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Ultrasonic cleaner. Which one?
- Thread starter Dundgren
- Start date
I don't know a whole lot about ultrasonic cleaners.
That being said, I often suspect that a lot of stuff like ultrasonic cleaners, and scales and things like that are branded by reloading equipment manufacturers (who don't actually manufacture this stuff) and the price is significantly increased because their name is on it. In other words, in my uneducated opinion, I think that if you can find an ultrasonic cleaner somewhere other than from a reloading equipment manufacturer, I am sure it would work fine: there is nothing "gun specific" about an ultrasonic cleaner.
Here in the US, we have a chain of stores called Harbor Freight. They sell mostly low end, cheap, Chinese made tools under brand names such as "Pittsburgh", "Chicago"........... While they are sold in Pittsburgh and Chicago, they are Chinese manufactured and the names are a poor attempt at making you think they are quality tools. Anyway, they sell an ultrasonic cleaner and I know quite a few people who are using them to clean brass and according to them, they work great.
For years, I have used an ultrasonic cleaner branded by Hornady for brass cleaning. It also works great but I wanted a larger one to clean suppressors. In particular, I wanted one that was big enough to hold something about 12" - 13". I looked at Amazon and didn't see anything that was reasonably priced that was that big. I ended up buying a Lyman 6000 not because it had the brand name of a reloading equipment manufacturer but it happened to be the only one of that size that I found reasonably priced. I originally had no intention of buying one from a reloading equipment manufacturer.
That being said, I often suspect that a lot of stuff like ultrasonic cleaners, and scales and things like that are branded by reloading equipment manufacturers (who don't actually manufacture this stuff) and the price is significantly increased because their name is on it. In other words, in my uneducated opinion, I think that if you can find an ultrasonic cleaner somewhere other than from a reloading equipment manufacturer, I am sure it would work fine: there is nothing "gun specific" about an ultrasonic cleaner.
Here in the US, we have a chain of stores called Harbor Freight. They sell mostly low end, cheap, Chinese made tools under brand names such as "Pittsburgh", "Chicago"........... While they are sold in Pittsburgh and Chicago, they are Chinese manufactured and the names are a poor attempt at making you think they are quality tools. Anyway, they sell an ultrasonic cleaner and I know quite a few people who are using them to clean brass and according to them, they work great.
For years, I have used an ultrasonic cleaner branded by Hornady for brass cleaning. It also works great but I wanted a larger one to clean suppressors. In particular, I wanted one that was big enough to hold something about 12" - 13". I looked at Amazon and didn't see anything that was reasonably priced that was that big. I ended up buying a Lyman 6000 not because it had the brand name of a reloading equipment manufacturer but it happened to be the only one of that size that I found reasonably priced. I originally had no intention of buying one from a reloading equipment manufacturer.
Any ultrasonic cleaner will do. You need to compare the volume that they are capable of cleaning at one time. There are some drawbacks to ultrasonic cleaning. The solution does not go very far, lower yield due to lower capacity, you must use very hot water to maximize cleaning, expect to run brass for 4 or 5 cycles before brass is clean. Ultrasonic cleaning is labor intensive and the most expensive of the 3 methods to clean brass.
I had a cheap Chinese jewelry ultrasonic cleaner that I paid $30 for many years ago. It quit on me about 3 years of using it and I switched over to a vibratory cleaner. The vibratory could handle more volume and the process was much less time consuming and cheaper. If you absolutely need sparkling brass get a rotary rock tumbler and some stainless steel pins - the initial cost of the tumbler and pins is a bit more than a vibratory but the dish-washing liquid, citric acid, and sodium bicarbonate is cheap.
I had a cheap Chinese jewelry ultrasonic cleaner that I paid $30 for many years ago. It quit on me about 3 years of using it and I switched over to a vibratory cleaner. The vibratory could handle more volume and the process was much less time consuming and cheaper. If you absolutely need sparkling brass get a rotary rock tumbler and some stainless steel pins - the initial cost of the tumbler and pins is a bit more than a vibratory but the dish-washing liquid, citric acid, and sodium bicarbonate is cheap.
OzeanJaeger
New member
No! Do NOT buy any ultrasonic from Hornady, Lyman or any of them. If it’s for “guns” you are paying a 30% markup for nothing...nothing except lower volume and capacity, and a plastic bin.
You can get an all metal, commercial grade, heated 10L bath, with a basket, for what a 2L that’s “for guns” costs. If anything the ones marketed for guns are more cheaply made.
However, do not expect it to “clean” your guns for you. All it will do is loosen the carbon so it’s easy to scrub it off. You still have to scrub it off. It’s an extravagance if you don’t clean a lot of guns, or aren’t cleaning full auto rifles.
You can get an all metal, commercial grade, heated 10L bath, with a basket, for what a 2L that’s “for guns” costs. If anything the ones marketed for guns are more cheaply made.
However, do not expect it to “clean” your guns for you. All it will do is loosen the carbon so it’s easy to scrub it off. You still have to scrub it off. It’s an extravagance if you don’t clean a lot of guns, or aren’t cleaning full auto rifles.
disseminator
New member
I have an Ultra Sonic cleaner that I bought off Amazon.com that is a made in China model that works ok for brass but I only use mine for cleaning my dies and gun parts since I bought a Frankford Arsenal Rotary Tumbler. (SS pin tumbler)
If your primary use will be brass cleaning, skip the sonic and go SS pin tumbling.
It is 1000% better.
If your primary use will be brass cleaning, skip the sonic and go SS pin tumbling.
It is 1000% better.
OzeanJaeger
New member
True dat.
I bought the Hornady ultrasonic cleaner and it serves me well with my 1911's parts and other stuff. And since I pick up a lot of range brass it cleans the inside of the brass very well. In order to save on cleaning solutions you can fill the inside of the tank with water and than put the brass in a jar and fill it up with enough solution to cover the brass. For me it works because I am not a completion shooter and I reload at the most 50 rounds at a time. It will not make your brass shiny but it will be clean.
Dundgren,
There are some different things to know. In general, the cleaner with the most power per liter of capacity will clean fastest. Find the number of watts of ultrasonic energy (not the outlet demand, as that will include the heater, if there is one, and controls) and divided it by the liquid capacity of the unit to get watts/liter. The higher the number, the more powerful the cleaning action.
Some larger industrial ultra-sonic cleaners run at lower frequencies, like around 25 kHz. These do better with coarse dirt removal, while the ones running nearer to 45 kHz are better at fine details, albeit slower.
Most folks just believe the liquid level number on their cleaner without testing it. Some units auto-tune and don't need testing, but for a simple units you want to check. Let some of your cleaning solution sit out for a few days to outgas naturally. Fill the ultrasonic about 80% full, then run it briefly. Slowly raise the liquid level until you see peak vibratory activity on the water surface. Note the liquid level that produces the most vigorous surface activity with your solution and use that level with it.
There are some different things to know. In general, the cleaner with the most power per liter of capacity will clean fastest. Find the number of watts of ultrasonic energy (not the outlet demand, as that will include the heater, if there is one, and controls) and divided it by the liquid capacity of the unit to get watts/liter. The higher the number, the more powerful the cleaning action.
Some larger industrial ultra-sonic cleaners run at lower frequencies, like around 25 kHz. These do better with coarse dirt removal, while the ones running nearer to 45 kHz are better at fine details, albeit slower.
Most folks just believe the liquid level number on their cleaner without testing it. Some units auto-tune and don't need testing, but for a simple units you want to check. Let some of your cleaning solution sit out for a few days to outgas naturally. Fill the ultrasonic about 80% full, then run it briefly. Slowly raise the liquid level until you see peak vibratory activity on the water surface. Note the liquid level that produces the most vigorous surface activity with your solution and use that level with it.
I too wanted one years ago and sticker shock on the purpose marketed ones stunned me...
Simple research sez there is a distinct difference in the frequency range and materiel used and the suspension baskets... heat or no heat
Higher frequency + better
Stainless tub is mandatory for any solvent....plastic tub only OK for water soaps
Big enough to totally immerse a part/item
Good parts basket and lid
Bang good
Ali Babba
E-bay sorces
just compare specs to the High cost name brand purpose built versions
I got a 1 liter with heat and very high frequency and duty rate, with timer for 50% of the cost of a name brand version
It's called comparison shopping and you might consider finding one or more Name brand versions and then going to Amazon to simply read the reviews....starting with the bad ones
For some reason ( I am not one) Amazon shoppers are a very prolific review writing bunch
Over time you will get the sense, in BAD revues who is an idiot and who knows the item is really a POS... pay no attention to all the good reviews...mostly folks who feel good about their purchase and are not objective...
Does not take much in the BAD reviews to ferret out the idiots who cannot read simple instruction from the guys/gals who really do have a working clue
Simple research sez there is a distinct difference in the frequency range and materiel used and the suspension baskets... heat or no heat
Higher frequency + better
Stainless tub is mandatory for any solvent....plastic tub only OK for water soaps
Big enough to totally immerse a part/item
Good parts basket and lid
Bang good
Ali Babba
E-bay sorces
just compare specs to the High cost name brand purpose built versions
I got a 1 liter with heat and very high frequency and duty rate, with timer for 50% of the cost of a name brand version
It's called comparison shopping and you might consider finding one or more Name brand versions and then going to Amazon to simply read the reviews....starting with the bad ones
For some reason ( I am not one) Amazon shoppers are a very prolific review writing bunch
Over time you will get the sense, in BAD revues who is an idiot and who knows the item is really a POS... pay no attention to all the good reviews...mostly folks who feel good about their purchase and are not objective...
Does not take much in the BAD reviews to ferret out the idiots who cannot read simple instruction from the guys/gals who really do have a working clue