Author Topic: Removing boiler tar build up  (Read 3222 times)

Offline Gas_mantle

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Removing boiler tar build up
« on: January 20, 2017, 01:41:18 PM »
Hi

Anyone got any tips on cleaning excessive tar from the fire tubes of small boilers ?

I've just bought a small one that has a large build up of thick tar and struggling to remove the build up, I can't find a small enough flue brush so at the moment it's a tooth brush and warm soapy water but I wonder if there was any household product that may help loosen the build up ?

Thanks
Peter.

Offline Flyboy Jim

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Re: Removing boiler tar build up
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2017, 02:11:55 PM »
Hi

Anyone got any tips on cleaning excessive tar from the fire tubes of small boilers ?

I've just bought a small one that has a large build up of thick tar and struggling to remove the build up, I can't find a small enough flue brush so at the moment it's a tooth brush and warm soapy water but I wonder if there was any household product that may help loosen the build up ?

Thanks
Peter.

Here's a series of videos, where Keith Appleton rebuilds a boiler in a model steam launch, the might be useful: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW8bcuRdCL4" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW8bcuRdCL4</a> If nothing else, they're really entertaining to watch.

Jim
Sherline 4400 Lathe
Sherline 5400 Mill
"You can do small things on big machines, but you can do small things on small machines".

Offline Gas_mantle

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Re: Removing boiler tar build up
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2017, 02:18:02 PM »
Thanks Jim,

At the moment I've found a close fitting steel bar is managing to break up the excess but it's far from ideal and is a slow process. I've now managed to order a small enough brush but it does raise the question is there a product that helps to remove the build up ?
« Last Edit: January 20, 2017, 02:32:08 PM by Gas_mantle »

 

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