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Squirrel scraper

rusty69

By rusty69
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rusty69 Veteran II

rusty69

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Posted

Anyone with a squirrel stove with backboiler fitted will know the routine.

 

Getting the debris off the top of the boiler, is always a skin scraping experience. I 

always use my trusty hand. 

 

Is there a better way, tool, hoover attachment, blanking plate or just a simple glove? 

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MtB Veteran II

MtBDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted
9 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Anyone with a squirrel stove with backboiler fitted will know the routine.

 

Getting the debris off the top of the boiler, is always a skin scraping experience. I 

always use my trusty hand. 

 

Is there a better way, tool, hoover attachment, blanking plate or just a simple glove? 

 

Take it out (the back boiler that is) and get a Morco!

 

(To go with your Morso.)

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rusty69 Veteran II

rusty69

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2 minutes ago, cuthound said:

And there was me thinking this post would be about a device to remove road kill from the front of a car ?

I've nearly hit 2 of the buggers this week whilst driving (me,  not the squirrel). 

 

Phew, that was nearly a dangling participle. 

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rusty69 Veteran II

rusty69

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1 minute ago, tree monkey said:

Obtain a small hamster, place small bits of it's favourite food over the area and place hamster in stove.

Whilst it's sniffling for snacks it will dislodge the debris

How do I get the hamster out? up the flue pipe? 

 

One flue out of the hamsters nest! 

  • Greenie 1
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MtB Veteran II

MtBDonate to Canal World

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Posted
2 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

Obtain a small hamster, place small bits of it's favourite food over the area and place hamster in stove.

Whilst it's sniffling for snacks it will dislodge the debris

 

I hold that said hamster would die of CO poisoning before dislodging all of the debris.

 

Although I suppose it might work if the stove is allowed to go out first...

 

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rusty69 Veteran II

rusty69

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1 minute ago, philjw said:

Love the humour but it would be great if there was such a bit of kit. It would save the skin on the back of the hand from punishment.  I have considered a crook shape attachment for a vacuum cleaner but have yet to attempt to build one.

Ah finally another poster bitten by their squirrel. Pity they don't leave just a bit more room between boiler and stove. 

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Just Heaven Collaborator

Just Heaven

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, rusty69 said:

Anyone with a squirrel stove with backboiler fitted will know the routine.

 

Getting the debris off the top of the boiler, is always a skin scraping experience. I 

always use my trusty hand. 

 

Is there a better way, tool, hoover attachment, blanking plate or just a simple glove? 

An old farmer friend used to sweep the farmhouse chimney thus :

climb up onto the roof

drop a rope down the chimney

get someone to tie a large branch off of a holly tree on the bottom of the rope

Pull the rope back up the chimney

The holly branch cleans out all the soot etc.

 

So perhaps you could use a smaller holly branch in tne squirrel 

 

Steve

 

Edited by Just Heaven
Cant spell holly!
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rusty69 Veteran II

rusty69

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4 minutes ago, Just Heaven said:

 

So perhaps you could use a smaller holly branch in tne squirrel 

A great idea for flue cleaning. I would still be left with the problem of removing the rubbish off the boiler though.  

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philjw Proficient

philjw

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2 minutes ago, Just Heaven said:

So perhaps you could use a smaller holly branch in tne squirrel 

It's not getting the flue clean that is the issue - quite the reverse. All of the muck disloged from the flue ends up on top of the boiler where it is hard to remove.

Apparrently they used a method similar to your branch to clean Blisworth tunnel. The museum has photos of a boat loaded up with branches which was towed through to clean of the soot from the steam tugs.

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Slim Influencer

Slim

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In an attempt to be serious :offtopic::offtopic:

 

This is a problem I will encounter in a couple of hours when I go up to the boat to prepare it for the winter (minor op in a couple of weeks so won't be able to get to it for a couple of months). In the past I've tried an ash vac, various hand and paint brushes, shaped metal scrapers and assorted bits and pieces. Without doubt the best tool is the Mk 1 hand in a rubber glove. The glove soon gets destroyed but the job gets done..

 

If anyone can come up with a sensible suggestion in the time it takes to drive 75 miles I would be grateful.

 

 

Frank

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