UltraSonic Cleaning...Its the Bee's Knee's!

[Wheres-Waldo]

I went into Harbor Feight Tools today for some new walnut media and found myself an ultrasonic cleaner...for $35 no less!

So I buy it without much expectation...its only $35

I come home, log onto 6mmbr.com and look up the vinegar/dish soap - baking soda recipe and clean the cases I had shot at the range before heading to the store to begin with...

WOW!!! Its slow, but I dont think the cases were this clean when I pulled them out of the box the UPS man had me sign for.

Needless to say, my tumbler is going into storage guys...this ultrasonic stuff rocks...

 

[tansinator]

Re: UltraSonic Cleaning...Its the Bee's Knee's!

Define slow.

Eddie

 

[Wheres-Waldo]

Re: UltraSonic Cleaning...Its the Bee's Knee's!

About <span style="text-decoration: line-through">an hour</span> (1.5 hours) to do the 100 cases...
It costs me $6.00 in vinegar per 100 cases.

Primer pockets, case necks, flash holes and entire inside of the cases...spotless.

 

[bigwheeler]

Re: UltraSonic Cleaning...Its the Bee's Knee's!

You are doing something wrong. Shouldn't take longer than 1/2 hour in the worst
case scenario. 8 To 10 minutes is the norm. half water , half vinegar, teaspoon of
lemi-shine and you have to use a soap with a surfactant in it. (laurel ammonia sulfate)

 

[Bloody_Tailgate]

Re: UltraSonic Cleaning...Its the Bee's Knee's!

$6 in vinegar? Can you explain the process please?

 

[Wheres-Waldo]

Re: UltraSonic Cleaning...Its the Bee's Knee's!

Bigwheeler, I have to do a few rounds since I cant fit all the brass in at once...
Ive got the soap also...
The cases dont spend 1.5 hours in the vinegar...its 24 minutes in the 1/2 n' 1/2, 3 minutes in baking soda and hot water, 3 minutes in warm distilled water then they spend a few minutes under the hair dryer.

It seems to work pretty damn well...I couldnt find any carbon if you payed me to.

Whats up with the lemi-shine?

 

[steve123]

Re: UltraSonic Cleaning...Its the Bee's Knee's!

At some Jeffvn's suggestion I bought some Citrinox.It is way better than the vinegar method.The cases come out shinier and the cleaning time is cut 1/3.Also in the long run it's much cheaper than vinegar.

No checking flash holes for debris either!Blow em out with the compressor,then with the wifes hair dryer and load.

Thanks Jeff and others for the tip!

Steve

 

[Wheres-Waldo]

Re: UltraSonic Cleaning...Its the Bee's Knee's!

is Citrinox available from any local chains?

Whats your ratio?

Does it require a surfacant?

 

[bigwheeler]

Re: UltraSonic Cleaning...Its the Bee's Knee's!

Got it off of someones post a while back. It's a powder you buy at walmart. Really
makes a difference, as does heat, If your machine doesn't have heat , preheat your
mix in the microwave. Also tune your load to your machine. Mine is an old commercial
one and will handle about 15 308's at a time is all. I just dump the mix from my
jar and dump the cases into a baking soda/ water mix to neutralize, then right into
water from there to rinse. I see no point in running the baking soda in the ultrasonic
machine, it's chemically neutralizing not mechanical. I get about 60 cases clean with
10 ounces of mix in a canning jar. I have a small amount of surfactant in the tubs
clean water as well.

 

[steve123]

Re: UltraSonic Cleaning...Its the Bee's Knee's!

http://www.pollardwater.com/pages_product/L2300307Citranox.asp

I don't have beakers and end up cleaning 50 cases at a time in a 1 liter bath with 2 tablespoons.

Steve