Ultrasonic cleaners?

[TedH]

My wonderful little wife brought me home a new ultrasonic cleaner today, just out of the blue, for no reason. It's the larger one from Harbor Freight, but it didn't come with any detergent, or whatever you are supposed to put in them. I read a bit online from various folks, and there seems to be a lot of different things folks say work good. So what's the best thing to use for cleaning brass? Or should I just get some of the stuff that Hornady sells?

[Sixgun]

Like the Outers foul out, I think these ultra sonic cleaners are a fad. I just can't see anything being any easier than a vibrator for cleaning brass or a brush and Hoppes #9 for cleaning gun parts.......but......as rare as it may be, I have been known to be wrong a time or two. ----6

[Neumann]

Any large gun shop (Cabelas, Bass Pro, etc) which carries ultrasonic cleaners has solutions to get the job done. Hornady products are good. There are two general types, for case cleaning and parts cleaning. They are concentrates, so it only takes a tablespoon for a half-gallon bath. I use Simple Green, diluted per label, for cleaning grease from automotive and bicycle parts. A lawnmower carburetor I cleaned two years ago still works like new. Shower heads come out clean too.

The case cleaning solution is non-acidic, based on EDTA, which is a powerful solvent for oxidized copper and lead. The parts cleaner is based on detergents and citric acid. Cases come out really clean, but on the dull side. Soak too long, and it leaches zinc from the brass. Keep it 20 minutes or less. Same for aluminum parts (e.g., carburetors).

About the only thing I don't use it for is reloading. Tumbling does a better job cleaning the outside, and with a little cerium oxide paste, leaves them mirror bright. It takes a long time to completely dry cases cleaned in an ultrasonic bath. You also have to decap them first, for solution penetration. The best way to dry cases is in a mesh "dainties" bag, hanging over a floor fan overnight. Primer pockets may or may not come clean, but any big chunks are gone. A black stain will not affect seating or ignition.

There is nothing that works as well on a bolt carrier group. You still have to use a wire brush to remove cooked on powder stains on a pistol barrel. Don't even think about immersing anything you can't completely disassemble, like a revolver or pistol frame. All the grease will be gone, and it's very hard to dry the mechanism and relube it.

[vonfatman]

I also do not use mine for brass.

I use it for cleaning guns and gun parts. Works great. Be sure to use compressed air to remove the cleaner/water solution.....then place them in a lube solution (no water) and cycle them after the cleaning to displace any water left over. Then blow off the excess lube.

I'm a fan of the ultrasonic cleaners.

Bob

[Rusty]

My late brother in law was an aircraft mechanic. He used one for cleaning some of his parts. He once had me order a gallon of Hoppes #9 to put in his. He said it worked great.

[JohndeFresno]

Ted,
With all due respect, my experience with the Harbor Freight ultrasonic cleaner and Hoppes One Shot, or just water, is different than the experiences described by at least one poster here. Perhaps it is because I insist on using distilled water, and usually use the One Shot stuff. Since it is concentrated and I use it over and over, it is actually very, very cheap to use.

1) In 8 minutes or at most 16 minutes - two "480" cycles on your Harbor Freight cleaner, you will be amazed at how the stuff falls away from your most corroded brass. Better than several noisy hours of vibration cleaning.

2) I have successfully cleaned brass with the spent primers in. But things work much better with them removed. With primer holes blocked, you have to apply Q-tips to the inside of the cases to dry them out to make sure that all of the water is removed, to avoid corrosion.

3) If you use your wife's hair dryer to heat up the brass and then set it up to drain on a towel, it will be dry in less than five minutes. Or, take the lot outside in this hot weather and then come back in an hour or two, unless you live in the Northern latitudes and the sun is evading you.

4) I always turn on the "TC" button which heats up the water. Just make sure that you put water in before you start or you will melt the little plastic tray. There is no provision for replacements through Harbor Freight, and then you have to cut up a plastic tray used for storing garden plants. Yes, I dunnit.

5) I use a Dream Whip tub full of solution and casings floating in the aforementioned water (didn't at first). That saves cleaning and solution.

I still use the vibration method for large lots, just setting it and walking away. But for quick turn around or really bad cases, this new technology cannot be beat. And it is way cheaper and less hassle than that steel pin or ball bearing method that is coming of age. I don't have to crawl around looking for itty bitty objects if something spills.

Here is a recent link, that points to an earlier link when I first got my Harbor Freight cleaner:
http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... 4&p=681605

[Old Ironsights]

My wonderful little wife brought me home a new ultrasonic cleaner today, just out of the blue, for no reason. It's the larger one from Harbor Freight, but it didn't come with any detergent, or whatever you are supposed to put in them. I read a bit online from various folks, and there seems to be a lot of different things folks say work good. So what's the best thing to use for cleaning brass? Or should I just get some of the stuff that Hornady sells?

First thing is to get some "shiny girl stuff" cleaner and make sure she knows you are keeping her baubles pretty... maybe she will buy you more stuff that way...

After that... well, listen to these guys. I have no experience with either shiny baubles or ultrasonic cleaners.

[earlmck]

Couple of years ago when friend DixieBoy was liquidating his goodies I bought a batch of once-fired 44 mag brass from him. He had cleaned it with an ultrasonic cleaner and it looked absolutely brand new, including the primer pockets. I've been intending to pick up one of those ultrasonic babies ever since for use with small batches of cases (I use the old Thumbler for large batches). So whatever he used for liquid surely did work well.

When I get one I'll deprime and use JohndeFresno's strategy. I like to do something to get lube off after full-length sizing and one of these might just fill the bill.

[Sixgun]

That's it! I've had enough of all of this sonic cleaner stuff. I'm going down tomorrow after work and pick one of these thingys up and see what all of the excitement is about. If it don't work, I'll sell it here for .60 cents on the dollar.----6

[pdentrem]

Have one at work. They also work well in removing the oils and debris from my sharpening stones. A little Dawn and water, and heat setting for a few minutes or a full 30 minutes for the neglected old stones.

[TedH]

Ok, I've had a chance to play a little with some various home brews. I found several recipes that folks claim to work pretty good from Simple Green, to Goop, to Lemishine, to Vinegar. Some didn't work worth a hoot, (Simple Green), but some did fantastic. I found a recipe that called for 1 qt of water, 1 cup of distilled vinegar, a tbsp of salt, and a tbsp of dish soap. After two, 480 second cycles, (16 min.) some really dirty 45 acp and some even dirtier 44 Mag brass came out looking like new, primer pockets included. I'll probably get around to trying some of the commercial cleaners, but I don't see how they could work any better than this recipe.

Here's a couple before and after shots.

20140701_193702.jpg

20140701_193731.jpg

[AJMD429]

My wonderful little wife brought me home a new ultrasonic cleaner today, just out of the blue, for no reason.

Well, she was trying to be polite. The after-dinner mints and deodorant didn't work, I'm guessing...

.......but......as rare as it may be, I have been known to be wrong a time or two. ----6

Hmmm.... That's something my wife isn't polite about telling me about. . .

Soak too long, and it leaches zinc from the brass. Keep it 20 minutes or less. Same for aluminum parts (e.g., carburetors).

That kind of thing always makes me nervous... I'd like a cleaner that would not damage what I'm cleaning, even if I forgot about it and left it in for a week or so. I know that's not entirely realistic, though.

There is nothing that works as well on a bolt carrier group. You still have to use a wire brush to remove cooked on powder stains on a pistol barrel. Don't even think about immersing anything you can't completely disassemble, like a revolver or pistol frame. All the grease will be gone, and it's very hard to dry the mechanism and relube it.

Wow, this thread is coming up with some GREAT advice, guys. Thanks, 'specially Neumann.

Have one at work. They also work well in removing the oils and debris from my sharpening stones. A little Dawn and water, and heat setting for a few minutes or a full 30 minutes for the neglected old stones.

MORE cool advice, likely applicable to many of us 'tinkerers'. Thanks...!

[JohndeFresno]

My wonderful little wife brought me home a new ultrasonic cleaner today, just out of the blue, for no reason.

Well, she was trying to be polite. The after-dinner mints and deodorant didn't work, I'm guessing...

Yup - no bout adout it. You are one funny dude for a doctor!

[vancelw]

Simple Green is great stuff for cleaning organic material, like bugs off the front of your car or motorcycle...I buy it by the gallon for that.
Haven't found much else it's good for.

Looks like your recipe worked great. I keep tire-kicking on ultra-sonic cleaners....Hoping the prices will come down some.

[JohndeFresno]

Simple Green is great stuff for cleaning organic material, like bugs off the front of your car or motorcycle...I buy it by the gallon for that.
Haven't found much else it's good for.

Looks like your recipe worked great. I keep tire-kicking on ultra-sonic cleaners....Hoping the prices will come down some.

They charge too much for what you get - just a plastic case, metal sink, and a vibrating something or other inside.

Harbor Freight sells a full size one for $80 (I think it was) that does everything you need. But yes, it is made in China.

[TedH]

My wife said she had a 20% off coupon for this deal. You can usually find those harbor freight coupons online, if you don't get them in the mail.

[cas]

I've been thoroughly disappointed in mine. About the only thing it does a good job on is cleaning the gunk off my keys.

[vonfatman]

I bought a unit from H. Freight first....it did not clean as I liked and I returned it and did some research and bought a different (see below) unit that I am very happy with.

I bought this unit (the smaller Model 875). Brownells sells the same unit.

http://www.sonicsystemsales.com/specsheetorder.html


Bob

[TedH]

In the short time I've played with this one, it has been abundandtly clear that you must have the right cleaning agent for the task at hand.

[cas]

Depends on where you're coming from as well.

My thinking is, if I have to clean stuff in Hoppes, what's the point? (It would come clean anyway)

While I'm sure other people view it as "Well I'm soaking them in Hoppes anyway, why not do it in the ultrasonic cleaner (and get any added benefit).

[BrentD]

I have one, it worked okay. But I quit using it for brass. Anyone wants to try one, I am sure we can make a deal.