Fin combs

[Pnasty]

Is there anything better than the disposable plastic ones?

Never used the metal ones, do they rip apart the fins to easy?

Or is this just something that hasn’t been changed because they’re the best that is made?

[TechmanTerry]

There are several "items"you can use. A flat blade tweeker screwdriver, a procured "butter knife",a sheetrock knife. Then one bent fin at a time gets "straightened out".Insert,twist,slide over and over and over.

Thats at about 1/16-1/8 of an inch w/ each twist. Most Techs find it is a "mind altering experience" and after an hour or so of this "wax on/waxoff" procedure they tend to get jittery,LOL!

[HVAC_Marc]

they're all junk. if the coil is that bad it really needs to be replaced... ive found that straightening them works ok until they're washed. then they just fold over again. the crease in the metal makes it weak and they bend easily again.

[Pnasty]

Yeah I know the act of doing it seems pointless. Just thought I’d ask. Saw one today that looked like they used a salad for to straighten, five years ago. Then used a rake to comb them the next 5 years after power washer didn’t straighten them.

[Pnasty]

Duplicate

[TechmanTerry]

I do it 'cause it's just gotta be done.

[Jettinvr6sc]

I've used Terry's method a few times, it's like punching tubes on a chiller boring as hell. Also had luck using a welders wire brush if it's not too bad.

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[BBeerme]

Punching tubes is downright exciting, compared to properly straightening fins!

http://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread....-Yeoman-s-Work

I've used Terry's method a few times, it's like punching tubes on a chiller boring as hell. Also had luck using a welders wire brush if it's not too bad.

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[Pnasty]

Ugh glad we don’t have any chillers or boilers...

[GenesisRefrig]

I just learned this last Summer. Over 30 years in the biz, and never knew this.

Use a wire brush from the hardware store. Like the ones used to brush rust off of rusty steel. It takes a firm hand, but, OMG, does it work good and fast! I straightened ALL the fins on a 10 ton rooftop where someone got pressure washer happy in 30 minutes!

I used it to straighten evap fins that someone folded over on a 5 ton rooftop in 10 minutes.

To get closer to the edges of the coil, I cut the handle off of mine.

The picture is kind of what I use, but with more dense tines and the cut off handle.