Plastic bottle brush for cleaning the chimney. Cleaning chimneys: a few ways that really work

Stove heating not only does not lose ground, but is also experiencing its rebirth. For this reason, the issues of proper operation and maintenance of solid fuel units are no less acute than several centuries ago. With how to heat the stove, and what kind of wood is best to use, the owners of private households have no difficulty. Problems begin when the draft disappears and the smoke begins to go into the room. And the whole reason is the smoke channel clogged with soot and soot. It is problematic to find a chimney sweep today, so you will have to carry out maintenance of the chimney yourself. All you need is a chimney brush that you can make yourself.

What causes clogged chimneys

Such advantages of furnace heating as profitability, autonomy and the ability to create a special, homely atmosphere cannot be surpassed by any modern heating device. Thanks to this, stoves and fireplaces are still widely used both in rural areas and in cities. At the same time, the use of solid fuels has many disadvantages, one of which is the need for regular cleaning of smoke channels. But the frequency of their maintenance can be significantly reduced if you know where so much soot and soot come from.

Deposits in the chimney can completely block the smoke outlet

So, the main factors that contribute to the clogging of chimneys are:

• incineration of waste, which consists of high-carbon materials (all types of plastic, polyethylene, foam, cardboard, etc.);
• use of wet firewood;
• violation of the operating mode of the heating device;
• firewood firebox that contains a large amount of resins (pine, spruce, fir, etc.);
• ash is rarely removed from the working chambers of the furnace;
• violation of the fuel supply regime;
• foreign debris.

In addition, rapid fouling of the chimney can be caused by increased roughness of the flue walls and their incorrect configuration. For this reason, it is better to entrust the construction of the furnace to an experienced craftsman.

Dangers posed by soot accumulation

It is impossible not to notice problems with the chimney. Most often, they will indicate the following signs:

• traction decreases;
• firewood does not light up well when kindling;
• smoke is coming into the room;
• decrease in the thermal efficiency of the furnace.

All these factors indicate such a strong clogging of the gas duct that only a narrow hole remains for the exit of combustion products. The use of the heater in such conditions is prohibited, since this often leads to tragic consequences:

Chimney cleaners

Remove deposits from the chimney can be chemically and mechanically. The first involves the combustion in the furnace of substances whose combustion products soften soot deposits and contribute to their combustion and removal in a natural way. The second is to remove soot from the walls of the chimney with various scrapers, brushes, etc.

Chemicals for cleaning the chimney allow you to do without mechanical devices, but have a fairly high cost

Practice shows that mechanical cleaning is best done with a hard brush, similar to that used for washing dishes with a narrow neck. A variety of materials are suitable for the manufacture of such a tool:

• steel rope;
• plastic bottles;
• pieces of steel wire;
• thick fishing line or plastic rods;
• springs;
• thick rubber;
• metal chain or strong rope;
• various weights and weights.

The choice of one or another material for the manufacture of a chimney brush depends on how persistent soot deposits will have to be removed. For regularly maintained chimneys made of steel or asbestos-cement pipes, a tool with soft bristles is suitable, while brick flues with many years of soot deposits can only be cleaned with a metal wire brush. It is best to have several devices of varying degrees of hardness in your arsenal or make one combined tool.

How to make a stove tool

Before proceeding with the manufacture of a device for removing soot deposits, it is necessary to consider its design and dimensions. In this case, it is necessary to take into account:

• chimney length;
• flue diameter;
• amount and persistence of deposits.

Based on the input data, conclusions are drawn about the length of the cable, the mass of the load, the size of the brush and its rigidity.

The design of the device for cleaning soot mechanically

The length of the rope or cable used to hold the brush is taken with a margin of 2–2.5 meters. This will allow you to hold the device more firmly in your hands, and if necessary, make a loop around the chimney so as not to drop the tool into the chimney. Any load can be used as a weight - from a specially cast lead blank to some heavy nut or a car part that has become unusable.

Making a plastic ruff

A budget brush for removing soot from a chimney can be easily made from improvised means. To make a plastic ruff you will need:

• broom made of polypropylene rods;
• plumbing cable of the required length;
• metal hairpin with a diameter of 8 mm with an eyelet;
• nut with a diameter of 8 mm with an eye;
• washer with a diameter of at least 50 mm with a hole of 8 mm;
• 2 carabiners;
• load of 0.5–2 kg.

If you can't find a stud and lug nut, don't despair - a regular bolt will do. Loops for fastening the cable and cargo can be made of steel wire.

Materials that will be needed to make a plastic chimney brush

The diameter of the brush made of plastic elements should be slightly larger than the cross section of the smoke channel. This will provide increased pressure of individual rods on the walls of the chimney and increase the speed of cleaning.

The work is performed in the following order:

1. A stalk is cut off or twisted from a synthetic broom - it will not be needed in the future. To make it more convenient to work, the rest is clamped in a vice.
2. The bristle of a round broom is unbent to the sides. To make the material more pliable, the brush is dipped in boiling water or heated with a building hair dryer.

   
   Plastic broom bars need to be straightened

3. If there is no hole inside the holder, then a hole with a diameter of 8 mm should be made.
4. On the side where the handle is attached, a steel pin with an eye is inserted into the hole.

   
   The hairpin allows you to fix the bristles in the desired position

5. From the side of the rods, a washer is installed on the stud and pressed with a nut with lugs.

   
   The eye nut allows not only fixing the ruff rods, but also attaching a load and a cable to it

6. The rods are cut, focusing on the diameter of the chimney.

   
   Excessively long rods should be cut

7. A loop is made on one side of the cable, securing the metal edge with knitting wire.
8. With the help of carbines, a cable is attached to one eye, and a load to the other.

   
   Ruff for the chimney can be made by hand

In addition to a synthetic broom, plastic containers from soda water are a good material for making a soft brush. To make a "lush" brush, you will need 5-6 of these vessels and a sharp knife. It is necessary to cut off the bottom of all bottles, and dissolve the walls into strips with a width of 3 to 10 mm. After that, all containers, except for one, cut off the neck, getting a hole slightly larger than the diameter of the neck. Assembly into a single structure is carried out by fitting the parts onto the remaining threaded part and fixing them with a cover. After that, drilling is done for a hairpin and the ruff is attached to the cable and weight in the manner described above.

To make the bristles from a plastic bottle more rigid, they are heated with a burner or a building hair dryer. The same method can be used to give the brush the desired shape.

How to make a metal brush

To make a metal cleaning tool, you can use pieces of steel wire (cable) or use a wire brush for a grinder. In the latter case, the angle grinder is simply mounted on a cable with a load and fastened with a wire. If the use of a working tool for other purposes is unacceptable for you, then you can make a metal ruff with your own hands. For this you will need:

The manufacturing technology of a metal brush is not difficult:

The simplicity of this method makes it extremely popular among home craftsmen. And at the same time, there is another very interesting tool that combines both a brush for removing soot and a load. In addition to the tools and materials described above, you will need:

• steel pipe with a diameter of more than 50 mm;
• electric drill;
• high carbon steel core;
• drill for metal, the diameter of which corresponds to the cross section of the wire or cable;
• sand-cement mortar.

To make a brush, in the same way as in the previous case, prepare the required number of flexible elements. Next, they act like this:

1. Through holes are made in the walls of the steel pipe. The density and uniformity of the bristles depend on the accuracy of this work and the step between drillings, so this stage should be taken as responsibly as possible.
2. Wire elements are threaded into the holes, placing their edges symmetrically with respect to the pipe.
3. A steel bar is installed in the center, to which the retaining cable will be attached in the future.
4. The inner surface of the pipe is filled with mortar, which will ensure the fixation of the flexible elements and make the fixture heavy enough.

The tool can only be used after the cement-sand mixture has set and acquired the necessary strength.

Video: how to make a ruff to remove soot from a chimney

What you need to know before lowering the tool into the chimney

The chimney should not be cleaned at the end of the heating season, but at the very beginning. This will allow you to be completely sure that there is no bird's nest, cork from cobwebs and leaves or other debris in the chimney. One of the warm and windless days in early autumn is best suited for this.

When cleaning the chimney, take care of the appropriate equipment and insurance.

Before changing into a chimney sweep suit and proceeding with the maintenance of the chimney, it is necessary to close all dampers and oven doors. Soot is the smallest particles that can seep into any cracks and pollute the room and the objects that are in it. If you have to service the fireplace pipe with an open firebox, then it is sealed with a plastic film and adhesive tape.

The process of cleaning the chimney is not difficult. Ruff is repeatedly lowered into the smoke channel, knocking deposits from the walls. To enhance the effect, alternate reciprocating movements with twisting the cable in different directions. The soot falls down. You can remove it through the revision hatch, using a scoop, poker and whisk.

There are situations when the device in the middle of the path stumbles upon an insurmountable obstacle. It can be any voluminous object - some kind of rag, a bird's nest or a piece of brick that has fallen out of the masonry. In this case, the ruff is unfastened and the resulting congestion is knocked out with only one weight, in the expectation that the cork will fall into the stove. After that, the brush is returned to its place and cleaning activities are resumed.

Even where the latest, high-tech solid fuel equipment is used, regular soot removal will be required. Ruff, which you can make with your own hands, will cope with dignity even with the most persistent deposits. It is only important not to postpone the work of cleaning the chimney indefinitely - not only the thermal efficiency and efficiency of the stove, but also the safety of your family depends on this.

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Cleaning chimneys: a few ways that really work

Greetings dear readers. Today I'm going to talk about how to clean chimneys.. As a result, you can choose the method that is suitable for the heating system in your home. In addition to an overview of cleaning methods, I plan to talk about tools and accessories that can be useful for clearing chimney blockages.

Some useful information about the cause of blockage

In order to make it clear what we are fighting with, keep in mind that there are two types of smoke: white - consists of heated water vapor and black - consists of the smallest particles of soot suspended in the air.

By the way, if the question is why the stove is crying, then the main "culprit" in this situation is white smoke. It is he who contributes to the formation of condensate on the walls of the chimney, if there is no insulation on the surface of the pipe. However, black smoke, which is the cause, is much more dangerous.

During the operation of wood-burning stoves, a large amount of soot suspended in heated air passes through the exhaust gas system. The more bumps and roughness, the more soot is deposited and the sooner you have to start cleaning.

Traditional obstacles to the path of smoke are the fluffing of the chimney, the ordering of the otter and the turns of the smoke ducts. By the way, an incorrectly made or incorrectly installed spark arrester on the chimney also increases the intensity of the blockage.

How to eliminate blockage - an overview of current methods

Among the current methods, I note the following:

• Mechanical cleaning - performed using special tools that come into contact with the inner walls of the smoke ducts and remove soot to the outside;
• Chemical cleaning - is carried out using special tools that have a preventive effect and prevent the formation of blockages in the future;
• Folk methods - based on the use of improvised obviously inexpensive, but sometimes effective means.

Mechanical clearing of blockages

To perform mechanical cleaning you will need:

• Ruff with a weight on a cable;
• A device for removing soot from the furnace and channels;
• The vacuum cleaner is powerful, preferably with a bowl, as it is easier to clean it of soot;
• Ladder and safety net for work at height.

Many owners of country houses neglect the means of ensuring personal safety when working at height, explaining this by the fact that the house is low. In fact, a fall from a height of 5-7 meters can result in serious injuries.
Therefore, we use a safety belt or, in the absence of such, we tie a rope around ourselves, the end of which we tie around the pipe.

Cleaning instructions are shown in the diagram.

Let's take a closer look at these steps:

• First, we collect all the necessary fixtures in a bucket and raise it to the roof;

• We are conveniently located near the chimney and fasten the insurance;

• If the pipes are metal, then heads with spark arresters are installed on them, which means that such a device must be carefully removed;

• After the headband is removed and the chimney is open, we lower the load and the ruff into it;
• Holding the tool, gradually lower it by a meter and raise it by half a meter;
• After the chimney is completely cleaned, we pull out the cable with a ruff and put it in a bucket;
• This is followed by the installation of the previously dismantled headrest in its original place;
• We untie the insurance and carefully descend from the roof;
• Already in the house we open the cleaning doors and draw soot out of them;
• We open the firebox of the furnace and select the crumbling soot from it.
• After completing the above work, you will notice that the draft will increase and there will be no smell of smoke in the room.

How to make ruff yourself

Ruff is selected in accordance with the configuration of the chimney trunk. That is, for a round section, a brush with a round shape is suitable, while for a chimney with a square section, there are ruffs with a square or rectangular shape.

The advantage of a properly selected brush configuration is that it will better pass through the channel, removing all deposits from the inner surface of the wall.

You can not buy a ruff for cleaning pipes, but make it yourself from a plastic bottle"one and a half". The instructions for making a ruff are as follows:

• On the sides of the plastic bottle, vertical cuts are made at a distance of 3 cm from each other;
• A hole is cut in the bottom of the bottle for a metal pin;
• A metal pin with a hook is inserted into the bottle at one end;

• Washers are put on the pin on both sides of the bottle, and the whole structure is tightened with nuts so that the bottle folds as shown in the photo;

• From the side where there is no hook, an eye is installed on the stud for fastening the cable;

• Before use, a cable is attached to one side of the structure, and a load is fixed to the other side on the hook.

As a load, you can use a large barn lock that is unnecessary on the farm.

Chemical cleaning of the chimney

If it seems to you that mechanical cleaning of the chimney is difficult and associated with the risk of working at height, I can recommend special chemicals made from coal and wood waste. The price of such funds is low, and therefore they can be regularly used for preventive purposes.

Means for chemical cleaning are a catalyst for the combustion of soot in solid fuel boilers. That is, if under normal conditions a temperature of +700 °C and higher is required for soot to burn out, then when using chemical cleaning agents, this figure drops to +300 °C.

Thus, under normal conditions, soot remains on the walls of the chimney and does not burn out, which means that we are forced to clean it off with a brush and similar means. The use of a catalyst leads to the fact that soot burns out barely having time to settle on the inner surface of the smoke ducts.

I immediately draw your attention to the fact that the Chimney Sweep Log and similar tools are not a panacea and they are unlikely to help if soot has been accumulating for several years. On the other hand, such funds can be used for preventive purposes, say, once a week, and soot can be forgotten forever.

Now about the effectiveness of the method. I bring to your attention a photo of the experiment at home:

• Two glass lampshades were smoked on a kerosene lamp;

• One lampshade was installed over a gas burner and the fire was turned on;

• The second lampshade was held for some time over a lit catalyst;

• As a result, the usual lampshade remained the same smoky, while the soot burned out from the second lampshade.

Soot burners are manufactured and sold in the form of pressed briquettes and in the form of granules. The consistency of the product does not affect the cleaning efficiency in any way, so choose the modification that, from your point of view, is more convenient for use.

Folk ways to deal with soot

Wood-burning stoves have been in operation for a long time, so it would be surprising if people did not come up with effective ways to clean chimneys.

There are many ways, but we will focus on two of them.

The classic way to prevent blockages is to regularly burn potato peels. Due to the availability of potato peelings, the method has become widespread. But, since the remedy is preventive, at the beginning and at the end of the heating season one way or another it will be necessary to perform mechanical cleaning of the pipes.

Another interesting way to prevent soot buildup is to burn aluminum cans. The method is equally good for both stoves and fireplaces.

The instruction is simple, it is enough to lay one or two cans with each kindling. But the jars should not be placed at the beginning of the kindling, but when the firewood has flared up well, and the temperature in the furnace is maximum. The use of such a simple method will reduce the frequency of cleaning to 1 time per season.

If you want the draft in the stove to be consistently high, use only dry hardwood firewood. Soot in the smoke generated when burning such firewood settles less on the walls of the chimney, while soot is guaranteed when burning wet wood.

Conclusion

In this article, I have listed the methods of cleaning chimneys that are relevant today. Do you know other equally effective ways? Write about them in the comments to the text. By the way, I recommend watching the video in this article , I hope you will be interested.

Good day to you, readers and DIYers.
The author of the following homemade product very often clogs the chimney in his garage stove. That's why he decided to make a homemade brush for cleaning the chimney. Of course, such brushes can be purchased at a hardware store or bought online, but why buy something that can be relatively easy to do with your own hands. And the price tag of such a homemade product will be ten times less than a fixture bought in a store.

After some use of his homemade product, having identified all the pros and cons, he came up with a device for more convenient cleaning of the chimney.

I propose to read about the manufacture in this article.

Necessary materials and tools.
-dumbbell
- Cable - length 0.5-0.6 meters (diameter 5 mm)
-Cable - length depends on the height of the duct (diameter 2mm)
-Nuts M10 2pcs
- Clips for a cable 3 pieces.
- Profile pipe 20x20mm
- welding electrode 3mm
-Welding machine
-Bulgarian
-A hammer
-Vise

Manufacturing process part one.
The brush device itself will be based on an old rusty dumbbell, which I purchased at the nearest scrap metal collection point, at a very reasonable price. The author uses a dumbbell with a total weight of 5 kg, the diameter of the dumbbell balls should be less than the diameter of the pipe being cleaned. To adapt, you only need one half of a dumbbell, so two brushes can be made from one dumbbell at once.

First of all, he clamps the dumbbell in a vise and cuts off with a grinder, one dumbbell ball.

The M10 nut is welded to the cut off part of the dumbbell, on this the load of the brush is ready, isn't it easy?

Now you should start making the brush itself.
To do this, he will use a piece of cable with a diameter of 5mm. You can use a cable with a large diameter, since the thicker the cable, the thicker and stronger the veins in it.

The author cuts the cable into 10 cm segments. The length of the pieces must match the diameter of the chimney pipe.

Now the cut pieces need to be dissolved into separate fibers. This procedure is best done with gloves, as the likelihood of injuring your hands is very high.

The cable is loose, now you should make a frame for the brush.
For the frame will use a 3mm electrode.
The coating from the electrode is beaten with a hammer.

Since the core of the electrode is made of a rather rigid wire, it does not bend well and break. To soften the wire, it must be heated to red and allowed to cool, in other words, let go. You can heat it in the coals of a sang, with a gas burner, but the author will heat it with a welding machine.

We clamp the electrode in a vice to which the mass of the welding machine is connected. We connect the clamp from the welding machine to the free end of the electrode and heat the wire to red. The heating procedure lasts about 15-20 seconds. Now let the wire cool down on its own.

After cooling, the wire became soft, now you can continue to work with it. The author bends the wire in the center, a small eye should appear at the place of the bend.

Now in this bracket you need to place the previously prepared cable fibers. You should get a similar design, the edge of which must then be clamped in a vice, stepping back from the edge 2cm.

Then, inserting a large nail or screwdriver into the eye, you need to tighten this design.

Then you need to make another eye, on the opposite side of the brush. To do this, he clamps the nail between the two ends of the wire, clamps the ends in a vise and tightens the structure with the inserted nail.

The result is a pretty decent brush with a diameter of 100mm with two rings at the ends.

Now you need to connect the brush with the load. Connects them with a small piece of cable (diameter 2mm) Clamps the ends of the cable with a screw clamp.

To the second ear of the brush, you also need to attach a cable. The length of the cable should be 2-2.5 times longer than the height of the chimney.
Here is such a brush turned out by the author and, in joy, he ran to test his product as soon as possible.

And here is the soot in the chimney pipe.

Now you should install a ladder, climb it to the top of the chimney and begin this time-consuming, inconvenient and, one might say, dangerous cleaning process. Hard? Hard.

Realizing that in this way it is inconvenient to clean the chimney, to put it mildly, I came up with another device. This is a device for immersing a brush in a chimney.

Manufacturing process part two.
It is very difficult to call this a manufacturing process, but still. For the manufacture of fixtures, the author bought a profile pipe 20x20mm, 3.5 m long. Of course, the length of the pipe should depend on the height and location of your chimney.

A piece of pipe bent in a semicircle was welded to the edge of the pipe, the tube has a diameter of 10mm. I passed a cable with a connected brush inside the pipe.

At first, the author wanted to make a descent mechanism using rollers, but he did not manage to weld them. And the design itself would have turned out to be too complicated and unreliable.

Even lower, a kind of hook was welded onto the pipe. The hook must be welded lower than the bottom of the brush when raised.

A chimney brush is a tool with a long handle, a working element with metal or polymer bristles and an addition in the form of a load. For manufacturing, a minimum of time and physical investments is required, as a result, a universal design is obtained for high-quality maintenance of the chimney system.

The clogging of the chimney duct is caused by a number of reasons:

1. Soot accumulates due to the deposition of solid particles of combustion products on the inner surface of the mine.
2. Condensation is formed, the cause of which is the lack of proper thermal insulation of the chimney, and therefore the effect of soot and soot sticking is enhanced.
3. Low quality fuel is used. For example, prolonged burning of damp firewood leads to intense clogging of the chimney system.
4. Resinous fuel resources are used - firewood, lumber and briquettes from spruce, fir, pine.
5. Waste with a high content of hydrocarbons is burned in the furnace in the form of household waste from polymers - plastic bottles, polyethylene, rubber products.
6. The heat generator is operated in an incorrect mode, fuel loading is carried out in violation of the rules, the ash pan is rarely cleaned.

Another possible reason for clogging the chimney is hidden in the design of the heater, the essence of which is errors in the construction or installation of the heat generator, or the wrong structure of the chimney.

Clogging the smoke line is fraught with negative consequences:

• the run is clogged to remove the gas-containing flow, traction deteriorates;
• the energy efficiency of the heat generator is reduced, which is associated with insufficient traction force;
• the presence of significant accumulations of soot contributes to the formation of reverse thrust, and carbon monoxide can seep into the room.

The most dangerous situation is when the soot in the chimney ignites with the formation of a large number of sparks, this can provoke a fire in the roof or neighboring buildings. To eliminate the problem, it is necessary to remove soot and soot in the gas outlet channel in a timely manner, using chemical compounds or home-made devices for mechanical cleaning of the chimney.

Features of mechanical cleaning of the chimney from soot using a ruff

Before starting work, perform the preparatory stage:

• close the blower, the firebox door, cleaning hatches;
• all the above points are equipped with an elementary filter in the form of a dense wet cloth;
• fully open all valves and views of the furnace.

The vertical part of the chimney is treated with a ruff with a core to weight the tool. The structure is equipped with a long cable or a rope, rope or strong cord is used. It is recommended to choose a rope option 2-3 m longer than the height of the pipe in order to secure the outer end to the base of the shaft, otherwise there is a risk of dropping the device into the channel due to the gravity of the core.

To clean the vertical section of the chimney, the device is lowered down the channel, pushing and rotating the rope in different directions. After the structure with the load and the brush is at the bottom of the shaft, they lift it back, making the same movements with the help of a rope. If the tool does not pass due to dense deposits of soot in a certain area, the cable is lifted and sharply lowered into the pipe to break through the blockage.

Cleaning of the horizontal channels of the flue is carried out using a brush with a rigid handle. Most often, the device is equipped with a solid or type-setting rod, the length of which is selected in accordance with the parameters of the processed plane. Since the rotary chimney units provide for special doors, moving along them, it is easy to clean all horizontal sections. In the absence of rotary openings, a brush with a cable is used. Performing circular-rotational movements, the structure is pushed into the depth of the channel and back.

How to make a ruff yourself

Although a chimney brush is not a scarce product in Moscow and other regions of the country, most owners of private houses prefer to make this device with their own hands.

A home-made ruff for cleaning chimney pipes is performed taking into account the specifics of the application. For maintenance of metal and asbestos-cement smoke channels, a brush with a polymer brush should be made. To clean a brick chimney shaft clogged with years of soot, you need to make a solid device from metal raw materials.

Steel wire options

To make a chimney brush with your own hands, the following materials and tools are required:

• a coil of spring steel wire with a cross section of 1-2 mm or a piece of steel cable with a diameter of up to 10 mm;
• threaded stud - 60-80 mm long, 1 pc.;
• washers for the bolt - d50 mm, 2 pcs.;
• nuts - 2 pcs. ordinary, 2 pcs. cap with a ring;
• a hammer;
• pliers;
• chisel;
• wrench 14.

Sequence of work:

1. Cut the wire taking into account the cross section of the chimney. In the case of a cable, blanks are made 10% less than the diameter of the pipe.
2. At the center point of each element, the fibers are pulled apart to make a hole and placed on a hairpin. The wire is simply wrapped around the rod.
3. The stud is equipped with steel nuts with washers, clamping the structural elements.

For greater strength, flexible elements can be fixed by welding.

When deciding how to make a chimney brush with your own hands, you can choose another version of the product in the form of a spiral brush. In this case, you will need a lathe or a home-made rigid structure to tension the rod. For the manufacture of bristles, steel wire d1-2 mm or a cable is suitable, and a twisted rod is made of steel wire with a cross section of 6 mm.

Steps for making a spiral brush:

1. The required number of blanks of the required length are made from the cable.
2. Steel wire d6 mm is folded in half, one end of which is welded, and a loop is twisted on the other.
3. The design is fixed in the machine. It is necessary to pull the rod well between the cartridge and the tailstock and give the correct position to its cores.
4. Next, workpieces are placed in the gap between the cores, evenly distributing them along the entire length of the stretched rod, and fixed with hot glue.

When the spindle rotates, the rod twists into a spiral, firmly clamping the wire bristles between the wires.

How to make a homemade ruff from a plastic broom

This will require the following materials and tools:

• kapron broom, cord;
• hairpin - up to 10 mm;
• washers - d5 cm 2 pcs.;
• nuts - 2 pcs., one of them with a ring.

They remove the broom from the handle, unbend the bristles on the sides, fix the position of the product, heating it with a hairdryer. Make a hole in the center of the broom holder with a drill or a hot nail, thread a hairpin, fix it on both sides with nuts and washers.

Plastic bottle brush

It is necessary to prepare:

• plastic bottles with a volume of 1.5-3 liters;
• cable, metal wire d2 mm;
• knife, scissors.

Cut off the top of one bottle, this will be the base of the polymer brush. For several containers, the bottom part is removed, the body is cut into strips vertically to the neck. The blanks are placed on the base, the strips are fixed in several bundles with a wire. The base is fixed to the cable.

The nuances of using ruffs

To clean the horizontal cavities of the chimney, the ruff is equipped with a long rod. A device with metal bristles is recommended for removing soot and soot in vertical pipes. If you have to work on the processing of horizontal or inclined channels, you should take into service a brush with a polymer brush.

Furnace heating systems need regular maintenance. One of the mandatory procedures is the periodic cleaning of the chimney, which eventually becomes clogged, overgrown with soot.

For this task, a special brush can be used, with the help of which the inner walls of the chimney are cleaned.

What is a cleaning brush, what does it look like and what does it consist of?

Structurally, the ruff consists of the following parts:

1. Brush. O main element,almost always has a round shape. It is he withcleans plaque from the inner walls of chimneys.Can be made of metal, plastic or nylon.
2. Sinker. It is used only if the brush is attached to the cable. If it is attached to a telescopic pole, then a weight is not needed.The approximate weight of the weight is 2-3 kg.Purpose - to weight a light brush. Without additional load, a ruff on a cable simply will not normally clean off even a light layer of plaque.
3. T rose or pen. A brush is attached to this element, and on it it is lowered into the chimney.

The main qualitative characteristics are:

1. D cable length (handle).Cables are usually used for 10-15 meters, handles - for 1-1.5 meters.
2. Brush diameter (rectangular products are found, but less often than round ones).Can be from 20 to 250 mm.The most common range is 150-200.

Types and products by material and design

O The main differences between all products are in 2 nuances:

1. The material from which the brush is made.
2. The way the brush will go down the chimney.

By material- the following options are currently used:

1. Metal. Such brushes last longer, are stronger and more reliable. Of the minuses, less convenient use can be distinguished: if the metal bristles catch on something, it will be more difficult to “release” it. In addition, metal products are more expensive than plastic ones (but since the cost of any brushes rarely exceeds 2000 rubles, this is not critical).
2. Plastic. It is easier to make such products on your own - this is done quickly and easily (how exactly - we will describe below). Plastic brushes wear out and break easily and quickly. In addition, they cope much worse with complex and chronic blockages.
3. Nylon. A relatively new option, in fact - an intermediate solution between plastic and metal.

By way, by which the brush is lowered into chimney:

1. On a cable/rope. It can only be used from above - the ruff is lowered into the pipe under the weight of the sinker. The option is relatively simple, but poorly suitable for cleaning horizontal areas.The cable can be metal, nylon or rope.
2. On a flexible cable (as well as for cleaning sewer pipes). Of the pros: it can be used both from above and from below, and on horizontal sections.
3. On a rigid handle (rod).Universal and moreeffective option - allows you to quickly clean the accumulated soot, can be used both in vertical and horizontal sections.The length of the handle is usually adjustable - for this they are made telescopic, and if necessaryfold or unfold.

How to choose the right chimney brush?

Let's summarize the basic rules of choice:

1. Rigid handle or rope? Ideally, to have both options on the farm: they are inexpensive, and it will be much more convenient to work.If you need to choose one thing, and there are no hatches in the chimney, then it is better to take a cable. If there are hatches in the chimney, and it is low, then it is more convenient to use a rigid handle.
2. What brush material to choose? For stainless chimneys, you need to choose only plastic - it will not scratch the stainless steel. For brick and asbestos chimneys, it is better to take a metal or nylon brush.
3. What brush diameter should befor round chimney? Selected according to the diameter of the pipe.
4. What brush diameter should be for a square/rectangular chimney? For the right choice, you need to measure the length and width of the chimney, and choose a brush with a diameter equal to the larger side.
5. What should be the length of the cable/handle? Selectedunder the length (height) of the chimney. It is not necessary to take the cable / handle to its full height: cleaning is carried out not only from above or below (from a fireplace or stove), but also through hatches that are located in different parts of the chimney.

Where is it sold and how much does it cost?

E Rshiki of various types and sizes are sold in stores that sell equipment for fireplaces, stoves, baths.

Such a tool is relatively inexpensive:

• polypropylene ruff, with a diameter of 100-120-200 mm: cost - about 700-1000 rubles;
• plastic ruff, 200-250 mm in diameter: cost - about 1700-2000 rubles;
• metal ruff, 150-200 mm in diameter: cost - about 1500-1800 rubles;
• metal ruff, 250 mm in diameter: cost - about 2200-2500 rubles.

Please note: the amounts shown are only for the ruff itself and the load. A cable or telescopic extension is usually sold separately. The approximate cost of an extension cord for 1-1.5 meters is about 400-600 rubles, a cable (for 10-15 meters) is up to 100-200 rubles.

A ready-made kit (the brush itself, a cable or extension cord and a weight) will cost around 1500-2500 rubles.

From the manufacturers in the market of the CIS countries you can meet:

1. Hansa.
2. Sitecn.
3. Biltema.
4. Ragar.

How to make a homemade ruff?

To clean the stove pipe, it is not necessary to go to the nearest store. A homemade brush is made quite simply and quickly. True, the effectiveness of such a product is likely to be lower than a special purchase. Therefore, it is suitable for cleaning a not very dirty chimney.

There are many ways to create a ruff with your own hands. Here are 5 step by step instructions:

1. From a plastic bottle for a round chimney.
2. From a plastic bottle and plywood / board for a rectangular / square chimney.
3. From a broom.
4. From a metal brush from a grinder.
5. From a metal cable.

In all cases, we need:

1. Metal cable (about 2-3 mm thick, longer or at least as long as the height of the chimney) with a carbine.
2. A weight of about 3 kg is large enough to easily pass into the chimney. For example, it can be a small metal rectangle, or an old dumbbell pancake, or a plastic bottle with sand.
3. A coil of wire, about 2-4 mm in diameter, or a metal hairpin (length about 10-12 cm, diameter about 5 mm), with unscrewing lugs on both sides.
4. A product from which we will make a brush with our own hands.

The problematic moment: there is a bottle, and wire, and something for the load, and the cable can be purchased at the nearest store if you are not at home. But finding a suitable hairpin will be more difficult. Therefore, instead of it, it is easier to take the wire. It will need to be twisted several times to get a tourniquet 5-7 mm thick and 10-12 cm long (that is, use it instead of a hairpin).

From a plastic bottle for a round chimney

In this case, we will make a brush from an empty plastic bottle with a volume of 1.5-2 liters (suitable for cleaning a chimney with a diameter of up to 200 mm).

Step-by-step instruction:

1. A hole is burned, drilled or punched in the lid and in the bottom of both bottles. Its diameter should be equal to the diameter of the stud.
2. The sides of both bottles are cut through. It is necessary to make cuts not reaching the neck and literally 1-2 cm to the bottom. Between each cut, make a distance of about 1.5-2 cm.
3. A pin is inserted into the holes made, “pulling together” 2 parts of the bottle. The cut sides are bent at the same time, forming a circle of bent ribbons. It is their edges that will clean off the soot from the walls.
4. Eyelets are screwed onto both sides of the stud. A rope is attached to the upper eye. On the bottom - the load.

From a plastic bottle for a round chimney (video)

From a plastic bottle for a rectangular / square chimney

The instruction is suitable for those who have a square or rectangular chimney.

To create a brush for such a ruff, we need:

1. Plywood sheet. Plywood is not very thick, a small sheet 6-12 mm thick will suffice.
2. Plastic bottle, volume from 5 liters.
3. Screws (such that they can fasten both pieces of plywood together) - 5-10 pieces.

The cut plastic protrudes between the plywood sheets, the photo does not show it very well

Step-by-step instruction:

1. From plywood, you need to cut 2 identical sheets, 1-2 cm smaller in size than the size of the chimney. Example: a rectangular hole, with a size of 260x130 mm - we cut out 2 pieces of plywood with a size of 240x120 mm.
2. The neck and bottom of the bottle are cut off, after which an incision is made on the side.
3. The plastic unbends (a rectangular sheet is obtained).
4. A piece is cut out of a bent plastic sheet, 3-6 mm larger than the chimney opening. Example: the chimney hole has a size of 260x130 mm, we cut a sheet of 26 from plastic 5x135 mm.
5. Along the perimeter of the plastic sheet with scissors (or a knife) with a distance of 1-1.5 cm are madecuts, 5-10 mm long. It is these narrow parts that will clean off plaque from the walls.
6. P an eraser sheet is placed between 2 cut pieces of plywood - so that the "bristle" sticks outthe same distance on each side.
7. Pieces of plywood and a plastic sheet between them are bolted together.
8. A hole is drilled in the center into which a pin or coil of wire is inserted.(or any another detail on which it will be possible to fasten the cable and load - it is easier to do this with plywood).

This option can be improved. To do this, you need to cut not 2 pieces of plywood, but 3, and 2 sheets of plastic with small cuts. In this case, we get 2 layers of "bristle" (and 3 layers of plywood).

From a broom

FROM you can make a brush from an old broom. An important nuance: a round broom with synthetic (polypropylene) dense villi is suitable for us.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. The tip of the broom is removed (or cut off).
2. The bristles are straightened in such a way that all the villi stick out in different directions (like a toilet brush).
3. In the part on which the bristles are collected, a hole with a diameter of about 5-7 mm is melted or drilled (for a hairpin or wire).
4. A pin with unscrewed eyes (or twisted wire) is inserted into the hole.
5. A cable was attached to the eyes (or by the wire) on one side, and a weight on the other.

From a metal brush for a grinder

AT The option is suitable if you have a disc brush for a grinder lying around, and in diameter it fits under the chimney.

In this case, a load is attached to one end of the axle, and a cable is attached to the other.

From a metal cable (difficult option)

The instruction is suitable for those who have a welding machine. According to this scheme, you can make a fairly effective brush with your own hands, which will not yield

To create a brush you will need:

1. Metal cable, with a diameter of about 10-15 mm.
2. Welding machine.
3. Saw for metal.
4. Pliers.
5. Wire cutters (optional).
6. Threaded stud, about 8-12 cm long (or better, a fully threaded bolt, 8-12 cm long).
7. Nuts per stud (or bolt), 5-7 pieces or more (depending on how dense the bristles need to be).

Step-by-step instruction:

1. 2-5 pieces are cut off from the metal cable. The length of each piece is approximately 5-10 mm longer than the diameter of the chimney. You can take more, and then, if necessary, cut off the excess with wire cutters.
2. Scraps are untwisted with pliers.
3. A nut is screwed onto one end of the stud (so that the thread protrudes slightly from it). This will be the bottom "support" for the first row of bristles. If you use a bolt, you don’t need to tighten the nut: the head will play the role of “support”.
4. A piece of wire (from a untwisted cable) is laid on top of the nut, and twisted crosswise (so that it wraps around the stud). Pieces of wire should protrude
5. More pieces of wire are taken, and wound in the same way, so that the result is a round layer of bristles. An important nuance: the bristles should stick out evenly, forming an even circle.
6. A nut is screwed on top, and tightly presses the wound wire (brush bristle) to the first nut (or bolt head).
7. In the same way, several more layers of bristles are made. Each subsequent layer is fixed with a nut. It will be enough to make 3-4 rows.
8. Eyelets are welded from below and from above - for fastening the load and the cable, for which the brush will be lowered into the pipe. As an option - they can be attached to the thread.

From a metal cable (video)

What you need to know and do before cleaning: Basic Rules

Before starting work, you need to know (and follow) the basic rules:

1. Cleaning is carried out before the heating season (ideally - before each, at least for the purpose of prevention). This way you can prepare the stove pipe for efficient operation, and you will be sure that there will be no blockages, leaves, debris, soot growths or bird nests in it.
2. Work is best done on a calm and dry (and ideally also warm) day. Therefore, at the beginning of autumn, it is already worth paying attention to the forecast, choosing a suitable date for cleaning.
3. Work on the roof must be carried out with insurance (safety belt), in comfortable non-slip shoes.
4. Prepare a more powerful flashlight - with its help you can see the condition of the chimney and the results of your work.
5. For work, it is better to change into closed clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. Even with the most careful cleaning, soot will still get somewhere.
6. Use eye and respiratory protection: wear goggles and a respirator. Naturally, there will be no great harm from the soot that has fallen, but sneezing or washing your eyes from it is not very pleasant.
7. Since all debris and soot will fly down, all holes in the chimney (hatches), as well as the firebox, must be closed. If the fireplace is cleaned with an open firebox, then it should be tightened with plastic wrap.
8. The cleaning process is done from top to bottom. If you clean the lower part of the chimney first (through the firebox) - then when cleaning the upper part, falling debris can again pollute the already clean bottom.

How to clean the chimney with a brush: step by step instructions

Cleaning the chimney with a ruff is done as follows:

1. Overalls, work shoes, gloves, goggles, a respirator are put on.
2. Before starting work, you can look into the chimney by lighting it with a flashlight. So you can assess its condition in advance and see where it is heavily polluted.
3. All hatches of the chimney and the firebox are closed, except for the opening through which cleaning will be carried out.
4. The deflector (or spark arrester), if any, is dismantled.
5. The brush (it does not matter, on a cable or on a handle) is lowered from above, through the outlet of the chimney. Cleaning is done with up and down movements. If there are blockages in the process, it is better to use a weight on a cable (without a brush).
6. Periodically evaluate the result of the work, looking into the pipe.
7. When the top of the pipe is clear, go down to the manhole and work through it.
8. Upon completion of cleaning, the firebox opens, and the debris that has fallen into it is removed.

Ideally, it is worth combining two cleaning methods: mechanical and chemical. First, clean the chimney with a brush, and then use any of the products that are ignited in the firebox.

The cleaning process (video)

Advantages and disadvantages of application compared to other cleaning methods

If we consider the existing methods for cleaning the chimney and compare them with the use of a ruff, then this option has a number of disadvantages:

• you have to work with a brush yourself, while chemical cleaners only need to be set on fire in the firebox;
• even the most careful work does not guarantee that all deposits will be removed;
• work takes a lot of time, even if the chimney is straight and low;
• the work is uncomfortable, unpleasant, physically difficult, and if you have to work on the roof, it is also dangerous;
• it is safe to clean only in dry (and ideally calm and warm) weather to reduce the risk of falling from the roof.