Chimney brush, $15.
Fiberglass rods, $75 (no dice; I’m cheap)
Rock in a sock, Priceless.

Tried this new method, after messing around with my own clumsy rods made of old tent poles and duct tape. I got a brick (wanted two, but the rest are frozen to the ground) and also a rock, placed them in a narrow mesh bag, attached to bottom of my brush with a knot and electrical tape. Ta-da! The weight drags the brush down, I pull it back up. Down and up. I got about a cup and a half of coffee grounds for my effort.

By next cleaning, I will pry another brick from the ground and fasten it to the other brick with duct tape. The rock is just a tad bit too big and I’m afraid I’ll get it stuck in there.

Nancy

absolute genius.

I can’t claim credit; this idea was on the box the brush came in. They recommend a 30-pound weight.

My first thought was a weight from a window sash, the old-fashioned kind. But I don’t have one of those. I looked for a bag of shot but couldn’t find it. The bricks and the bag get pretty disrespectful looking after a couple of trips down and up. You could try weights, if you don’t mind what it does to them.

Nancy

And there is this.

I was just going to suggest a down rigger weight (cannon ball) but OOhh….They have really jumped in price from the last time I bought any.  They work very well because they are usually rubberized and have a built in tie off point.

Oh, you just reminded me… I have an anchor for my kayak. Line attached to it and everything. Just don’t know its diameter offhand. It’s shaped like a pawn with a loop on top.

Nancy

PopCrackleSnap - 05 January 2012 05:53 PM

I have an anchor for my kayak. Line attached to it and everything. Just don’t know its diameter offhand.

Heck yeah, if it will fit that sounds like a winner.

If it works it works. 

I’ve used old tire chains before.

pen

Yup. I used a log chain before but followed it up with a brush. Just could not get the brush through the plugged up part. Naturally they would call me on a Thanksgiving morning because their house was full of smoke….. That’s another story though.

A guy at works talks about going up on the roof each year with a log chain and droping it down adn clinging it around.

I clean bottom up, tried this method, ended up with a knot on my head

In days of old when sweeps were bold
And brushes were not invented,
They wrapped a sock about their rock
And flue fires were prevented.

With apologies to Scout Troop 95.

When I went brush/rod shopping, they had the brushes, but no rods. I said “ok”, I’ll take the brush.

Secured it to an old doggie tie out chain, and dropped the chain down with a good flick of the wrist. The chain took out most of the fluffy stuff, the brush followed.

Good part about this is you get a “see saw” motion going, and can pull the brush up & down with the chain.

Still haven’t bought rods, 4 years later

That is pure genius LOL !! When we where little my dad used a large rock and some string it never went well because his homeade brush always stayed behind and then he would yell and swear.   

Pete

Back in the day, I would tie a rope to both ends of the brush.  I would take the roof position and my helper would take the lower end, on an angle of course.

Burlap bag with a chain inside worked wonders for us in the early years.

Realstone - 28 January 2012 09:51 PM

Back in the day, I would tie a rope to both ends of the brush.  I would take the roof position and my helper would take the lower end, on an angle of course.

Same here only I didn’t have a helper. I would pull it down then back on the ladder to pull it up. I’m in my late sixties now and am borrowing rods today to see if I can clean it bottom up from the outside clean out.

I know a mason that used a fir tree and cut the branches to size and tied to both ends.I bet it really dug in.I’ll use my brush. Jimbom,like the poem!

I’ve read about using chicken wire to clean out masonry chimneys in fireplaces. You crush a piece of the wire mesh up to about the size of the flue and run it up and down with a rope…can put some weight into the ball of crushed wire to help. Haven’t tried it, but no reason it would not work just fine. Cost=nothing for a piece of old scrap chicken wire.

My set-up will be bottom up but I thought of kettlebells for weight.  Various sizes, nice handle, etc…  they can be found used on CL, etc…  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=sporting&field-keywords=10+pound+kettlebell  And when you are not cleaning your chimney or cutting wood you can exercise with them (Hahaha).

PopCrackleSnap - 05 January 2012 04:35 PM

I got about a cup and a half of coffee grounds for my effort.

Look, you’ve saved even more money! Be sure to let us know how that coffee turns out. 

I’ve used a drain snake. Lowered it down, then rattled it around for a while…

I actually bought a set of rods, but I’m still using my $4 PVC conduit instead of fiddling with the rods. Of course I had to use the rods and render them un-returnable to decide I liked my conduit better.