Tube brush

Hi

What would be the recommended size and material for a tube brush?

S/Steel, steal, brass, nylon?

Any recommendation of where to get?

I use a brass one for my 4" SC as it has copper tubes and steel would be a bit abrasive. For steel tubes a steel brush would be my choice. I don't like them too stiff so to make the brush a good fit I put one end in an electric drill and hold it on a belt sander until it's just right. Too stiff & the bristles just bend backwards & forwards then break off prematurely.

LSM sell a variety of brushes along with handles as do several other suppliers. I don't think there is a quality issue as they are pretty much all the same.

Hi Lynn,

In case this helps, I spoke to Steve and he recommended a 21mm or 22mm brush. I bought a "tube brush bundle" from Heritage with a brass bruss - the price includes the brush for £20.00 plus the dreaded vat and delivery.

I think it works out to 7/8" in old money. Tried it out at the weekend and it seems to fit well but the tube rod could be a bit thicker making it less reisistant to bending. It works perfectly well though having said all that.

cheers

Rick

12 bore barrel brush is exactly the right size bronze ones on ebay for a few quid.

Hi,

sorry to dig out this old post…
Originally I followed the advice and bought a set from Heritage Steam Supplies size 7/8“ so just about 22 mm, luckily I also bought a brass brush with it, as the steel one gave up soon and lost it‘s „brushes“.
To replace it I was looking for a not so expensive and easy to come by solution stumbling over this post. Strangely enough brushes for shot guns are easy or at least easier to get here, I was only wondering about the 12 gauge size, as Wikipedia tells me the bore of such a shotgun is around 18 mm?

Where is my error? Were do I go wrong?

Cheers

Elwood

12 gauge shotgun brushes are ideal as they are brass, nice and stiff and will not damage boiler tubes no matter what! They are also cheap and easy to find!!
Greg

Hi Elwood
I think your error is in the gauge you have looked up.
12 gauge is 18.5mm
10 gauge is 19.7mm
6 gauge is 23.3mm
Take your pick from these.
I use a 7/8" (22.2mm) steel brush from LSM it gets used on both my engines and hasn't lost a bristle in 3 years.
hope this helps.
Simon C

Hi Simon,

hence my question!

the other posts above state that 12 gauge brush is suitable, although I tend to assume that it‘s too small in diameter.

both my brushes have lost some resp. all bristles, so I‘m looking for a less expensive workable alternative.

Cheers

Elwood

Hi all,

some days ago I ordered a shot gun cleaning set, including a brass brush, a nylon brush, a cloth brush and the appropriate handle. The seller claims the OD of the brushes are 21,5mm - smaller than nominal diameter of 7/8“ as stated.
Set arrived today, used the 12 gaube brush and had a hard time to get it in and out of the tube, being so tight. Now I assume we were looking at smoke tube as being 7/8“ OD which means of course that the ID is (much) smaller. unfortunately I cannot get my caliper into the smoke box to measure. Maybe Will can have a look at the boiler drawing resp. tube drawing, should state the OD and wall thickness.

conclusion:
12 gauge brush does indeed work with (at least) DCC boiler, others might be different, though.
Last info needed, just for the records, is ID of tubes.

Thanks to all,

Cheers

Elwood

Hi Elwood


Just measured Crystal 22mm ID non expanded diameter by looks like 2mm wall
This would come out at the 24mm or 1" tube size as they are commonly measured by the waterside diameter.

Thanks to a set of outside callipers of ancient origin.

Hi Lynn
Strange!

Just measured the brush to be 20 to 21 mm outside diameter.
Set my calipers to 22 mm and brush has room to spare when turning it between the arms of the caliper. Yes, not a real measurement as such, but close enough to compare.
Pushed brush into a boiler tube and had a hard time to get it out again as it was "locked" in the tube.

Hmmm.

Cheers

Elwood

Hi Elwood

You need to push the brush fully through before pulling back as the metal bristles do not bend much so will lockup in the tube like a hundred fish hooks. Believe me you do not need much difference in diameters interference to hold the brush head firm. Also if the head goes through at a slight angle this also will lockup up the bristles on partial distance.

When I ordered my tube brush from Heritage it was 13/16". That come out to 20.65mm theoretically. So should be a rattle fit in the tube but it is tight to start and can not be pulled out from part way. It will wear the edges off quite quickly and be easier. My daily brush has a off centre wear to it and the "deep" cleaning brush is still cylindrical.

Hi Lynn,

sure you are right. I only put it in partially as the rod is a three piece design and for testing I unly used the first part with the handle.
That should solve it then, so far I only used the brush I had purchased from Heritage Steam Supplies and was able to easily push it in and out with little resistance. Now with the new brush, maybe it only needs to be "broken in".
Anyways, they are much easier to come by hereabouts (stangely enough, looking at the laws on firearms here) and much cheaper.

Thanks

Elwood

Hi

I suspect the proper gun barrel brush is a much tighter tolerance then the heritage steam supplies brushes.

Good explanation, that could be the reason.

Cheers

Elwood

A tube brush will last much longer if it is the right size. It should be a snug fit in a clean tube, I haven't found any that fit correctly so always get oversize & put the brush end in a cordless drill and with a belt sander fixed in a vice upside down 'adjust' the diameter until it is a snug fit. They then last for years. If it's too tight the bending back & forth soon snaps the bristles off & if it's too loose it won't get all the soot out.

Hi Steve,

In the beginning I used a tube brush, which I had modified much like you explained. After about 20 uses, the bristles came off one after the other so after some time they were all gone.
The brush for shotguns are about a quarter the price of the tube brush and I can get them locally. If they last as long it‘s ok.

The brush fits like a charm, no problems whatsoever, I could have a choice of bronze or brass plus nylon and fabric.

Cheers

Elwood