THE SURFACE EDGER, that's right "EDGER"

[swrest]

No I dint make a mess using this wand with mud or mulch, I quickly figure out as a rookie that it takes low pressure for edging.


Hey you want to buy a 24ft yellow pole?:yes4:

That is one of the biggest selling points, the fact that we will not disturb the landscaping, the facilities that own a pressure washer almost never have a dual lance, and always make a mess.

Great point Scott. Hope no newbies are listening....

 

[Mike V]

A dual lance wand works just fine, as was said early. But

Perhaps you dont have one, all I do is turn the handle and it lowers the water pressure, then turn it the other way and guess what ?:bash: It become high pressure. It has two tips one is a soap tip and the other for high pressure. Very easy to use.

No I dont make a mess using this wand with mud or mulch, I quickly figure out as a rookie that it takes low pressure for edging.


Hey you want to buy a 24ft yellow pole?:yes4:

I never get a face full of mud or mulch either...I have some employees that might though.

Although I don't often have to do the physical aspect of this job anymore, I did and do understand the benefit of a tool like this. Low pressure or high pressure, you are going to have some cleanup unless you can defy the laws of physics.... this tool would prevent the extra time need to push the mulch back up into the beds...and because you are so experienced with your dual wand, I am sure you have a way to get the mulch back into the beds in such a manner that it looks perfect with no additonal work.

Look at this picture - could you clean the sidewalks and steps without disturning the mulch, without getting excess water or low pressure overspray into the bed which will allow the mulch to float onto the concrete creating something that you will have to go back and touch up.

I am by no means an expert and have very little experience in this business, lucky to get a job or two a week and know that while a dual wand setup has its advantages and the use of a ball valve to regulate pressure will help....there are some cases where low pressure will not clean dirty concrete, especially if you are using a surface cleaner on the rest of the concrete....we like a seamless clean look when we are complete with a drive or sidewalk.

Low pressure would not clean this drive in a manner that would match the performance of the surface cleaner.

How much do you want for your yellow pole?


Also....My guys are like you Scott....they would likely not use it either.......I would buy it thinking it was a great idea, much like when I bought everyone the little rubber grommet belt clip-nozzle holders that have never been on a belt loop of any All American employee.

 

[Christopher]

Bob, I will call you tomorrow to place an order.

I see a lot of great value in this new tool.

I wish I would have had that new tool with me today on a couple jobs, it would have saved about 20 minutes on each job dealing with the mulch and dirt.

Now to just figure out how to rig up a box around it for vacuum.

 

[Mike V]

Bob, I will call you tomorrow to place an order.

I see a lot of great value in this new tool.

I wish I would have had that new tool with me today on a couple jobs, it would have saved about 20 minutes on each job dealing with the mulch and dirt.

Now to just figure out how to rig up a box around it for vacuum.

Ditto - Great price and quality materials. I was going to just build one to save a few bucks but not a that price.

Thanks for sharing it.

 

[Lightning Gene]

I bought one of the first ones made and like it so far......Made a seperate wand to leave on it and just hook the ball valve to it when needed.....:clapping:

 

[Christopher]

I bought one of the first ones made and like it so far......Made a seperate wand to leave on it and just hook the ball valve to it when needed.....:clapping:

That is what I am planning on doing, just put a plug on the end of it so I can connect it to the dual lance when needed, just like the other different length wands, each has a different use, just other tools to get the job done.

I know I will like this new tool, already found a few more uses for it and I don't even have it yet, I will be ordering it tomorrow!

 

[jlpressure]

I never get a face full of mud or mulch either...I have some employees that might though.

Although I don't often have to do the physical aspect of this job anymore, I did and do understand the benefit of a tool like this. Low pressure or high pressure, you are going to have some cleanup unless you can defy the laws of physics.... this tool would prevent the extra time need to push the mulch back up into the beds...and because you are so experienced with your dual wand, I am sure you have a way to get the mulch back into the beds in such a manner that it looks perfect with no additonal work.

Look at this picture - could you clean the sidewalks and steps without disturning the mulch, without getting excess water or low pressure overspray into the bed which will allow the mulch to float onto the concrete creating something that you will have to go back and touch up.

I am by no means an expert and have very little experience in this business, lucky to get a job or two a week and know that while a dual wand setup has its advantages and the use of a ball valve to regulate pressure will help....there are some cases where low pressure will not clean dirty concrete, especially if you are using a surface cleaner on the rest of the concrete....we like a seamless clean look when we are complete with a drive or sidewalk.

Low pressure would not clean this drive in a manner that would match the performance of the surface cleaner.

How much do you want for your yellow pole?


Also....My guys are like you Scott....they would likely not use it either.......I would buy it thinking it was a great idea, much like when I bought everyone the little rubber grommet belt clip-nozzle holders that have never been on a belt loop of any All American employee.

FLIP FLOPS, thats a no no

 

[Mike V]

FLIP FLOPS, thats a no no

I hear ya....I hope OSHA isn't reading. That's one of my guys....we call him 8 Toes.

 

[John Orr]

Hi Lenny,
The lance needs to be firmly fixed to the surface edger bracket for fastest cleaning speed which is a fast walking pace.
I suppose one could machine a block of aluminum through drilled and tapped out top and bottom, then screw in coupling on bottom for spray tip. The top of the block would need a male coupling to receive the wand. (I'm not sure if that fitting even exists). To have a piece machined like that would cost a fortune unless you were getting thousands made in China.
I appreciate your question and it is a good one.
I keep looking at a way that this could be done with simplicity.
In the mean time all of the guys that have them just use a dedicated wand.
I sell the complete tool with wand but most of the PW guys get wands cheaper than I sell them for due to knowing their dealer well and there is no shipping charge when they buy from the local store.
Thanks Lenny,
Bob Hogan
The Surface Edger

Bob,

Would it be possible to weld a small section of lance to the Edger, with quick connects on both ends? 1/4" male on top and 1/4" female on the bottom for tips.

 

[Bob Hogan]

Hi John,
It would have to be aluminum lance tubing.
I think the wall thickness of the lance would get burned through when welding.
An aluminum block with a hole drilled through and tapped would work good.
Any machining and welding would be too costly for me to do other than making prototypes.
You're idea of a quick connect is a very good one. It's something planned for in the future but a little premature for me right now.
What I'm not sure of is how the surface edger would handle with a quick connect being that the joint would have some play in it, not sure?
So far everyone is using a dedicated wand.
The aluminum block would need to replace the L-bracket. It would have to be fastened to the blade with hardware as welding would warp the blade ( I've tried it).
If you know someone with a machine shop I'd be happy to sell you just the blade with wheels for $48.00 or maybe you could just make one yourself if you want to experiment. When I get around to testing this version of the surface edger you will be the first to know, but as I mentioned, the machining cost of that block is very expensive.
Thanks for your input
Bob Hogan

 

[offdutyfireman]

An unloader block would work for you.

 

[Christopher]

Thanks for your time on the phone yesterday Bob, it was very informative.

I believe this new tool will help with a lot of landscaping pita jobs in the future, can't wait for it to get here.

Thank You.

 

[Lou Zehnder]

How much is it
?

 

[Bob Hogan]

Hi Lou,
The surface edger attachment is $69.
I use USPO flat rate which is $10.70 (lowest rate available)
Thanks,
Bob Hogan
727 744-2467

 

[swrest]

I never get a face full of mud or mulch either...I have some employees that might though.

Although I don't often have to do the physical aspect of this job anymore, I did and do understand the benefit of a tool like this. Low pressure or high pressure, you are going to have some cleanup unless you can defy the laws of physics.... this tool would prevent the extra time need to push the mulch back up into the beds...and because you are so experienced with your dual wand, I am sure you have a way to get the mulch back into the beds in such a manner that it looks perfect with no additional work.

Look at this picture - could you clean the sidewalks and steps without disturning the mulch, without getting excess water or low pressure overspray into the bed which will allow the mulch to float onto the concrete creating something that you will have to go back and touch up.

I am by no means an expert and have very little experience in this business, lucky to get a job or two a week and know that while a dual wand setup has its advantages and the use of a ball valve to regulate pressure will help....there are some cases where low pressure will not clean dirty concrete, especially if you are using a surface cleaner on the rest of the concrete....we like a seamless clean look when we are complete with a drive or sidewalk.

Low pressure would not clean this drive in a manner that would match the performance of the surface cleaner.

How much do you want for your yellow pole?


Also....My guys are like you Scott....they would likely not use it either.......I would buy it thinking it was a great idea, much like when I bought everyone the little rubber grommet belt clip-nozzle holders that have never been on a belt loop of any All American employee.

How do you guy's feel about vendors marketing to OUR customers, whether they are HOA's property managers, homeowners, or just anyone that we sell to? I feel that they are doing a great injustice to us, the professionals by telling our customers or potential customers that the product that they sell is the answer to their problems. I do understand that distributors and manufactures are in it for the same reason that we are, to make money, however, when they take the approach that what we are doing is not top of the line and that they, the customers are not spending their money to get the best service that they can, we take the hit.


A particular instance is with the Surface Edger, I received a video for review,http://vimeo.com/14308464 while I believe that this product is a viable tool for us to use, marketing it to OUR CUSTOMERS as a tool for their use, and making any implications that they can do it for themselves does us no good. The very same is true with the Home Depots, Lowe's and in many instances local and nationwide distributors. I have heard it said many times that HydroTek directly markets to commercial customers with the same equipment that we use, while informing those potential customers that they can do the same thing that we do, for a lower price. I am sure that we all know that they can not and in the end will just make our industry look like we do poor work and charge too much.

When we look at the pictures above we can all recognize that this job was done by a professional, with the knowledge and skill needed to NOT disturb the landscape, a common problem that AMATEURS deal with. So what does this tell you? It tells me that no tool, no matter how well designed, will ever replace us, the professionals. And that we the professional need to start exercising our buying power, by making conscious choices or at least as many as possible and not by from our competition.

 

[Lou Zehnder]

For 70 bucks it might find a place on the trailer.....I would like something that does parking lot curbs more....The cubbie thing looked good but i think it was a one time build.

 

[Ron Musgraves]

I'll try mine on curbs lou, great point!!

 

[jlpressure]

How do you guy's feel about vendors marketing to OUR customers, whether they are HOA's property managers, homeowners, or just anyone that we sell to? I feel that they are doing a great injustice to us, the professionals by telling our customers or potential customers that the product that they sell is the answer to their problems. I do understand that distributors and manufactures are in it for the same reason that we are, to make money, however, when they take the approach that what we are doing is not top of the line and that they, the customers are not spending their money to get the best service that they can, we take the hit.


A particular instance is with the Surface Edger, I received a video for review,http://vimeo.com/14308464 while I believe that this product is a viable tool for us to use, marketing it to OUR CUSTOMERS as a tool for their use, and making any implications that they can do it for themselves does us no good. The very same is true with the Home Depots, Lowe's and in many instances local and nationwide distributors. I have heard it said many times that HydroTek directly markets to commercial customers with the same equipment that we use, while informing those potential customers that they can do the same thing that we do, for a lower price. I am sure that we all know that they can not and in the end will just make our industry look like we do poor work and charge too much.

When we look at the pictures above we can all recognize that this job was done by a professional, with the knowledge and skill needed to NOT disturb the landscape, a common problem that AMATEURS deal with. So what does this tell you? It tells me that no tool, no matter how well designed, will ever replace us, the professionals. And that we the professional need to start exercising our buying power, by making conscious choices or at least as many as possible and not by from our competition.

Vendors sell to school districts, local and Fed Gov, retail etc etc etc. Can't blame them, its their lively hood and if I was a vendor I think everyone could be my customer. I bet a lot of vendors and manufactures sell a lot more to everyone else and contractors are a very small piece of their pie

Wish they only sold to me and all these entities couldn't buy and only could hire us, but thats just not for real

 

[HotShot_Anthony]

I didn't read the whole thread because it seemed that everybody just started bashing Bob..

I think it's a good idea. I would use it for demo purposes. Just do a couple of outlines around their dirty sidewalk and I think you would be getting some bids. One suggestion though, I would make that ubolt that is holding the wand in place some kind of a quick disconnect.

 

[Christopher]

I didn't read the whole thread because it seemed that everybody just started bashing Bob..

I think it's a good idea. I would use it for demo purposes. Just do a couple of outlines around their dirty sidewalk and I think you would be getting some bids. One suggestion though, I would make that ubolt that is holding the wand in place some kind of a quick disconnect.

I got mine in that I ordered and I will be attaching a 2' or 3' wand to it with a plug on the end of the wand so I can attach it to my dual lance wand or any other wand that I use like the other wands of different lengths that I use for different jobs.

This edger is built very good, thick metal and strong, heavy duty wheels. Nothing cheap on this tool at all.