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 !
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this is incredible
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Very nice. It looks like it was confiscated from a prison though. haha
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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.
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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.
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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! |
Originally Posted by regener8ed
(Post 1041533)
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.
its so much funner to make it yourself. |
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. Then there's the all the burns.... and the poor children who would have to hear me curse and smash stuff. :D |
It won't clean 3 sides of the chain at once like a grunge brush, but a cheap battery powered electric toothbrush will do a better job, and quicker. You can get one with replaceable heads for 5 bucks or less.
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AHahah awesome, why buy it when you can make it?
I'm gonna make me one ! |
How exactly do you use parrafin to clean a chain? Isn't that what they use to make candles? Seems to me a solid wax would not make a very good cleaner or am I missing something?
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We call kerosene paraffin over here.
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Originally Posted by F34Me?
(Post 1047940)
How exactly do you use parrafin to clean a chain? Isn't that what they use to make candles? Seems to me a solid wax would not make a very good cleaner or am I missing something?
In the UK we only really call it kerosene if it is being used as aeroplane fuel, otherwise it is paraffin, wax is paraffin wax. |
omg, someone please sticky this. Best damn thread on the site! lol.
but in all seriousness, nice work. was going to buy one but definitely going to make one of these. you better patent your idea asap! I like it. |
"Before anyone complains they are messy, they are for cleaning motorcycle chains not scrubbing the Queen's clunge :icon_razz:. "
I hope J house gets to see this. It'll help him orientate the correct connotation. Another use of the most fabulous word in the English language- Clunge! I suspect the queen probably has staff to service her undercarriage anyway. Nice one Danny-o. Personally I just leave my chain dirty. That's just me. :icon_wink: |
Henry, you sound like you've just finished a couple of strong pints. :icon_lol:
Just to keep this on topic... The Grunge Brush is a great piece of maintenance equip. If you can save a few bucks by making your own, go for it! :) |
Originally Posted by gotcbr
(Post 1071017)
Henry, you sound like you've just finished a couple of strong pints. :icon_lol:
Just to keep this on topic... The Grunge Brush is a great piece of maintenance equip. If you can save a few bucks by making your own, go for it! :) I'm still not sold on the idea of chain cleaning. It seems more of an aesthetic thing rather than serving any real maintenance purpose. After all, if you soak it in Paraffin (Kerosine), some of that is going to get past the o rings and dilute the lubricant that's actually doing its job at the bearing surfaces. I'll stick to using a rag and keeping the chain regularly lubricated thanks. Toothbrushes are for Chadwells... and possibly queens clunges. |
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