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Author Topic: The "Bakuum" Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-25-2006 01:54 AM                        Has anyone ever used this thing called the "Bakuum?" Made by a company called Manutech and it's supposed to be specially designed for theatre use. I saw an ad for it in Boxoffice and I'm wondering if this might be a good alternative to sweeping. Might do a better job of getting under the seats etc. Costs $434.00. Manutech Bakuum website  |  IP: Logged Paul Trimboli Master Film Handler Posts: 274 From: Perth Western Australia Registered: Dec 2002 posted 04-25-2006 03:45 AM                     I have not used that brand,but backpack style vacs are very comon in Australia. I used them when I was doing floor work and they are fantastic, could not think how bad it much be to use a wheel around one for theatre use.  |  IP: Logged Kara J. McVay Film Handler Posts: 95 From: Delaware, OH Registered: May 2002 posted 04-25-2006 12:00 PM                        We have 2, they are very nice. The only complaint I might have is the attachment that comes with it is not the most user friendly, however once you get used to it you can become very quick at Bakumming. You feel like you are "Ghostbusting". We are fortunate to have a very old sweeper attachment that was bent to fit specifically under theatre seats, I retro-fit to my Bakumm. Now it is awesome!! Only cautions: they are very powerful and will pick up carpet that is not secured to the floor. So not real good for area rugs. It does not like straws or candy wrappers like Twizzlers or something large like that. So you must pick up the theatre better than you would if you were just going thru with a broom and dustpan. I have had mine over 2 years and not a single problem.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 04-25-2006 01:24 PM                     I've used similar backpak vacs and think they are the greatest for theatre janitoral use - only wish that the hose was ergonomic in a way to where you're not killing your wrist the way you have to hold the hose at such a downward angle. I would make a handle that I could tape to the hose so you could easily grab onto something with a clutched fist and not kill the wrist so bad... -Monte  |  IP: Logged Caleb Johnstone-Cowan Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 593 From: London, UK Registered: Mar 2006 posted 04-25-2006 05:21 PM                     Wish I had one of those sometimes! Guess you can vacuum the seats as well if they've got popcorn over them.  |  IP: Logged Allison Parsons Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 630 From: East Peoria, IL Registered: Oct 2004 posted 04-26-2006 01:09 AM                        How bad is the noise coming from one of those? Do they come with a free pair of earplugs? hehe  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 04-26-2006 03:52 AM                     Bakpak vacs aren't that noisy..rather more of a small, almost quiet wind machine. Since the size of the cylinder container is larger in diameter than the diameter of the hose, the motor's impeller (which is the same diameter of the cylinder) runs more slower due to the vacuum draw through a smaller opening as the hose entrance is greater than the vacuum draw inside of a larger cylinder. The debris would gather in a cloth, dumpbag since the air is being pulled through the bag from the vacuum motor below. Split the canister in half, dump the bag, clean the bag and reinstall and you're back in business. They should make BakPak Vacs for home use as well..but the housewives wouldn't tolerate packing a device like that around on their back...but would love the quietness of the unit. -Monte  |  IP: Logged Ron Curran Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 504 From: Springwood NSW Australia Registered: Feb 2006 posted 04-26-2006 04:22 AM                        We have used all types of cleaners over the decades. Wheeled, industrial vacs do a good job but they are heavy and awkward. Backpacks can cause you to lose balance at some of the angles you are forced into (double somersault with pike). Ducted vacs are the best if you can have them installed properly – just a hose to wield. After adult sessions, a battery hand vac is quick and easy but it is hard to find a good one these days. We have a Volta that we buy a new battery for every so often when it refuses to re-charge any more. Recently, we couldn’t get a battery so we bought another hand vac that used the same battery and disposed of the body (tried it first, useless throat design). For the foyer, we rely on a bagless Dyson and carpet sweepers. You need the sweepers coz the Dyson is too noisy near the auditorium entry. Sight-impaired patrons bring their guide dogs and those beautiful animals sit through an entire show without fuss or mess. If we could send our kids to the same obedience school, we wouldn’t need so much ammunition.  |  IP: Logged Caleb Johnstone-Cowan Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 593 From: London, UK Registered: Mar 2006 posted 04-26-2006 09:59 AM                     It's not the fault of the child if they drop popcorn or drinks, they are only kids after all. If they're throwing it about it's bad parenting. What really hacks me off is the adults who make the mess, one time we had this couple who were the only people in the screen, left an entire row covered in popcorn. Would have got them banned if I had seen it. Have little sympathy for adults who leave rubbish behind as well. We have one vacuum for a seven-screener, the other floor staff and myself are so hard-working that we usually clear something up as soon as we see it with a dustpan and brush  |  IP: Logged Ron Curran Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 504 From: Springwood NSW Australia Registered: Feb 2006 posted 04-27-2006 07:36 PM                        Yes, as I implied, parents could train their kids. Just like my parents did and I did and my kids have done. One of the problems is that 2 and 3 year olds are being brought along. Some of the more responsible parents share child-minding so that older brothers and sisters can enjoy kid’s films. Toddlers spoil their experience. It is often no fun for them either. Some are afraid of the dark and they can not be expected to concentrate through a full length movie. Of course we are monsters if we expect parents to pay for them. We don’t share a parents’ idea that it is cute for the littlest one to carry the popcorn and handle the tickets. Please read this before responding: We must endure the difficulties with a smile because this is our future audience. We also use dust pans and brooms and cloths and buckets and brushes and mops …  |  IP: Logged Caleb Johnstone-Cowan Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 593 From: London, UK Registered: Mar 2006 posted 04-27-2006 08:38 PM                     I would ban under-3's from cinemas, think this is the case in France. Aside from the fact that the sound must be deafening to some of them it's just not a good environment for a very young child. Of course you should take it with a smile, they're only kids after all. Saying that we can go a day and not get ten child admissions, just not a kids film cinema even when we get the likes of Narnia the audience is overwhelmingly adults.  |  IP: Logged System Notices Forum Watchdog / Soup Nazi Posts: 215 Registered: Apr 2004 posted 08-17-2014 12:44 PM                 It has been 3033 days since the last post.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-17-2014 12:44 PM                        Bringing up this old topic again, I am still thinking about one of these units. Checked the company's website, Google, and Amazon, but no place could I spot a link to an actual DEALER. Anyone on here know who sells these Manutech units? I think they would sell more stuff if they made it easier to buy it!  |  IP: Logged Frank Cox Film God Posts: 2234 From: Melville Saskatchewan Canada Registered: Apr 2011 posted 08-17-2014 04:02 PM                        I suppose it depends on how large the room that you're trying to clean up is, but I've always used an angle broom and a stand-up dustpan (the kind with a long handle -- mine is a Rubbermaid that I purchased from a restaurant supply store) to do my clean-up. Pick up the popcorn and drink containers first, sweep everything else into the dustpan (popcorn, candy wrappers, napkins, etc.), mop the floor as needed and vacuum the rug. Done. I would have to spend more time picking up trash if I wanted to vacuum the entire auditorium instead of just the rug, so I don't see where there would be any time saved.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-17-2014 08:23 PM                        We sweep to the end of each aisle, then pick up 18 piles of popcorn. We do use the standup dustpan. But I do think it'd be quicker to just walk down the aisles sucking up stuff. Our balcony has stadium risers and it's extremely difficult to get a broom in behind those seat legs, so it would make that alot easier. Manutech seems to be keeping their dealer network a secret from the "online" world. Maybe I will give them a call tomorrow.  |  IP: Logged

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