Park Tool Chain Scrubber consumables
05-23-20, 07:28 PM
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Park Tool Chain Scrubber consumables
Doing my own limited bike repair and maintenance I have been using a Park Tool CM-5.3 Chain Scrubber. This is the consumer grade device. I find it only lasts me a few months before it's rather gunked up. The small sponge insert deteriorates rather quickly. I've been cutting up regular cellulose kitchen sponge to fill the gap but they are not an optimal solution. Add to that the plastic housing just doesn't last long for me.
So I've upgraded to the Park Tool CM-25 Chain Scrubber. It's advertised as a shop grade device. The housing and plastic mechanicals seem to be more robust so good for that. But it uses the same consumables; a sponge insert as well as two "cotton/wool" fabric swatches to wipe clean the chain at the end of the pass. Picture below. What I am hoping is that one of you smarter or more experienced folks can tell me what kind of sponge material and fabric the two consumables are maybe? What I don't want to do is buy random foam blocks, cut them too shape with a hot wire knife and then find they instantly melt when hit with the cleaner.
Thanks for the guidance.
So I've upgraded to the Park Tool CM-25 Chain Scrubber. It's advertised as a shop grade device. The housing and plastic mechanicals seem to be more robust so good for that. But it uses the same consumables; a sponge insert as well as two "cotton/wool" fabric swatches to wipe clean the chain at the end of the pass. Picture below. What I am hoping is that one of you smarter or more experienced folks can tell me what kind of sponge material and fabric the two consumables are maybe? What I don't want to do is buy random foam blocks, cut them too shape with a hot wire knife and then find they instantly melt when hit with the cleaner.
Thanks for the guidance.
05-23-20, 10:43 PM
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https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/chain-care.html Ultra sonic cleaner.
05-23-20, 11:18 PM
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Park makes a rebuild kit (RBS-5) for the chain scrubbers. I buy one every year or so for my plastic Park scrubber, and they sell for $10-12 for the kit. It comes with all the scrubbing brushes and two replacement foam blocks. I have tried to carve blocks from sheets of foam, but decided that by the time i go through two or 3 blocks, the brushes need replacing anyway, so the kit is worth buying for my needs.
05-23-20, 11:34 PM
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I've now worked in 5 shops and never seen a tech actually use one of those. Usually a glass jar with a degreaser in it. Take the chain off first and toss in the jar, shake for 30 sec then leave in the jar while doing wheels and other things, then shake the chain again, pull out and wipe off
