Everyone knows that window cleaners are the most innovative and industrious people in the world. We have all modified a tool or built one from scratch to facilitate more efficient or more effective work.
So, what’s your best hack? I’ll start with this one I came up with today…
[video=youtube_share;dtVIYnq4EA4]- YouTube
Have u tried wrapping velcro around the whole pad?
JLOC COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL SERVICES
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I like it Caleb. Good Idea. I’ve also had that problem in the past, in fact that’s why I stopped using the dumb thing. 
Am I the only hacker out there? come on, I’m looking for new ideas!
Here’s another one for you guys.
The unger ergo-tec is my handle of choice. i do a lot of divided light windows, and I’ve found that an 8" channel is the sweet spot length for lots of different applications. it’s my favorite size for the secondary squeegee on my belt. Unfortunately, unger doesn’t make an 8" channel for ergo-tec handles. they go from 6" directly to 10".
so, i bought an ettore 8" ss channel. it fits the handle, but doesn’t have the cutouts for the handle teeth to grab the rubber. i hate fiddling with end clips, so i just drilled out some holes in the ettore channel to fit the unger handle.
it’s a classic “if-they-mated…” scenario. end result is awesomeness.
i guess a lot of people were using the bands for one reason or another for holding stuff together, but the slits idea is very good thanks for the tip
I’m not very creative. Thankfully many if you have ideas I would never have thought of that I can steal.
Love modifications and it sounds like you will do anything to get results. Have drilled holes in backflip and other Ettore handles to fit Unger poles. Works great i must say. I also cut down Unger stainless steel channels. Tured a 6 into 4 and so on. Got every size under 20 inches in my arsenal, 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. Got some messed up windows around here so one day i was bored and said have every size under 20 ready to go. Looking back this was overkill but its better to have and not need then to need and not have. Cutting my Ettore channels to 45 degrees can result in slightly damaged ends. Getting those brass clips in ain’t easy with perfect ends after changing rubber 2-5 times clips can be garbage. My solution is take Unger plastic clips and place them in on top of Ettore channel 1/2 inch in. Not much room so cutting them in half might be best. Pair of needle nose pliers will help. Also when using Ettore channel wih Unger Handle you will have much more room for Unger clips. Just put then in 1/4-1/2 or 1 inch in.
^ i’m glad you revived this thread. reminded me of a video i shot a couple weeks ago that i’ve been meaning to post.
[video=youtube_share;PUJwvRSpa8A]- YouTube
Hmmm not sure about that V-groove working so well with that huck wrapped around there like that ?
works pretty much the same. this is for people who put a cover on their top section anyway. if you’re doing that, you probably don’t really care much about the v-groove, since both the bonnet and the foam top get in the way.
I’m not knocking your ingenuity better them what I would come up with . The v-groove works with the wiljer bonnet it has give it just looks to me like the hucks the way you have it in there like it has no give . Your the one using it an if you say it dies than I guess it does .
Believe me I watched my brand new bonnet fly off my ladder on the parkway just got it the day before pick up truck days . So if that works what your doing great idea .
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Used my bucket as a Step ladder , didn’t want to go to the truck just for 1 window that I couldn’t reach
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I was carrying my 30 inch scrubber around today thinking what an inconvenience it was to have on my belt. Doesn’t fit in my ninja, Been having to keep it in my double loop holster which I found annoying and found myself not using it as much as I could because of that fact. So I was just out in my garage, took the skills saw to the bottom of my old first boab, an Ettore sidekick (I don’t recommend anyone buying one) Then I lobbed off the squeegee holster part (which used to always damage my rubbers in the same spot everyday), filed on it a bit and whaala! XL strip washer caddy. At least it has an attachable clip, so I can keep the clip on my belt and when I want to carry that bad boy around I can just attach the modified sidekick when desired.
Not much of a hack but it’s the only one I haven’t stolen from someone else, lol
A hack I would like to see is a way to make the angle on a swivel squeegee adjustable. From 45 degrees down to zero. Just by turning a knob or a screw. I did something like this once by using a hacksaw on an old Unger green nylon swivel. You know those squeegees that no one really liked? By the way. Did you guys know that Henry Unger had a bench downstairs where he would hack? He would hack until he was satisfied with the new tool. Then he would turn it over to his engineer at the factory.
This is a great thread. Lets keep it going.
Henry
Usually folks who have issues with boabs are they keep thinking its a bucket.
My ettore sidekick has ALLWAYS been used and thought of as a “washer holder” not a bucket .
Instead of lugging around a boab filled
with water it’s primary use is to hold my washer when working ,collecting the drip off that eventually gets poured back onto my bucket.
My hack is to cut a deeper handle slot in my sidekick to let my smaller washers sit lower in the sidekick.
Cleaning Windows is Just My Job, Not My Life…
c_wininger, have you tried adding more dual lock to your doodlebug? Dualoc is velcro’s bigger stronger brother, doesn’t use hooks and loops, it uses mushrooms. There is no part A and part B, it just sticks to itself, abrasive pads and microfibers also stick to it. Here’s web page with a good short description “andybaird.com/travels/gertie/superlock” I picked up some SJ3560 1" for $3.25 a foot OTD on ebay. The SJ3560 has a strong high temp water resistant adhesive.
Hey c_wininger, great post. One of my favorites, which I think I got here on this site, is to cut my rubber almost flush with the channel. It leaves much less water to towel dry. Not too short because you don’t want the channel edge to scrape the window frames. I tried to dog ear the channel itself like I’ve seen on YouTube but didn’t see a great result.
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this is a good one. i mastered this one when i first started. i was seventeen and doing 90% route work. still use that trick today, and people look at me like i’m nuts.
The rivets were always breaking on my boab and i would end up just trashing the whole thing. So I tried drilling out the holes with a 1/4 inch drill bit and pushed 10/24 stainless steel screws through and hand tightened the nuts. Over a year later, the screws still holding tight.
Thanks for the tip.
