# Is there a broom made for sweeping metal swarl?



## Philipintexas (Aug 15, 2012)

Surely someone makes a push-broom that will sweep metal chips and "curly" metal scrap on a concrete floor. I've tried the usual but the stuff sticks to the broom and re-spreads it. Has anyone found a solution?


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## sssfox (Aug 15, 2012)

I've never been able to find one either.
It seems that they split the ends to make small "brushes" to sweep better.
This increases the likelihood that the swarf will stick.

The only type I have found that works at all is a rubber "brush" with little nubs instead of bristles.  The one I have has a head about 2" x 10" with nubs about 3/4" long.  My wife bought it at a home show a long time ago.  I don't know what the intended use was, I wasn't there when she bought it.  I seem to recall she said something about pet hair or I read it on the label, which is long gone.

I only tried it because it was handy.


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## AssassinXCV (Aug 15, 2012)

At my university, they have giant squidgy type brooms. Works same way a windshield wiper works. Though they aren't nice to push, its' all got to do with the angle of attack of the squidgy rubber.

ie:    it's easier to pull to the left having the rubber on an angle:      \\     <-----


```
O
 Person--->        |___\     <---Broom Handle
                   |    \
<----Pull          |     \      
                  / \     \
                 /   \    [COLOR="Red"]\\[/COLOR]   <---[COLOR="red"]Angled Squidgy Rubber Blade[/COLOR]
```

than to push to the right when rubber on this angle:  ---->  \\


```
O
 Person--->        |___\     <---Broom Handle
                   |    \
                   |     \      ----->Push
                  / \     \
                 /   \    [COLOR="Red"]\\[/COLOR]   <---[COLOR="red"]Angled Squidgy Rubber Blade[/COLOR]
```


If you could modify a squidgy, try to angle it like:


```
O
 Person--->        |___\     <---Broom Handle
                   |    \
                   |     \      ----->Push
                  / \     \
                 /   \    [COLOR="Red"]//[/COLOR][COLOR="SeaGreen"]&#3232;&#3232;&#3232;&#3232;[/COLOR]   <---[COLOR="red"]Angled Squidgy Rubber Blade[/COLOR]
                  
                             ^ 
                             | [COLOR="SeaGreen"]swarf[/COLOR]
```

Heck just buy another car squidgy, ducktape a long broom handle to it, and the flexible rubber (compared the the squidgy type things we have at university) will give the proper angle when pushing. Sure it's a little skinny, but could work a treat.

Just an idea,

Ian


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## kvom (Aug 15, 2012)

I have one of the rolling magnet sweepers from Northern Tool.  Works well on magnetic swarf.


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## Alchymist (Aug 15, 2012)

Plastic bristled "patio" broom works best. Not real well, but works.


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## Rustkolector (Aug 15, 2012)

I've tried numerous types of brooms, and gave up on them. A good small shop vac with both a long floor attachment and a small short nozzle for the bench and machines works better than a broom for me. I have a small shop and I have to clean up regularly to keep from tracking swarf upstairs into my wife's domain. She can spot a chip from 15', and I hear about every one she finds. The shop vac has helped. 

Jeff


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## prof65 (Aug 16, 2012)

I use a "standard" broom to collect most of the swarf, then a quick pass with a shop vac equipped with this brush, job done.


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## Antman (Aug 16, 2012)

Only time I tried to use a vac, some swarf must have got past the filter bag,  and the motor went bang in a big way.  Didn't tell the Missus how I destroyed the vac,  just complained about how things not being made how they used to .


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## Springbok (Aug 18, 2012)

Made one with old hard drive magnets - 2 small wheels cut a bit of thin sheet bent fiitted wheels braized a bit of tube to contraption fit pole plonk on you magnets roll over swarf take to bin pick off magnets swarf falls in bin.  Obviously will not pick up brass etc;  but is a nice low cost method.
Bob


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## Blue_Rock (Aug 18, 2012)

Hi, the  magnetic sweepers seem to work OK


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## robcas631 (Aug 18, 2012)

The shop vac really sucks!


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## MachineTom (Aug 19, 2012)

Because of me needing to use wheels rather than feet to get around, SWARF is a big issue in my house. The floor needs to be sweeped as I work rather than every few days. A cheap 30" magnetic broom, works great for the big magnetic stuff, just roll it over a piece of carboard, release the magnetic and then dump the carboard into the trash. A fine horsehair broom is used after that and the chips are gone. Large curlies just jam up the bristles, so I scoop them kitty liter scoop.

What works for me is to sweep the travel areas several times a day into a few dead zones, then clean those areas as I see fit. The shop vac work best in the dead zones, but only after the large stuff is removed from the swarf.


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## Philipintexas (Aug 20, 2012)

I use a lot of aluminum and Stainless so the magnets don't work. I went shopping and found a patio/outdoor broom that has poly bristles without the usual "split ends". Some stuff still sticks to the bristles but nowhere as bad as my older broom.  I think the answer is to look for bristles that are cleanly cut without any "fuzz" at the ends. I found some that looked like natural fiber bristles and fewer of them but don't know how long they would last. So far the Lowe's broom is working well. Thanks for the suggestions.


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## terrywerm (Aug 20, 2012)

I use what is commonly called a "barn broom" with heavy bristles, typically a bit heavier than the patio brooms previously mentioned. Recently I have been seeing both the barm brooms and the patio brooms with the unsplit plastic bristles mentioned earlier, but I have not yet had the chance to purchase one and try it out. 

I always sweep twice:  Once with the barn broom to get all the 'big chunks' then go back over it with a regular shop broom with the split bristles to get all the tiny stuff. 

One thing that really helps keep concrete floors clean is to seal or paint the floor with a good epoxy paint. Well worth the money as it makes a bit of drudgery much much easier!


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## gus (Aug 20, 2012)

prof65 said:


> I use a "standard" broom to collect most of the swarf, then a quick pass with a shop vac equipped with this brush, job done.



Good Idea. Used to have an air operated vacuum cleaner which works fine but the filter need replacement every three months.

Retired since 2001 and money is a problem.So I bought used vacuum cleaner from Salvation Army. Here is some good advice.
1.Make sure filter pads are still available and please buy a good qty as model
   make be obsolete in two/three years.
2.Remind the "boss" and junior boss.Vacuum cleaner is dangerous to operate.
   And will spit steel chips all over the house.  
3.Or hide same cleaner.
Make it a point to sweep machineshop after every session.

Metal chips are hard to remove when it hits your feel.Removal of steel chips very difficult.


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## Maryak (Aug 21, 2012)

After hand brooming benches and machines onto the floor, goggles, face mask, hat and 100psi air works for me, great for those hard to get at corners etc. but the last thing to be hosed down is me.


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## rake60 (Aug 21, 2012)

I had one of _*THESE*_
It worked great until I broke the handle off of it. 

It picks up all of the chips, and drops them when you lift up on the release handle.

Rick


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## robcas631 (Aug 21, 2012)

If you had a proper filter on a shop vac it will catch 99.99%. Or so I'am told?


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