Method of making a molded brush

A method of making a brush adapted for applying a flowable fluid to a workpiece, comprising the steps of:

• inserting a plurality of elongated filaments forming a tuft of said filaments into a cavity defined in a mold body so that the proximal ends of the filaments are disposed proximate the open end of the cavity, the elongated filaments being formed of a heat-fusible synthetic material;
• heating a member to a temperature at least as high as the melting point of the synthetic material and moving the heated member into closely proximate, predeterminately spaced apart relation with the mold body proximate the open end of the cavity so as to cause melting of the proximal ends of the filaments through transmission of heat from the heated member to the proximal ends of the filaments across a space defined between the heated member and the open end of the mold body cavity;
• maintaining the heated member in said closely proximate, predeterminately spaced apart relation with the mold body for a time period sufficient to form from the melted filaments a heat-fused wall defining a brush head section at the proximal end of the tuft;
• and
• heating a peripherally-interior portion of said tuft so as to form a substantially flexible membrane extending within and substantially axially along the tuft from said head section toward the distal end of the tuft and thereby define a fluid distribution channel in said brush for feeding fluid through said brush from the head section to the filaments proximate the filament distal ends for selective application of the fluid to a workpiece.