UKC

Bolt hole brushes

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 Emilio Bachini 18 Apr 2019

Hello and good afternoon all, I hope everyone’s been out making the most of this weather.

Just a quick one to ask if people who have had experience cleaning bolt holes would recommend any brushes in particular.

I started using some old toothbrushes/boulder brushes, which worked pretty well but were slow and not very durable.

Then I moved onto a tea pot spout brush which was pretty effective but again not really designed for limestone in mind and so again not very durable.

Apparently some climbing gear manufacturers make a specific brush but it’s pretty pricey for what it is, has anyone got any better value but as effective suggestions or suggestions on how to compromise?

Oh and the bolt holes are 10-12mm.

Thanks in advance, Emilio. 

 deacondeacon 18 Apr 2019
In reply to Emilio Bachini:

Would it not be better to blow the dust out? 

 jimtitt 18 Apr 2019
In reply to deacondeacon:

Blow AND brush, several times.

 Reach>Talent 18 Apr 2019
In reply to Emilio Bachini:

Laboratory glassware brushes are great for bolt holes, you can get them in a wide variety of sizes. 

In reply to deacondeacon:

Yes blowing is pretty good but not very good for loosening any dust, either that or I need a better set of lungs. 

In reply to jimtitt:

Thanks I’m aware of that, any advice on brushes though? 

In reply to Reach>Talent:

Thank you, much appreciated, especially as the brush I’d been using for 12mm holes for stuck in a 10mm hole the other day and then the handle proceeded to break. 

In reply to Emilio Bachini:

Brushes readily available from screwfix,toolstation,all fix etc.If you are too tight to buy a blower a piece of flexy pipe and lung power or a bike pump after brushing will get the dust out.A 10mm brush will work in a 12+ hole so just buy those.A proper brush lasts for ages so saves a load of hassle for the sake of a few quid expenditure.

 Tom Valentine 19 Apr 2019
In reply to freelunchprovider:

Some air duster cans are relatively cheap and have a little WD40 ntype tube on them, also claim to be "environmentally friendly" (if that sort of thing worries  people who drill bolt holes)

3
 deepsoup 19 Apr 2019
In reply to Tom Valentine:

>  also claim to be "environmentally friendly"

Which is obviously complete bollocks.  Butane, tetrafluoroethane, some other hydrocarbon or fluorocarbon from a disposable aerosol can -vs- air from a squeezy bulb or whatever that can be re-used indefinitely.

In reply to Emilio Bachini:

It cant be too challenging to knock up a helical brush bit for your drill. 

 Wild Isle 19 Apr 2019
In reply to Emilio Bachini:

I've used tacky little bottle brushes over the years but nothing compares to a dedicated bolt brush like ClimbTech's 1/2" brush. It retails here in Canada for $5CDN which I would hardly call pricey.

For those wondering, you can blow rock dust out of a bolt hole with a tube until you're blue in the face but as soon as you run a suitably sized brush in the hole a significant amount of newly loosened dust will then follow. Brushing out holes is considered an important step, especially for glue-ins.

In reply to Tom Valentine:

> "environmentally friendly" (if that sort of thing worries  people who drill bolt holes)

What an odd statement.

 d_b 19 Apr 2019
In reply to deepsoup:

A refillable aerosol looks like just the thing.  They aren't cheap and you need access to a compressor though.

The first hit on amazon, probably not the best: https://www.amazon.co.uk/FIRSTINFO-Aluminum-Pneumatic-Pressure-Storage/dp/B...

In reply to Wild Isle:

I’ll look that up now, thank you. 

 d_b 20 Apr 2019
In reply to d_b:

Actually the compressor bit is wrong. I just read the spec more carefully - I can easily hit that pressure with my track pump.


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