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+--- Thread: About the Duplex 420: a review (/showthread.php?tid=1364)
About the Duplex 420: a review - Act One Cleaning - 01-29-2015
Folks, I've been using a porty for HWE for a few years and have done pretty well. Encapping was not very effective for me until I stumbled over this forum and read several hundred posts. In the process, you guys convinced me that encapping works if done right. So, using my 175, I tried again on a few jobs and it worked very well.
As you know good equipment makes all the difference. So I began thinking about what to get on my limited budget. The counter-rotating brush (CRB) looked like a logical choice, as it could be used to encap and pre-scrub for the porty when needed. But which machine?
I wanted the BrushEncap machine, but just didn't have the shekels. However, on Craigslist I found a Duplex 420 like ES sells, for about $600. Figuring it was too good to pass up, I got it. Now, the Duplex has the ability to recover liquid and damp debris, which struck me as an advantage. It does not recover dry debris, which would make it tough to comb pet hair out of a carpet before cleaning. In addition, it is a hefty beast and not easily carried. Finally, it has two plastic tanks and a plastic lid, all of which need to be babied to prevent breaking. Give some, get some, right?
So today I tried it out. Vacuumed thoroughly, presprayed, then went to work. The Duplex erased all the stains and spots effortlessly. I got a good 1100 ft/hr working around exercise equipment and in offices. It goes slap up against edges and under desks with ease. What I REALLY liked was being able to tackle several traffic areas so worn they looked like solid asphalt. Using the little solution tanks, I turned on the recovery belts and repeatedly wet and recovered from the traffic areas until I had scrubbed them clean. Now, I believe the dry brush machines can scrub just as well. But this machine used its' weight and brushes to bully that clotted gunk right out, then physically recovered the gunk from the carpet. No extraction needed and best of all, those traffic spots were nearly dry just as fast as the rest of the carpet!
If you are considering a CRB machine, this is a great choice. So far I have used it to strip VCT tile, scrub wood floors and now, encap a CGD carpet. Top marks on all jobs! It is expensive, but I now think it will be the platform on which we build our commercial carpet business. I am glad Excellent Supply sells them and if you are on the fence about the extra cost, just know that it has convinced this old sceptic that yes, one machine really can do many things. It would be an excellent choice to buy. Ask away, I'll try my best to answer.
RE: About the Duplex 420: a review - Lounge Lizards - 01-29-2015
Good on you Stephen for having a go.
I also have a CRB, but a brand which (I think) is not exported to the USA.
For the jobs that I bought it for, it's brilliant.
Oh yeah, nearly forgot, I also have an ancient Host CRB, the very small one which is rarely used.
I believe that Noah used it to scrub the decks of the Ark, he had two horse power machines to move it.
Now, if you said you were going into commercial work, I would strongly advise you to buy a Cimex.
Not only can you encap with it, but it is also much faster and will do a better job of scrubbing any carpet that you wish to extract afterwards.
The Cimex is also extremely versatile, getting under low desks and also into very tight spaces where one would never attempt putting a rotary.
RE: About the Duplex 420: a review - Act One Cleaning - 01-29-2015
Shorty, I appreciate the voice of experience. My business is deep cleaning and we are called on to do everything from gum removal to boiling parrot feather protein out of painted walls. Currently I need something that will cover more types of work than just carpet, but given the speed and hourly return of this foray, I'm really thinking it though! I will keep my cheap eyeballs peeled for a Cimex, maybe the chance to try one out.