16
My old way of cleaning a hull was a real grind until I tried a new tool
For years, I'd attack hull cleaning with a standard wire brush and a whole lot of elbow grease. It was slow, messy, and my arms would be shot after a full day on a big workboat. About six months ago, I was on a job in Tampa and the lead diver had this different brush head on his rotary tool. He called it a cup brush, made for surface prep. I gave it a shot on some tough barnacles and it was a game changer. The bristles are stiff but they fan out, so they get into pits and curves way better than my old straight brush. It cuts the cleaning time almost in half on flat steel hulls. I still use the hand brush for tight spots around sea chests, but for the main surfaces, I'm never going back. Has anyone else switched up their basic scrubbing tools recently?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
thomas_young2mo ago
What kind of rotary tool were you using with that cup brush? I had a similar moment last year with a twisted knot cup wheel on an angle grinder for some light rust. It just eats through the crud without gouging the metal like a regular wire wheel can. My old method felt like fighting the hull instead of cleaning it. It's one of those small changes that makes the whole job feel less like a punishment.
6
wendy6742mo ago
Yeah, the right tool changes everything. What speed were you running that twisted knot cup wheel at? I've found if you go too fast on thinner metal, it can still leave marks, even if it's way better than a regular wire wheel.
9