Had to pick between a hand brush kit or a rotary whip yesterday

I showed up to a job on Maple Street and the flue was caked with about a quarter inch of glaze. The homeowner wanted it cleaned fast but I knew a whip could tear up the clay liner if I was too rough. I sat there for a solid 5 minutes weighing my options. Eventually I went with the hand brush kit because I figured slow and steady beats patching a cracked liner later. Took me almost twice as long but the glaze came off in chunks and the liner looked fine. Customer watched me the whole time and said he was glad I didn't rush it. Anyone else have a job where picking the slower tool saved your butt?

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2 Comments

taylorhunt3mo ago

Hang on, I gotta push back a little on that. In my experience and from what I've seen with other guys, a rotary whip can definitely damage a clay liner even at lower speeds. The issue isn't just speed, it's the whip's action. Those metal whips are spinning and scraping at the same time, and if you hit a spot where the glaze is really stuck, the torque can easily chip or score the liner. I've had a few jobs where a homeowner told me a previous cleaner used a whip and left grooves. So going with the hand brush kit for a heavy glaze like that was the smart call, your mileage may vary but I think you made the right choice. Patience really does save you from headaches down the line.

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veramiller3mo ago

Oh man, you're giving whips a bad rap though. A rotary whip is totally fine on clay liners as long as you keep the speed down and don't let it dig in, I've used them on way worse glaze than that without a scratch.

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