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| Brooms |
| Brush up on your knowledge of the humble household broom! |
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We checked out the P.F. Brady broom factory. Founded in 1927, it is one of the biggest brush and broom manufacturers in Australia, making more than 500 different kinds, from the smallest member of the Brady brush family - an acid spirit brush just 100mm long - to the largest, a street-sweeper.
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There are a number of different materials used in brooms and brushes, depending on their function. Yard brooms are made with cane or bassine straw - sturdy, durable materials suitable for tough jobs outdoors. Vienna brooms are made with black horse hair, a soft material that will treat soft floors like parquetry and cork with the gentle touch they need to stay in top condition. Synthetic materials such as polypropylene and vinyl are used in household brooms, toilet brushes (the black sheep of the brush family), dustbin brushes, cobweb brushes and kitchen cleaning utensils.
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To make the brushes, all raw materials are pre-cut and gathered near the machine that turns out the desired model. For a hair broom, for example, holes made in the underside of the broom head are filled with hair, which is attached using a metal staple. A circulating blade then gives the brush a quick haircut. Once the head is trimmed and tidy, the machine removes any loose hairs, just like the local barber. A handle is glued on to the broom head then it is packaged and ready to go to work. All around the factory, variations on this theme are taking place, some by machine, some by hand.
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More Info
P.F. Brady Pty Ltd, 25 Elizabeth St, Campsie, NSW, or PO Box 95, Kingsgrove 2208 NSW, ph: (02) 9718 7677.
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Disclaimer
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