Industrial Vacuum Cleans Big Messes

2023 - Volume #47, Issue #4, Page #35

[ Sample Stories From This Issue | List of All Stories In This Issue | Print this story | Read this issue]

Big Brute industrial vacuums have been helping farmers, manufacturers, and many others clean up all kinds of messes in Europe for more than 40 years. About 7 years ago, Tom Cullen brought the British-built vacuums to the U.S.
“It’s very simple but very powerful. It’s a workhorse,” says Cullen, owner of Total Clean Technologies in Danvers, Mass. He spent about a year adapting the vacuum’s voltage to work in the States. A Tennessee manufacturer makes the three air-cooled, 3,200-watt motors (totaling about 2 hp.) that go into each vacuum, which is also UL-certified and OSHA-approved.
The U.S. models are called Big Mike, named after Michael Williams, the inventor.
“Big Mike uses single phase power, and it pulls 100 in. of water column with just 18 amps (110 volt and 11 amps in 220 volt). It’ll vacuum up 255 bushels of corn in 3 1/2 hours. Customers use them to clean railyards, silos and grain pits,” Cullen says. “They’re also used in warehouses and ball bearing facilities, and to clean up messes when processing meat and other foods.”
Big Mike comes in dry and wet & dry models with heavy-duty 55-gal. steel drums and a hose long enough to clean out a grain bin from the top (hoses come in 10, 15, 33 and 50 ft. lengths). That makes it much easier and safer for ag workers. The available hand tool kit is excellent for spot-cleaning walls, ceilings, tight spots, and any type of machinery.
Cullen notes his best seller is the Warehouseman (starting at $4,640), which has a 28-in. floor brush in addition to the hose. It and other dry models have filters that should be cleaned after every use to help them last longer. That’s about all the maintenance the vacuums need, Cullen says. He shipped 14 to the Alaska Department of Transportation to clean up ice and dirt on floors and sumps where trucks are parked. Another vacuum was purchased by the Navy to go to Pearl Harbor.
Vacuums designed to suck up water and oil don’t require filters. The filled tank can be drained with a 2 1/2-in. outlet to a hose or poured out. A couple of models have a base that opens to dump. With an interceptor lid, used oil and other liquids can be transferred to drums for easy disposal.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Total Clean Technologies (Big Mike USA), P.O. Box 268, Danvers, Mass. 01923 (ph 877-848-1115; info@bigmikevac.com; www.bigmikevac.com).

Click here to download page story appeared in.

Click here to read entire issue

Industrial Vacuum Cleans Big Messes FARM SHOP Maintenance Big Brute industrial vacuums have been helping farmers manufacturers and many others clean up all kinds of messes in Europe for more than 40 years About 7 years ago Tom Cullen brought the British-built vacuums to the U S “It’s very simple but very powerful It’s a workhorse ” says Cullen owner of Total Clean Technologies in Danvers Mass He spent about a year adapting the vacuum’s voltage to work in the States A Tennessee manufacturer makes the three air-cooled 3 200-watt motors totaling about 2 hp that go into each vacuum which is also UL-certified and OSHA-approved The U S models are called Big Mike named after Michael Williams the inventor “Big Mike uses single phase power and it pulls 100 in of water column with just 18 amps 110 volt and 11 amps in 220 volt It’ll vacuum up 255 bushels of corn in 3 1/2 hours Customers use them to clean railyards silos and grain pits ” Cullen says “They’re also used in warehouses and ball bearing facilities and to clean up messes when processing meat and other foods ” Big Mike comes in dry and wet & dry models with heavy-duty 55-gal steel drums and a hose long enough to clean out a grain bin from the top hoses come in 10 15 33 and 50 ft lengths That makes it much easier and safer for ag workers The available hand tool kit is excellent for spot-cleaning walls ceilings tight spots and any type of machinery Cullen notes his best seller is the Warehouseman starting at $4 640 which has a 28-in floor brush in addition to the hose It and other dry models have filters that should be cleaned after every use to help them last longer That’s about all the maintenance the vacuums need Cullen says He shipped 14 to the Alaska Department of Transportation to clean up ice and dirt on floors and sumps where trucks are parked Another vacuum was purchased by the Navy to go to Pearl Harbor Vacuums designed to suck up water and oil don’t require filters The filled tank can be drained with a 2 1/2-in outlet to a hose or poured out A couple of models have a base that opens to dump With an interceptor lid used oil and other liquids can be transferred to drums for easy disposal Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Total Clean Technologies Big Mike USA P O Box 268 Danvers Mass 01923 ph 877-848-1115; info@bigmikevac com; www bigmikevac com

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.

SUBSCRIBE OR RENEW NOW