Ultrasonic cleaning

R

rrruger

New member
After about 500 rounds with a quick wipe down between range trips I decided to use my Harbor Freight ultrasonic cleaner to do a deep clean on my GP100 (SS). The cleaner/solvent I used was simply Coleman's white gas (kerosene).
I pulled the trigger group (it comes out as one unit) the hammer, and the cylinder and crane assembly, and put them in about an inch of solvent for a three minute spin. after three minutes I turned the pieces over for another three minutes. It was amazing how much crud came out of the pieces without any other action. The carbon left on the cylinder wiped off with my thumb and a rag.
While the parts were in the cleaner I cleaned the bore and the forcing cone area.
I wiped all the pieces dry and applied a few drops of gun oil and re-assembled the gun. You got to love it!

Gee I wonder how good it would work with Ed's Red?
 
NEVER, EVER put a flammable liquid in an ultrasonic, unless you like spontaneous things to happen!
Also, there is a little "fill" line in your ultrasonic's tank. Operating the cleaner without enough liquid will quickly burn out the transducer.
Just so you know.....
 
Coleman fuel

Be careful using Coleman fuel, white gas or even naptha "lighter fuel". This stuff is highly flammable. And, under the right conditions could explode!

Be careful!

Jerry
 
I believe it was operator error but I had a buddy who put his M66 2.5 inch in an ultrasonic cleaner and it completely froze up and had to be sent back to S&W.
 
Never use anything in an ultrasonic cleaner that is not approved by the maker. Check the instructions or contact the company.

Jim
 
Ultrasonic cleaners vaporize the liquid at the surface. There are electronics (read-sparks) inside. Vaporized gasoline and sparks is not a good combination.
 
I had a buddy who put his M66 2.5 inch in an ultrasonic cleaner and it completely froze up and had to be sent back to S&W.
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The thing to remember is that an ultrasonic removes all foreign substances, including grease and oils. That includes the stuff under the sideplate.

My recommendation is to disassemble the gun as much as possible before cooking, then lightly lube the internals before reassembling.
 
Bill, I am curious about your statement that, "There are electronics (read-sparks) inside." I have never seen an ultrasonic cleaner with sparks flying around, and certainly they don't use sparks in the cleaning process or to generate the sound waves that do the cleaning.

In fact the cleaning liquids I have used are water based, though a water displacing oil (similar to WD-40) should be used after cleaning since the cleaning removes all oil and other protection against rust.

Jim
 
Jim,
Sparks SHOULDN'T be flying around inside, but remember these things are made in China! There are electronics inside, connected to 110 volts. The potential for sparks is there. Most also have tank heaters. Now, with atomized gasoline wafting out of the tank-would you feel this is a safe practice?
Using water-based cleaners is fine. Flammables are another story altogether.
 
Ultrasonic cleaners vaporize the liquid at the surface.
Click to expand...

I still got my hide and my hair...but you make a very good point...My Bad!

I used this on a stainless gun. I have heard that Ultrasonics can remove bluing and plating, but I have never seen this first hand.
 
I used this on a stainless gun. I have heard that Ultrasonics can remove bluing and plating, but I have never seen this first hand.
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The ultrasonic action itself won't remove bluing, or destroy plastics, but the liquid you use may. I don't think the action will remove plating, but I do not know for sure.

I have reports that it will separate the poly coat that CZ uses on many of its handguns (e.g. my CZ 75 P01 slide).
 
Are there any affordable (less than 300 dollars, for me) ultrasonic machines, that are big enough to clean a handgun?
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I don't think so, depending on the size of the gun. I bought a cheap one from Harbor Freight, and have used it on small parts and the frame of a couple of revolvers. The whole frames could not be immersed at one time, but I just did both "halves". I'm not sure how long it will last, but my needs are very modest.

On small parts, it works great for me so far, getting gunk off that would have required substantial brushing, flushing and repeating; and for general degreasing. The parts come out warm, and I use a hair dryer to blow off the water and dry the parts.
 
Yes, buy factory refurbed.

Lots of dental supply places have factory refurbs. I bought mine which is a bit 1.5 gallon Stullersonic unit factory refurbed for around $500. It retails for over $2000!

Some idiot run it dry and killed it so the factory refurbed it and sold it as used. They had smaller ones for $300 that were one gallon ones but I took the biggest they had and a heater and timer.

I can drop up to a 6" revolver completely in it. For my 8" revolvers I just do "halves". Pretty much any of my semis is a dunk it and walk away.

Mine is powerful and loud. I wear earphones when working by it. Guns come out "surgically" clean. It is putzy, takes 30 minutes per gun (15 for cleaning 15 for water displacing lube) but it works. I run only Mpro7 in mine and L&R gun oil. What really hurts is buying Mpro7 by the gallon! Yikes!
 
Dissemble it like you did brush the bore and chambers then put it in the dishwasher with dish washing detergent. It will come out dry, spray it with Rem-Oil or some other lubricant blow or wipe off excess. Be sure to remove the grips.
 
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