Looking for a mechanical chimney sweep

My Grandpa has an old rectangle mechanical chimney sweep. Used it for years. Now it is worn out and he wants another one like it.

Problem is anything I find when I search is a wire brush on fiberglass rod. I want a two rope medal box that expands when you pull one rope and collapses when you pull the other. It is at least 25 years old, orange about 18 inches tall, 4in X 8in collapsed 10 X 14 expanded.

Has anyone ever seen one of these and could point me in the right direction. Something as simple as a brand name might help.

Never heard of a gizmo like that. What's wrong with a standard brush?

If you want easy, though, check this out:


http://www.sooteater.com/

I do use a regular brush, but this is what my Grandpa wants.

get a garnus sooteater chimney whip ,grandpa will marvel at how clean and clear his pipes came out ..all done in a few minutes without ever going up on the roof !

flotek said:

get a garnus sooteater chimney whip ,grandpa will marvel at how clean and clear his pipes came out ..all done in a few minutes without ever going up on the roof !

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And how many hundred dollars is one going to have wrapped up in THAT system?

Looks to be several hundred, as rods are 25 each and the system itself is 70.

I like the idea, but for me to get it long enough to sweep a chimney on a 2 story house, it is prohibitivly expensive.

4seasons said:

I do use a regular brush, but this is what my Grandpa wants.

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can get a pic of his old brush--we all be curious

I have one of those critters, went out and looked at it but couldn't find any name on it, and I have no idea where I got it either.

Perhaps a picture will jog someone else's memory:

freemind said:

And how many hundred dollars is one going to have wrapped up in THAT system?

Looks to be several hundred, as rods are 25 each and the system itself is 70.

I like the idea, but for me to get it long enough to sweep a chimney on a 2 story house, it is prohibitivly expensive.

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nope ,i have one its only 60 bucks and comes with enough to do over 18 feet, for most thats good enough

Steve, I think you nailed what he is looking for. Interesting looking item.

The only other 'permanent' type I have seen is this one: http://www.bozchimneysweep.com/descript.htm

Shari

Steve NW WI said:

I have one of those critters, went out and looked at it but couldn't find any name on it, and I have no idea where I got it either.

Perhaps a picture will jog someone else's memory:

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That be the one. His is a little more beat up than that one but not by much.

My dad has one that he dont use, he did have it a on a garge sale but i dont think he sold it.

Its like new, Except the "ropes" look more like string to me. comes in original box too!!

How much you want to spend on one? Im sure he would sell it.

Ill ask tonight. and ill get a picture.

4seasons said:

That be the one. His is a little more beat up than that one but not by much.

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have seen them before---now that you post a pic. and how do these work,at cleaning,compared to a regular brush???

work pretty good, gets in the corners better than a brush. I found out this morning they were sold at ACE 20+ years ago. If it jams you just pull the other rope and it collapses, so you have to be careful that ropes dont get tangled together.

chimney sweep

4seasons said:

My Grandpa has an old rectangle mechanical chimney sweep. Used it for years. Now it is worn out and he wants another one like it.

Problem is anything I find when I search is a wire brush on fiberglass rod. I want a two rope medal box that expands when you pull one rope and collapses when you pull the other. It is at least 25 years old, orange about 18 inches tall, 4in X 8in collapsed 10 X 14 expanded.

Has anyone ever seen one of these and could point me in the right direction. Something as simple as a brand name might help.

Click to expand...

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wasn't this critter called the chimney rake?

leon


Mutual sufferer of CAD still wishing he bought that Homelite 575 and mutual sufferer of TWLSA.


opcorn:

I had an automatic sweeper, but she refused to get back on the roof after the first winter, now I have to do it the old fashioned way... myself.

Interesting item. I think I found the original patent info:

"An improved chimney cleaner for removing soot from the insides of chimneys. A lower plate is orthogonally connected to a vertical support member. An upper plate, which is the same shape as but smaller than the lower plate, is located over and concentric with the lower plate, so that the vertical support member passes slidably through the upper plate. Cleaning rods are connected to the perimeter of the upper plate, and pass slidably through holes near the perimeter of the lower plate, ending in scraping portions which engage the chimney walls and do the actual soot removal. A support line is attached to the top of the vertical support member, to be pulled by the operator during the cleaning operation. A control line is also attached to the top of the vertical support member. This line is then threaded through an eyelet connected to the upper plate, and held by the operator. When the cleaner becomes snagged on a protrusion on the inside wall, the operator pulls this control line, which forces the upper and lower plates apart, in turn pulling the scraping portions of the cleaning rods inward away fron the protrusion, unsnagging the cleaner."

Shari

I have never seen one, but they sound like it might take a little practice to use, are they easier to use than a brush? If so I wonder why they didn't take.

BlueRidgeMark said:

Never heard of a gizmo like that. What's wrong with a standard brush?

If you want easy, though, check this out:


http://www.sooteater.com/

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WOW! Weedwacker for the chimney. It actually looks good for liners that are more fragile than class A chimneys.

4seasons said:

My Grandpa has an old rectangle mechanical chimney sweep. Used it for years. Now it is worn out and he wants another one like it.

Problem is anything I find when I search is a wire brush on fiberglass rod. I want a two rope medal box that expands when you pull one rope and collapses when you pull the other. It is at least 25 years old, orange about 18 inches tall, 4in X 8in collapsed 10 X 14 expanded.

Has anyone ever seen one of these and could point me in the right direction. Something as simple as a brand name might help.

Click to expand...

I know I am way late to this thread. I came across this while searching for something else.

The "mechanical" sweep mentioned here is most likely a Neuman Chimney Cleaner. There is a square and round version. I have a round one, and it works great. I think you can pick them up for $30-$40 bucks online.

Brian Morris said:

I know I am way late to this thread. I came across this while searching for something else.

The "mechanical" sweep mentioned here is most likely a Neuman Chimney Cleaner. There is a square and round version. I have a round one, and it works great. I think you can pick them up for $30-$40 bucks online.

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Slickness, what a simple and cool idea! I just did an image search, funny you never see these for sale anyplace.