Homemade grunge (chain cleaning) brushes for the poor
 

Thought I'd show you all my homemade grunge/chain cleaning brushes. Came across one of these on the net and figured I could make one just as good for next to nothing

http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pub...Jf4pyDMfbmqQpb

My ones are messy but cost me 15p each to make, both slightly different as I was playing with the blow torch.

The building materials are 3 of the 10p for two toothbrushes from Asda/Tesco/Wilkinsons etc etc. I am in the UK but there must be an equivalent 'cheap as possible' toothbrush in the US, you want one that is very soft so you don't ruin your O rings; the cheap toothbrushes are normally far too soft for cleaning teeth, but perfect for cleaning chains. Other materials are a mini blow torch (cigarette lighter would be ok) and a good two part epoxy like araldite or JB weld is optional but it does make it a lot simpler (and safer).

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...o/DSC06328.jpg

Not going to go into too much detail as it is pretty obvious:

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/...o/DSC06331.jpg

Left one - chop all three heads off the toothbrushes, use the blow torch to heat the plastic handles and bend them to shape (do it from a distance, you just want to heat it not set it on fire), hold them in shape until they cool, use the epoxy to glue the heads on and the handles together, leave it to dry.

Right one - I wanted to make one without any glue by melting the plastic of the third handle to use as a filler and not cutting off all three heads - It can be done but it is simpler to use the epoxy.

My suggestion would be to do something in the middle of the two, i.e. keep the heads on the two tooth brushes, bend the necks using the blow torch, glue the handles together then glue the third head in the middle. Try and get the distance between the heads just narrower than your chain.

Either way costs 15p a brush rather than £10 to buy one, coupled with some paraffin we have some very cheap chain cleaning http://cdn.bikechatforums.com/images...s/thumb_up.gif. Before anyone complains they are messy, they are for cleaning motorcycle chains not scrubbing the Queen's clunge :icon_razz:.


Disclaimer: If you are stupid enough to hurt yourself doing this, you probably deserved it and I will not be held liable.

Very purty Donny :D , gonna have to start saving up all my old tooty brushes !

this is incredible

Very nice. It looks like it was confiscated from a prison though. haha

Ironically, I just bought a new Grunge Brush the other day.

However, I agree w/ using what ya got too! :icon_wink:

thats a great idea....ill be making it soon.

for those on this side of the pond, cycle gear has the pictured chain brush for <$7 when you purchase ANYTHING ELSE in the store.

Thanks gents, they do look a bit 'prison shank' but they work really well :icon_razz:.

Any excuse to play with fire tbh.



If anyone makes their own, I would be interested to see pics!

its so much funner to make it yourself.

lol... Yep, I added mine to a moto superstore order for $8. I think I'd probably have just as much money tied up in epoxy and toothbrushes.
Then there's the all the burns.... and the poor children who would have to hear me curse and smash stuff. :D