Rcbs ultrasonic cleaner concern

C

Cerick

New member
I just got a RCBS ultrasonic cleaner 2 to mainly use to clean gun parts. I had seen a YouTube video of a guy reviewing it that had a concern about putting metal gun parts in the metal basket then running a cleaning cycle, saying the metal to metal contact could damage the finish.

Has anyone had experience with that and should I be worried about damaging the finish on my pistols?
 
Over a long period of use the vibration of loose part against loose part could wear a blued finish.
I was a watchmaker and gunsmith and I never saw any finish degradation on fine watch parts or gun parts.
That would take some time and a LOT of cleaning for a blued gun part to show wear.

An easy answer to this is to use a plastic basket to keep parts off the bottom of the tank.
Parts clean better off the tank, and you can put parts in the basket one at a time and clean with no part to part contact.

The big advantage of ultrasonic cleaners is how fast and deep they clean.
Unless it's hardened, baked on carbon most gun fouling and dirt literally boils off in a cloud in the solution.
This means you don't have to run a part for a long time, and you can speed even that up by pulling parts out and brushing with a toothbrush, then returning to the tank.

Some pointers......

First be very careful what you use as a cleaning solution.
Some solutions can damage gun parts.
As example harsh liquid cleaners like Simply Green and Greased lightning can quickly strip anodized finishes off aluminum and will attack the aluminum itself.
Some solvents like lacquer thinner and paint thinner will remove painted sight and safety markings and can attack plastics and front sight inserts.

Use warm solution either by using hot water or running the cleaner long enough for it to warm the solution. Warm solutions clean better and faster.

Run the unit a few minutes to drive air out before putting parts in.

KEEP YOUR FINGERS OUT OF THE RUNNING TANK.
Bone marrow and ultrasonics don't play well with each other over time.

If you're using a water based cleaning solution don't waste time by running the parts in the cleaner to rinse.
Just hold under a hot water faucet or plunge and swish in a sink of hot water.
Most solvent type solutions will require no rinse until the solution gets really dirty.

To dry parts use a hair dryer. NOTE: Hair dryer, NOT oven, torch, or heat gun.
If you're using a water based cleaner, flush with very hot water until the parts are hot then shake off. The heat will dry the parts quickly and the hair dryer will get any left in hidden places.
 
I've got a small RCBS US cleaner, and it has a plastic basket. Maybe some type/size of drawer/office organizer basket will fit inside your metal basket.
 
My Lyman ultrasonic came with a plastic basket. I don’t think a metal basket would be a problem for small parts but I would be leary placing a slide, cylinder or frame on one.

Jim
 
Regardless of the brand you have make sure as a safety precaution you make sure to unplug the cleaner when it is not in use. I know of 3 people that did not do this, two had near fires started. One it burned up the heating elements in his.
 
I have a large Lyman ultrasonic cleaner in my gunsmithing shop, and I keep it running a lot because people like a really clean gun. Parts getting damaged from rubbing against each other is a non-issue, as is parts rubbing against the steel basket. Never seen it.

The only caveat I have for you is don't put aluminum parts in the cleaner for extended periods, it will strip the anodizing color (dye added after parts are anodized). I have seen this.
 
I've been wondering about ultra sonic cleaners for a while, never having used one or even seen on in action.

Here's my question: would it be possible to drop a parts assembly (like a pistol lower with all the trigger/sear parts installed) in the ultra sonic cleaner for a bit to get the carbon buildup out of that parts assembly without having to disassemble and clean each piece individually?
 
On small parts I drop them into a small pickle or mayo jar and fill the jar just enough to cover the parts and than fill the reservoir with water, on larger parts or if I have fired several guns and I want to clean them all at once but separately I use the little baskets that the strawberries come in from the store. they work great in protecting the finish of your slide on your semi auto guns. Do not put polymer stuff made material because the sonic cleaner will pit them.
 
Here's my question: would it be possible to drop a parts assembly (like a pistol lower with all the trigger/sear parts installed) in the ultra sonic cleaner for a bit to get the carbon buildup out of that parts assembly without having to disassemble and clean each piece individually?

YES it will....
I was a watchmaker/gunsmith.
Watchmakers routinely clean tiny assemblies in ultrasonic cleaners to avoid having to disassemble them and risk lost or damaged parts.
It's also faster then full disassembly.

That's why ultrasonic cleaners are so good..... they can get into tiny areas no other cleaning method can reach and clean them ultra-clean.
Compared to a ladies watch movement the smallest pistol assembly is gigantic.
As long as you give the cleaner enough time to work, warm the solution, and rinse the items properly they'll come out virtually surgically clean.

The trick is making sure you get a light coat of lubricant into all areas that are subject to rust.
Lubes like CLP Breakfree will "creep" into all areas eventually, but you need to make sure.

I've used a few drops of CLP on a toothbrush to "scrub" clean parts to leave a thin coat of lube to prevent rust.
For a firearms assembly you can't or don't want to disassemble, I've used an air brush to spray a fine mist of CLP into the assembly.
WARNING.... DO NOT inhale the CLP fumes....you will NOT like it.

Pointers....
Warm solution cleans faster-better. Either let the unit run until the solution warms up, or warm the cleaning solution by sitting the container in hot water, or if you're using a water-cleaner mix, just use hot water.

Ultrasonics will remove painted sight and safety markings.
Water based cleaners will take longer, solvent based may remove them instantly.

KEEP YOUR FINGERS OUT OF THE TANK WHEN IT'S RUNNING.
Bone marrow and ultrasonics don't play well together. This is not an instant ouch, it takes a some continued dipping your fingers in. Just don't.

If you use a solvent based cleaner like cheap paint thinner you really won't need to use a rinse until the solvent gets really dirty. Until then a rinse is really wasted time. Also you don't need to run the rinse in the ultrasonics.
Simply submerge the parts in a pan full of solvent.

If you're using a water based cleaner, just submerge in a sink full of hot water to rinse.

Be careful what cleaners you use.
As example standard Simply Green and other harsh liquid soap cleaners like the Purple cleaners and Greased Lightning WILL damage aluminum and WILL damage anodized color finishes and will do it faster in an ultrasonic tank.

Use a basket to keep parts off the bottom of the tank. Ultrasonics work better if parts are in a basket or hung by wires.

NEVER run the tank even a few seconds with no liquid in the tank, they burn out.

No, don't put your contact lenses in the tank. They're destroyed instantly.

If you think the tank isn't working hold a strip of aluminum foil in the solution. The sound waves will blow tiny holes in the strip.
 
To add to Dfariswheel advice, I also use compressed air to blow out at much of the water from the small parts if I do not disassemble , once I do that I also spray all the parts with WD-40 as it helps is displacing water and moisture than after that I lube the parts.
 
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