it first with a 14", then a 10" and 18" to round out the collection.
I performed Wagga’s mod on my 14" Waguidator with an aluminum rod and some zip ties to make my own flipper. It worked well but I didn’t care for the extra weight of a wet mop hanging on while I worked the squeegee part.
My personal opinion is that (with practice) a decked out wagtail squeegee/mop/all in one will save a bit of time over any number of alternative systems, but the convenience does not make up for the long-term disadvantages and limitations inherent in the system e.g. More difficult to close out deep sills with a pad hanging underneath, wagtail mop does not hold much water compared to almost every other standard mop, extra weight of the wet mop when using the Wagtail in hand can put unnecessary strain on the wrist, requires modification to really perform well (not a big issue for me but for less handy folks the product does not give top notch results out of the box).
I will advocate a system using a regular mop/T-bar and backing it up with a wagtail handle and your choice of channel. You’ll have to mod your BOAB too, if you use one, for the Wagtail handle.
Crazy. It seems like the modified versions I see where the mop flips up and splashes into your face would close out normally, but I don’t see that flip action combo sold much.
Also, what’s keeping pressure on the mop when you’re squeegeeing and moping in the same motion?
Is it really fun, or is it more of a specialty tool?
If we are talking about wagtail handles with mops attached then I think it’s more of a specialty tool, at least for the jobs that I’m doing.
If you do a lot of pole work, never have a deep sill, never have to pole from a lateral angle (like leaning out a window to wash an adjacent window on the same side of the building) and are going back every two weeks to clean the same glass then it’s a really handy tool to have.
Otherwise the flipper mop is more of a hindrance. It makes the tool heavier, bottom mount gets in the way of deep sill closeouts, top mount splashes your face when you flip it, and the thin pad doesn’t even approach the scrubbing power of almost any regular mop for dirty glass.
No regrets on using the handle with just a squeegee though. I fan EVERYTHING. Whether on a pole or in the hand the Pivot Control handle is the best fanning handle hands down.
Yeah ditch the combi unless you are doing regular maintenance cleans. For me it just doesn’t have the scrub power as a full on mop.
The pivot fans great feels like it is easier on shoulder wrist etc.
I use my wagtail exclusively now. I had an old rubber in there and didn’t feel like changing it so I grabbed just on of my normal squeegee s. I didn’t know how to use it anymore:0 .
It was terrible. It has ruined my muscle memory for typical squeegee design but I have no desire to go back to it anyway. Fast efficient easy to use, why mess with success.
Picked up my first Wagtail 3 months ago, a Slimline Flipper. I was horrified to discover how hard it is to flip up the mop in front of the squeegee. Also, it is almost impossible to use without an angle-arm, lucky I had an Ettore angle adapter lying around and it works well.
It has taken me much practice to get this unit under control as a valid option to fan overhead windows. I keep learning every time I use it new ways to twist the pole, angle of approach etc that make it easier to use.
I use it strictly on commercial work. It saves having to bust out a stepladder, obviously its biggest advantage. This squeegee takes the most ‘art’ of any squeegee ever tried.
Since I love the Liquidator, I will replace channels soon, looking forward to see how this works…
@windowrescue Yes I own one, though the channel and micro strip were ultimately relegated to my unused tool bin.
I found the rubber changing to be an extremely fussy arrangement. For all the hassle it did not yield any significant reduction in detailing over a standard squeegee used correctly. Hence, the ‘precision’ part is kind of bunk.
As for the ‘glide’ - the micro strip DOES do a good job of lubricating ahead of the squeegee blade, ostensibly to facilitate cleaning windows in direct sunlight or other situations with a nearly dry pane. My only gripe is to use it properly, the micro strip must become your primary point of contact on the pane and your blade must pivot forward to find the right angle. It takes a couple minutes to adjust to the technique and makes the tool feel too special to be useful day to day.
To my mind the problem of dry windows has pretty much already been solved by plenty of other means: simultaneous two-handed washing, monsoon mops that put a ton of water on the window, glass gleam 4 that has an anti-evaporative agent.
The day that I encounter a giant single pane in direct sunlight that’s out of arm’s reach and I have no helper to wash ahead of me with his own pole, I will get out the precision glide and rejoice in my ownership of that life-saving tool.
the slimline is the one . keep it unmodified. i say that altho i use a wagulator [slimline+moerman liquidator channel] as my main squeegee -because the fun and the lightning speed of the unmodified wag goes once you fit the liquidator channel.
you need to concentrate using it. if you dont watch what youre doing , the pointy tips catch on the rubber seals and dig in /judder
whereas an unmodded wagtail will ride over a rubber seal if youre careless [course youll be detailing the edges ]
its a trade off . fly down the glass with unmodded and now wipe the edges or use the tad slower action with wagulator and no detailing
I see. Do you use a wagtail with the mop hanging down in front or up behind when not in use? Did it take you awhile to perfect the maneuver of flipping up the mop?
I still bang the glass loudly sometimes when I flip the mop up.
i dont use the mop . i did for about 6 months [hanging down in front]and loved the speedy clean but then i suddenly got the tingles in both wrists. RSI . i got it so bad i had it thru the night and drove to work with wrists tingling it was really awful. i honestly thought my career was over,wrists fooked up .
so i switched over to using a seperate T bar for the scrubbing and the RSI it went away almost overnight.
the extra weight of the wet pad swinging while doing the squeegee wipe was what hurt me
I see, good to hear you solved your problem. So do you carry two poles or switch tools? Do you have a preference with fixed t bar vs swivel for your applicating?
i switch tools ,sure its slower but has proved safer for me. iv since got employees and they do it my way, seperate t bar . often one of them scrubs with a Tbar on a pole then i follow behind and squeegee with another pole
the Unger swivel Tbar is my preference . i twist the swivel locking bolt so that theres no slack,but not tight- as i believe it was possibly the free swivelling of the wagtail mop banging on its end stops that injured my wrists .
the grip on the Unger Tbar was too small for my hand so i wrapped self amalgamating rubber tape around it to pad it out. this has worked out well
Id go with a slim line. I would mod it with a microtiger. A 14 inch is my everyday channel size … for larger panes though ive got a 18 inch as well. The combi is excellent if youre wanting a more precision tool, Ill use it on garage doors difficult panes etc. I left a link to a video that shows how I mod them . hope this helps. My Wagtail Mod - YouTube
