Flask Brush Source

[pinemarten]

I’m on the hunt for a proper brush to clean 5000ml flasks. I’ve found a few listed on laboratory supply sites, but they don’t seem to sell to the public. I found one that looks perfect directly from the manufacturer, Justman, but the minimum order quantity is three. They have both a 21” and 30” model. Does anyone know where I can find something like the brush linked below? If not, any takers on splitting an order of three?

Long Flask Brush

 

[Jayjay1976]

I've been using a Libman vent brush for a few years. It's bendable into any shape and has worked great on my 2, 3, and 5L erlenmeyers. Also great for cleaning lint out the dryer.
I bought mine at a big box DIY store.
Libman Vent Brush Amazon.com: Libman Vent Brush : Health & Household

 

[IslandLizard]

I really like Jayjay's ^

I clean my 2 liter flasks with a bottle brush, bent in the right shape/curve. The wire does tend to scratch the neck unless you wrap something soft (such as a rag) around the metal wire in that location.

You may need to find one that's long enough for 5 liter flasks, though.

 

[day_trippr]

That brush won't really work that well as there are no bristles in the last 1/2" or so at the tip. One needs to get in the "corners" of a 5 liter e-flask to ensure the cleaning actually cleans out any film extant.

I have what was sold as an e-flask brush for 2 liter and smaller flasks. It's the typical SS wire affair with ~2" wide bristles radiating from the twisted stem with some of them extending out from the end. It is barely long enough to reach the bottom of my five liter flask with my fingers inside the rim an inch or so. I really should find something better but I've lived with this for almost a decade so far so it's clearly not that bothersome

Cheers!

 

[pinemarten]

I've been using a Libman vent brush for a few years. It's bendable into any shape and has worked great on my 2, 3, and 5L erlenmeyers. Also great for cleaning lint out the dryer.
I bought mine at a big box DIY store.
Libman Vent Brush Amazon.com: Libman Vent Brush : Health & Household

View attachment 757782

Thanks Jayjay! I was struggling with the double edged sword that is Amazon. Has everything yet good luck finding it. I searched ‘30” flask brush’ and got 7.68 trillion results. One of those is probably exactly what I need…

I wouldn’t have ever known to search for a vent brush. Much appreciated!

 

[IslandLizard]

That brush won't really work that well as there are no bristles in the last 1/2" or so at the tip.

You can bend the bottom end so you can clean the bottom and corner. That cleans better than the tip ever would.

 

[day_trippr]

I suppose if you can put a ~90° bend an ~inch from the tip that might work.
Hard to believe there isn't a purposed brush though...

Cheers!

 

[day_trippr]

My 5 liter e-flask is 15" tall. I think this 18" long brush with almost 3" wide bristled section would be a better solution, no bending required...

https://www.amazon.com/Nylon-Lab-Brush-Bristles-Stainless/dp/B06ZZXBWTV
Cheers!

 

[pinemarten]

My 5 liter e-flask is 15" tall. I think this 18" long brush with almost 3" wide bristled section would be a better solution, no bending required...

https://www.amazon.com/Nylon-Lab-Brush-Bristles-Stainless/dp/B06ZZXBWTV
Cheers!

Thanks for the suggestion! Knowing myself, that would actually take some bending for my purposes. The end of that style of brush has scratched many a corny of mine.

There are purpose built brushes for large flasks, but they don’t seem to be readily available to people not ordering from their lab’s corporate account.

 

[IslandLizard]

I suppose if you can put a ~90° bend an ~inch from the tip that might work.

I think a larger foot would work much better, 2-4 inches perhaps.
Bending brushes into the proper shape is part of the job.

Hard to believe there isn't a purposed brush though...

Check lab supply vendors to harvest ideas...

Cleaning glassware in the lab was always a chore and half. Even in the 70s we had automatic labware washers using pre-programmed cards. Think of very specialized high power dishwashers. They would get close to all but the most stubborn crud out. The real dirty ones, either before or after the washer we'd soak or boil them with a suitable solvent/agent, and/or used elbow grease and a brush/scraper.

 

[pinemarten]

I think a larger foot would work much better, 2-4 inches perhaps.
Bending brushes into the proper shape is part of the job.


Check lab supply vendors to harvest ideas...

Cleaning glassware in the lab was always a chore and half. Even in the 70s we had automatic labware washers using pre-programmed cards. Think of very specialized high power dishwashers. They would get close to all but the most stubborn crud out. The real dirty ones, either before or after the washer we'd soak or boil them with a suitable solvent/agent, and/or used elbow grease and a brush/scraper.

Funny enough, I went down the rabbit hole of lab blogs in search of the perfect brush. One poster said they don’t need brushes as they just fill their flasks with hexavalent chromium and a day later anything in them is obliterated. That’s the same nasty stuff the Erin Brockovich movie is about!

 

[day_trippr]

Everyone's a comedian

btw, the first image in this thread shows a brush style that can actually be found on Amazon - but that I question it's efficiency. That's a pretty small bristled area and a 5 liter flask actually has a substantial surface area...

Cheers!

 

[MaxStout]

Something like this? You could bend the brush to get it into the rim around the bottom.

 

[day_trippr]

That's actually what I was referring to.
Now compare the area that brush might contact with something like this:

Also, note the overall length of that curved brush is 15" which is the height of my 5 liter e-flask...

Cheers!

 

[pinemarten]

Everyone's a comedian

btw, the first image in this thread shows a brush style that can actually be found on Amazon - but that I question it's efficiency. That's a pretty small bristled area and a 5 liter flask actually has a substantial surface area...

Cheers!

I found similar brushes on Amazon, but they are quite a bit smaller and the descriptions state they are for 1L flasks with a total length of 16”. That’s about the same height of the 5L flasks I use. The brush in the pic is 30” long with a 5 5/8" brush head. I’d love to have one of those. Just making something work is, of course, one of the joys of homebrewing but I’m at the point where I use flasks often enough that it makes sense to have the proper tool.

 

[pinemarten]

Something like this? You could bend the brush to get it into the rim around the bottom.

That would work if it was longer. But at 16” before bending it’s the ole throwing a hotdog down a hallway.

 

[MaxStout]

That would work if it was longer. But at 16” before bending it’s the ole throwing a hotdog down a hallway.

Tape a stick to the handle to extend the length?

 

[Jayjay1976]

That brush won't really work that well as there are no bristles in the last 1/2" or so at the tip. One needs to get in the "corners" of a 5 liter e-flask to ensure the cleaning actually cleans out any film extant.

I have what was sold as an e-flask brush for 2 liter and smaller flasks. It's the typical SS wire affair with ~2" wide bristles radiating from the twisted stem with some of them extending out from the end. It is barely long enough to reach the bottom of my five liter flask with my fingers inside the rim an inch or so. I really should find something better but I've lived with this for almost a decade so far so it's clearly not that bothersome

Cheers!

I bend the last 3" to a sharp angle and it gets the corners really well. I've used it successfully to get at tough stuck on junk in a bunch of different vessels. For ~$8 it cannot be beat. I'll post a photo of it configured to clean my 5L erlenmeyer.

Edit: just want to add, my favorite application for the freakishly long vent brush is entertaining my cat. He loves it.

 

[pinemarten]

After great consternation and a pair of homebrews, I’ve decided to become the official unofficial North American Justman BRUSH Company retail 5L flask brush distributor to the HBT market. In classic HBT form, I spent hours discussing something that costs $14 and will last for years. I love this community. Thanks for all the replies!

I ordered the minimum of three. PM me if you want one.

 

[coolitfast]

I’m on the hunt for a proper brush to clean 5000ml flasks. I’ve found a few listed on laboratory supply sites, but they don’t seem to sell to the public. I found one that looks perfect directly from the manufacturer, Justman, but the minimum order quantity is three. They have both a 21” and 30” model. Does anyone know where I can find something like the brush linked below? If not, any takers on splitting an order of three?

Long Flask Brush

I’m on the hunt for a proper brush to clean 5000ml flasks. I’ve found a few listed on laboratory supply sites, but they don’t seem to sell to the public. I found one that looks perfect directly from the manufacturer, Justman, but the minimum order quantity is three. They have both a 21” and 30” model. Does anyone know where I can find something like the brush linked below? If not, any takers on splitting an order of three?

Long Flask Brush

Take a look at our Turbonik Brush at www.exchilerator.com under the cleaning drop down
It may be one answer

 

[Golddiggie]

You know, I've not needed to use a brush in my flasks after a good soak with PBW (start hot, let sit at least overnight). Rinse out well then sanitize before using. Done.