Ultrasonic Cleaning

**The Reaper** · 07-29-2007, 22:06

I recently purchased an ultrasonic cleaner.

It seems to be particularly effective at cleaning difficult pieces like slides, bolts, suppressors, etc. I have run a couple of pistols, some parts, cans, etc., and it worked well.

Does anyone else use an ultrasonic cleaner, and if so, do you have any tips?

I am particularly interested in what cleaning solutions you might recommend for firearms.

Thanks in advance.

TR

HOLLiS · 07-29-2007, 23:01

I have three of them. They work very well. One for small parts, two for pistol (one also heats).

Brownell offers cleaners and lubes.

I have taken a cleaned pistol, used a heated US cleaner and watched the black clouds come out of the pistol.

I will blow dry it and it is so clean the action will almost not work.

I use a ultrasonic lube and it does a wonderful job. The action will be very smooth (was smooth originally).

I also use them for other items.

TF Kilo · 07-30-2007, 04:49

sounds like I need to get one to make life easier.... get off the range, break everything down and toss it in the "washing machine" vs the tedious norm...

SF_BHT · 07-30-2007, 06:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOLLiS

I have three of them. They work very well. One for small parts, two for pistol (one also heats).

Brownell offers cleaners and lubes.

I have taken a cleaned pistol, used a heated US cleaner and watched the black clouds come out of the pistol.

I will blow dry it and it is so clean the action will almost not work.

I use a ultrasonic lube and it does a wonderful job. The action will be very smooth (was smooth originally).

I also use them for other items.

DO you have any links to the make and models? Always looking for a good tool for work.

Retired W4 · 07-30-2007, 07:51

I have a Branson 2210 that I use to clean my AAC Scarab suppressor. My Director of Maintenance would buy Carbon-X by the 50 gallon drum and it seems to work great on sealed units such as the Scarab. Branson issues a warning not to use flammable solutions in the tank. I'm assuming that's because the heating element could ignite the solution.

**The Reaper** · 07-30-2007, 08:04

Some of them are very pricey, especially as they get larger, but I was able to get a good deal on a Branson B300 Tabletop Ultrasonic Cleaner, which has an unusually long tank, primarily for the cans.

According to the guy I bought it from, water with some Simple Green and a few drops of dishwashing detergent are adequate for firearms cleaning.

During the course of cleaning, I dropped in two handguns, two suppressors, and several AR-15 bolts, all which were as clean as I could get them manually. As stated, each started off with a black cloud of crud coming off. By the end, the bottom of the tank was covered with it and the water was black as well. The parts come out very clean and devoid of all lube or oil, and must be dried and lubed.

I blew them dry with compressed air, wiped them down, and sprayed them thoroughly with a good penetrating oil, letting them sit before reassembling, wiping them off, and lubing them normally.

15 minutes run time seems to be suffiicent in the small tank I have.

TR

HOLLiS · 07-30-2007, 09:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by SF_BHT

DO you have any links to the make and models? Always looking for a good tool for work.

SF_BHT, this is the link for the brownells set up.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/sto...LEANING+SYSTEM

Also this company has cleaners with heaters.

http://www.nationaljewelerssupplies....GY/ultrasonics

You can also check with your local Jewelry Supply store.

H.

ktek01 · 07-30-2007, 17:19

Harbor Freight carrys some pretty cheap ones, they appear to be big enough for handguns only and no idea on the quality. This is the biggest one they have. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=91957

When you get to about 12" inside tank length they seem to run about $400, like this one http://www.sonicsonline.com/personal...-cleaning.html

The ones I saw designed for long guns were very expensive.
http://www.sonicsonline.com/f636ht.html

**Ambush Master** · 07-30-2007, 17:28

TR, I think that I told you about using clean H2O in the Tank and then whatever cleaing compound in a good quality Freezer Ziplock and you won't be trashing a large quantity of cleaning solution plus, you can go from cleaning Jewelery to Guns or do them at the same time. For Long Stuff, do you have a Food Saver, just get the rolls of bag stock and make them as long as you need them!!

We do this for cleaning Aircraft Oil Filters and Fuel Injectors without having to have multiple dedicated Tanks!!

Take care.
Martin

SF_BHT · 07-30-2007, 17:40

Thanks all your post helps. Now I need only to figure out which one is best for the Office (MY SHop).

HOLLiS · 07-30-2007, 18:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by SF_BHT

Thanks all your post helps. Now I need only to figure out which one is best for the Office (MY SHop).

If you can afford it, one that will take the length of a pistol and maybe be the depth. Even actions of rifles can be hand dipped into the solution. I have a small one, that I don't use much because of it's limitations in size. It is a great one for Jewelry and small parts.

BTW if you are married, the wife will like the jewelry cleaning aspect.

Martin,

Thank you for excellent suggestion, I have done that when cooking in the field. Moutaineering, I can make water and cook in the same pot. Never thought of it in the shop. One reason I bought two bigger units was for cleaning in one, lubrication in the other.

SF_BHT · 07-30-2007, 19:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOLLiS

If you can afford it, one that will take the length of a pistol and maybe be the depth. Even actions of rifles can be hand dipped into the solution. I have a small one, that I don't use much because of it's limitations in size. It is a great one for Jewelry and small parts.

Looking at one that will do exactly that. Retired and Uncle Sugar is buying this one.

HOLLiS · 07-30-2007, 19:44

My favorite one has a heater and a drain value. Makes it much easier to change fluids. A heater is great, Reaction time goes up something like 10x for every degree C. (trying to remember the chemistry I took).

I also use spray bottles of water to rinse the part off. Also use those bottles for my plating process.

Longer is better. Deeper not so much better, just deep enough to cover the part. Solution need to be about 1" below the top of the tank. Plus the part held about a inch from the bottom. A 8" deep tank is effectively good for a part less than 6 inches high.

They cut the "deep" (lack of a better term) cleaning time down greatly. The great aspect is the lubrication. Not so good for black powder, but most excellent for situations that are dry and dusty. The lube will not hold much of the dust/grit.

H.

**Ambush Master** · 07-30-2007, 20:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOLLiS

If you can afford it, one that will take the length of a pistol and maybe be the depth. Even actions of rifles can be hand dipped into the solution. I have a small one, that I don't use much because of it's limitations in size. It is a great one for Jewelry and small parts.

BTW if you are married, the wife will like the jewelry cleaning aspect.

Martin,

Thank you for excellent suggestion, I have done that when cooking in the field. Moutaineering, I can make water and cook in the same pot. Never thought of it in the shop. One reason I bought two bigger units was for cleaning in one, lubrication in the other.

A few words of caution/warning/wisdom about Ultra Sonic Cleaners (USC). Be sure, if you use my aforementioned bag method that the chemicals that you place in the bag do not attack the bag, especially at the elevated temps that USC’s can generate.

These devices do NOT have to be heated to generate heat. The excitation of the various molecules in the solutions can produce quite a bit of heat just from the friction that is induced through the rapid movement . You can also add alcohol to any aqueous solutions to cause more elevation of temperature as long as alcohol is compatible with the solution. The very mixing of alcohol and H2O generates heat by the molecular interaction/friction. Also, otherwise benign solutions, at room temp, can reach their “Flash Point” when heated.

Due to all of the molecular interactivity that goes on in a USC, Electro-Static Discharge can occur, and if you have a solution that is at or above it’s Flash Point, it will be Poof-Soot before you know it!!!

Be safe.
Martin

cold1 · 07-31-2007, 06:44

If someone has the time, the ultrasonic cleaners can be found at various university and state surpluses for little to nothing. My small one was $10, it is only big enough to clean handguns.

As far as using it to clean jewelry, be careful, some stones will break in the cleaner.