I read the comments already posted on this subject and it made me wonder if anyone has actually cleaned carpet with a R61 Cimex. Not only is the machine 5 inches wider representing a 25 % increase it is also 5 inches deeper adding another 25% in cleaning agitation.

David VanBriggle

It will not relate to more production per man hour, besides the fiberplus pads do not come in a size to fit the 24 inch machine. Stick to the 19 inch, besides it is just the right size for most workstations and private offices.
If you are doing airports or large open spaces than and only than would I consider anything larger than the 19 inch.

I agree with what Don said.



Rick Gelinas

I do have plenty of experience with the 24",19" and 15" machine and most recently completed a very large job with both a 19" and 24" machine.
The 24" was about 30% faster, however it also was using chemical that much faster as well. (next time we will bring dollies with 5 gal pails of cleaner stacked up.
Another thing i noted was that the soft brushs cleaned the commercial wool broadloom better then the 19" with pads. When i need pads i just cut out my own.

I have also used the 15" a lot and found it to be faster in many cases then the 19! I believe that the reason for this is the fact that it spins faster. You can push it around a lot faster, however the 15 does wear the pads faster (prob. due to more lbs per the surface area of the insta-loc drivers. Another anomaly of the 15 is that it flings out the cleaner and can make a mess.

I hope this practical experience helps

steve

great info Steve, love end-user feedback. certainly something to think about...THANKS! --- Derek.

With all I have been reading about the Cimex of late, and from what Gary Bethel has told me, this machine sounds hard to hate.

See you guys, 'n gals next week at Connections, we leave at 10 minutes past midnight for Guam.

Cheers,

Shortwun.

Thank you Steve for your input. I have had a R61 since 1982 and a R48 since 1997. I agree that the 24 inch machine is 30% faster and I have found very few work stations or offices that present a challenge. I used brushes for years but have switched to pads. I also cut them myself. I have never used the machines in residential cleaning. I would like some opinions on whether to use a 19 inch or the 15 inch in a home.

David VB

David,

The 15" machines are far less common, but we do have a few guys who use the 15" Cimex in homes. It is the more popular size for residential since it's lighter and smaller. If you're putting together a program where you're planning to seriously address the residential sector with a Cimex, then the 15" machine would be perfect for that.




Rick Gelinas

How much does the 15" weigh?

Oops - gotta type my name in I guess.
Darren

I have also found that the 24" is still ok for tight spots around most desks etc in offices. Most of the time there is at least 24" space between desks and file cabinets in offices. We always use both the 19" amd 24" machine in offices and pop them off in no time at all. The tighter offices we use the 19 or 15. We spend far more time pre-vaccuming and giving special attention to edges and corners then the cleaning. When I can we also take the 15" machine and a third guy, but it is hard to pry the 15 away from my rug plant manager! Again, watch out for the 15" amd the way it flings the shampoo around.


steve

There's a table with all the specs for the various sizes of Cimex machines here...

http://excellent-supply.com/cimex_scrubber.htm




Rick Gelinas

Steve, above you said the 15" can sling solution around. do you use the15 " unit that runs 400 rpm or 600 rpm? cause i see Rick can sell the 15" at either speed.

what size pads would the 15" need Rick? i am guessing your 7"-8" FP pads wouldnt fit??

i would consider this machine for resi work...still is a little heavy for me tho lol. i wonder if for the plush type cut pile carpets in resi, if an OP would work better for "shimmying" it's way down between the fibers.?. or maybe the 15" Cimex with the brushes instead of pads would excel over an OP.?.

i'm just thinking out loud here hehe.

thanx --- Derek.

Derek

The cimex wins in my opinion over op. I purchased a random op and a square pad op prior to the cimex and was not at all happy with the op.

here is my experience:
random op-
-The random op can clean even very dirty carpet
-It leaves the carpet near dry.
-It is the second slowest way I have ever cleaned a carpet
-You are constantly changing pads and that takes more time.
-The machine was very hard to control, but maybe i am just a slow learner.
-carpet that is not streached tight will get looser and that is a hard one to explain to a client.
square pad op-
-all the above + even slower.

cimex with ricks juice.

-a money making machine.
-with all the time you save you can spend the time pre-vacuuming the carpet and edges to iicrc standards and knock your clients socks off!