What kind of vacuums do you guys use? What am I looking for? For vacing large areas are the big wide monsters any good?
Bag vs cup type, pros and cons of either.

As always thanks,
Pete

I found using a Certified Pile-lifter before using the Cimex & Releasit is a winning combination!
Remember that getting out more dry soil first is best.

I just got a Minuteman 747 Wide area Vac off EBay and will be using it tuesday morning. 291/2 inchs all I've done is try it out but it works real well in the house. will update after my forst commercial test.

I have 2 from Unisource. They are the house brand but I think they are made by clarke.
They do ok but the pile lifter is a better idea


Steve Frasier
Drew and Steve's Floor Care
www.drewandsteve.net

With the extra larger jobs I've been getting lately, I have been thinking about a wider vacuum cleaner.

Where I am located, we don't get to see much in regards to those bigger vacs;

I do like the idea of a pile lifter, but from the ones I do recall seeing, (bear in mind, these were probably 10 - 15 years ago), they were all very heavy, solid machines.

I have never used one so can't comment on what they are like.

So I would like to get some feed-back on them.

My main question though, is:

Would Delia be able to handle it okay??

I don't mind lifting it in and out of the van, but hey, she does the vacuuming, while I look after Big Yella.

Sorry to semi hi-jack your thread, but I think it is in the same scope of equipment.

Cheers,

Shorty.

I have a certified pile lifter and must say that for general pre-vacing of a carpet it would not be my first choice. It really doesn't get as much soil out as my Hoover Conquest 18 inch wide vac does. The pile lifter aggressively lifts and grooms the carpet but having inspected the bag after numerous jobs I have not found much soil actually removed from the carpet. I sometimes use it primarily to loosen crushed down carpet before I do a thorough vacuuming. On the vast majority of carpets the Hoover Conquest is all I use and it does a great job.

Shorty, Like Doug said, the pile lifter is not a good vacuum cleaner. A Hoover Conquest (the wide one) would be a better choice. The wider the slot on a vac, the less CFMs, when you put on a crevice tool (narrowing the slot) notice how much more airflow. Some of those wide area walk behinds (like Power Flite sells, are poor at vaccuming, they get the big pieces and that is about it.

Pete I brought the Minuteman 747 wide area vac (29 1/2) in the house to try it before my big job tues. It seemed to work really well it picked up all the stuff my normal vacuum cleaner picks up. Dog hair, little pieces of pine straw (dogs track in),etc. I was real pleased at the performance. After reading some of the posts here about the poor suction I was concerned but it worked good in my house. Took about 2 mins to do the living room. It definately needs fairly open spaces as it's not real manuverable for tight places

Rick, i look forward to your feedback, as i was interested in buying a WAV last year but didn't because of comments as stated above.

another option is the 28" Hoover Conquest. which i believe is two 14" put together...i think they do more than just "tape" it together, but you know what i mean.

i like my 18" Conquest. at 1st i was not impressed with the dust puff it gives off when i start it, but on commercial accounts thats not a concern and i'd never use it in a house. one way to stop this from happening is to vac out the inside of the cloth bag often, i'm lazy tho but i like my Conquest alot now, does pick up quite abit of stuff and agitates well...and love the dirtcup option.

thanx --- Derek.

I use a backpak vacuum. A Powerteam Supercoach. Works great and with a side to side sweeping motion I can cover a lot of area quickly.

When the bag of my conquest gets really soiled I just spray it with DS and then let it dry. Once its dry I just beat it out and put it back on. It seems to keep it from puffing for quite a while and its a lot easier then vacuuming it. I also have a 28" Pacer that I got on Ebay for $75 that is the bomb for big open areas. This thing is the most awesome vacuum I've ever used. two vacs and a kick @$$ beater bar.

Man I love Ebay! $75 Pacer and a $100 14" Conquest! And the cleanest Host machine I've ever seen for $500.

Tom Workman
Floor Cleaning Experts
www.Floorcleaningexperts.com

I used the Minuteman Wide Area Vac I got off EBay for the first time in a commercial setting today. Got to say it worked great it picked up everything
there were kids in there last night and I could see sparkle stuff in the carpet after I'd go over it they'd be gone. Also this was high end commercial carpet and it would raise the carpet up as I'd go over it. another neat thing is you pickup everything no stopping for big pieces of paper or other stuff I'd normally pickup. Plus the customer was IMPRESSED. This is the Minuteman 747 Wide Area Vac 29 1/2 inchs of brush. List $2400 I got it on Ebay for $275
Pro's Con's
Excellent Vac Power REAL BIG!!
Picks Up Everything Hard to get up any stairs
Quiet (Very) Heavy 140lbs
Holds a Ton of Stuff
Manuevers easy

I would never have bought it for $2400 but great deal for $275