Swapped my old hand crank soot blower for an electric one last month

I used to use a manual hand crank soot blower on every cleanout for like 5 years. It got the job done but my shoulder was killing me after big jobs with heavy creosote buildup. Finally switched to an electric model from a supply house in Portland after a buddy let me borrow his. First job with it cut my time from 45 minutes down to maybe 20 on a particularly nasty oil furnace flue. Now I am wondering if I should have made the change years ago. Has anyone else found a tool upgrade that saved your body more than your time?

2 comments

2 Comments

charles91914d ago

joelp81 got it right about putting up with stuff too long. I used to think a manual blower was just part of the trade and you had to earn your sore muscles. After switching to the electric model, I realized I was just being stubborn about old equipment. My shoulder feels way better after a long day now.

joelp8114d ago

You ever notice how the stuff that wears your body down the most is always the stuff you just put up with for way too long? I had a similar thing with a old concrete mixer I inherited... kept using it even though the drum wobble was killing my back. Swapped it for a newer one and it dawned on me how much I was just accepting the pain as part of the job. It's like we get used to the grind and forget tools are supposed to make things easier, not harder.