I'm planning on going after larger commercial jobs than I have in the past.
We use the Challenger for both cotton pad cleaning, as well as some encap, and like it just fine for small to medium jobs. But I know it can't compete
sq. ft. per hour-wise with the 19" Cimex or the 20" GLS. Think I want to buy
one or the other of these. While posts on this board lead me to believe that
the Cimex may be a bit ahead in terms of thoroughness or encap cleaning,
I think perhaps the GLS might be ahead in the ability to market cleaning
services viewed favorably by the mills. I don't really want to get into that
"Well, the Cimex isn't really a rotary; it's a planetary rotary" type of
discussion with warranty-oriented facility managers, executive housekeepers,
etc. I realize this is a Cimex-based board, but I've read probably every
post ever posted here, and realize that many have experiences with both
machines. So any comment offered would be respectfully listened to.

Mark Dullea
Drysdale's Carpet Care
Peabody MA USA

You might want to do a search on Paul Brown on the ICS board.He has some interesting observations about the cimex v.s cyl brush machines.

I think this post from the ICS board answers your question Mark...


Re: whittaker or cimex
Posted By Michael Pailliotet on 2/9/2005 at 9:16 PM

I have both....

The Cimex is so much better it's not even funny...

In fact it's really pissing me off that I took Tom Rowes advice to get the GLS first!!!!!






Rick Gelinas
encapman

hiyas Mark

i see you, as well as many others in the past, mention the mills approval etc...

how many of us here is this really a legitamate concern for???

albeit i'm small time, but as of yet i've never run across anyone mentioning this.

Rick, your big time , how many times have you heard this from your clients / prospects?

thanx --- Derek.

There is no compairing the two. Cimex destroys the gls. Watched side by side test at Mike fest last week, Cimex all the way. If you can get a demo from some one you'll have the same opinion about the cimex. I just spent 9k on a new truck mount and I have to wait 2-4 months until busy season gets going, then I'm buying mine.

Good luck

Greg Loe

hiyas Greg

good to see ya over here.

thanx --- Derek.

glad I bought a cimex...all though...the gls is next on the list cause they both have specific uses...gls from what I have heard will do awsome on rug fringes (sp).

Thanxx...
Rafco

do not use a GLS on rug fringes unless you want to buy a rug.

Clay lives in Eastern MA and has both machines. Hey Clay what you say?

I do not have a Cimex yet but have used one a few times.
I have a machine similar to the GLS.
Each machine has its niche I advise you to try out both and see what fits your needs

Cimex is the scrubber of choice. There is no comparison between Cimex and GLS if scrubbing is the question. GLS has its uses as a pilelifter and groomer, and other things.
As far as using the GLS on fringes - sure, why not? If someone has had a bad experience, maybe they used the wrong brushes, or the wrong technique. Just to say don't do it is hardly helpful. What happened? I've used the GLS for fringes and never had a problem.

Just visited Clay's website. We are not too many miles apart, so he may
consider me a competitor. Only a TRULY GRACIOUS & CLASSY GENTLEMAN would
be likely to agree to assisting me here.

Mark
Peabody MA

I have seen people use dule counter rotating brush machines on Rug fringes only to have then fringes pulled into the machine or have some of the fringes lost.

It is im my view better to do fringe work by hand, after the rug has been washed and dryed. We have been doing them this way for many years with out any problems


If the rug is a cheap fake i might give it a go but no way would I be doing it on a expensive rug.

David

PS
IF you live that close to Clay do not buy a Cimex or a GLS

IF you live that close to Clay do not buy a Cimex or a GLS

lol your kidding right David???

Sadly, it is true that in my zipcode neither a GLS or a Cimex will work for anyone else but us. Too bad, but hey, you can always move to where they work!

Seriously folks, I don't really think of it as an 'either or' proposition. Do you want to hear your carpenter wonder out loud if he should own a screwdriver OR a hammer? Which is better? I'd look for a different carpenter.

If the whole question boils down to: "I can only afford one, so it has to be the better one for me", I do understand. But if you are serious about doing commercial work, you will want more than one machine at some point anyway, right?

Folks at Whittaker who sell the GLS make no 'restoration' claims. They bill it as a 'maintenance tool'. I've found it is undersold - in plenty of really ugly cases, GLS alone has done amazing job. I love it for carpets with some pile, so it can 'fluff it up'.

Stairs - GLS

Lightly soiled commercial carpet - either one

Awkward access areas - GLS usually

"I'm in a hurry to do a small job, it'll only take 5 minutes, I'm by myself" - GLS usually. Either would work, I'm just too darn lazy and don't have my ramp yet, so I opt for the non grunting machine to do the touchup instead.

5th floor walkup on historic Boston condo, no elevator - I never even mention that I have a Cimex, don't want 'em to know.

Major concerns about pet hair - GLS. It 'pulls up'. Customer can see balls of Fido fur so they know we are removing them.

Large jobs, where you want some production speed going - both, of course!

But for seriously trashed carpet, I would definitely take out the Cimex, especially when it is low pile. Ask yourself honestly, can you afford not to have a tool that can handle the absolute worst part of the job? In the customer's mind, that one dirty area may be the whole reason they called you. If you leave that area dull and ugly, then the whole experience with your company is a flop in her/his mind. For this reason, the GLS can not be your only tool. You MUST select another one to go along with it. I use a Cimex and also have option to use extractor with Rotovac. We use the Cimex much more often, but to be fair, part of the reason is that we don't really do much water damage, so extraction is not really something we need very often.

Tools. You need more tools, not fewer. You need the tool to fit the job.

excellent reply by a true Gent!

thanx for the overview Clay

take care --- Derek.

Yes it was a joke

David was joking.

I, on the other hand, had to have my 'sense of humor' surgically removed due to a tragic Cimex cord accident several years ago.

I, therefore, am always 100% dead serious. There are no exceptions.