Fibreglass brush - need to replace etc.

[Dog Star]

Like them or loathe them a fibreglass brush sits on the workbench waiting for the moment when I need to "scratch". The current item is a red plastic barrel, black rotating cap and silver ferrule - takes 6mm refills - bought from Squires... and is broke. Using the brush wears the "propelling" mechanism to the point where pressure on the fibreglass "tip" leads to the cap popping off of the end of the barrel.

Anyone worked out a remedy to the symptoms so that I can continue to use the current item?

Alternatively, anyone know of a source of a scratch brush (for 6mm refills) which is not going to wear out in the manner described here?

There are other methods of cleaning parts and the scratch brush is one method that I am going to retain so a solution is desirable.

thanks, Graham

 

[Dikitriki]

Same problem, and I use them all the time. I'm afraid I just bite the bullet and buy 2 new ones each year at Telford.

Richard

 

[Dog Star]

Same problem, and I use them all the time. I'm afraid I just bite the bullet and buy 2 new ones each year at Telford.

Same solution and I use them when they work!

Last time I bought a couple the price was around £4 each, cannot see why given that the brush is three plastic mouldings and one simple turning. Ah well, penny counting time again.

regards, Graham

 

[Rob Pulham]

Hi Graham,

I cannot offer an answer but I wouldn't be without mine. I must have been lucky in the construction of mine because I have had the same one since I started kit building in about 2009/

 

[Arty]

I'm not a great fan of f/g scratch brushes, in fact when I worked in the electronics industry they were banned (along with soldering iron tip conditioners and non retractable scalpels) on H & S grounds - we all know they do tend to impale our fingers with nasty little bits of glass.

The shards of glass they leave behind can be the very devil to remove, and I suppose the less excess solder we leave behind, the less we need to use a f/g brush.

But I still use them, when a brass scraper doesn't do the job.

There used to be available a different flavour of brush available, basically a bundle of fibres, held together by a wrap of "string" which you unwrapped as the brush wore away - not seen them for some time.

Richard

 

[Dog Star]

There used to be available a different flavour of brush available, basically a bundle of fibres, held together by a wrap of "string" which you unwrapped as the brush wore away - not seen them for some time.

If you type "fibre glass brush" into your favourite search engine then you can find several retailers offering the plastic version for 6mm refills, a clutch pencil for 2mm or 4mm refills or several sizes of the "fibres in string variety".

Rather than buy at Telford, ebay has some suppliers offering the 6mm plastic version at below £2.

 

[daifly]

There used to be available a different flavour of brush available, basically a bundle of fibres, held together by a wrap of "string" which you unwrapped as the brush wore away - not seen them for some time.

Richard

http://www.finescale.org.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=3806
For example

 

[Arty]

Cousins do some, but they are rather "fat"
https://www.cousinsuk.com/catalog/tools/fibreglass-scratch-brushes