Ultrasonic cleaner purchase ?

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  • John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,721
    Socialist State of Maryland
    My ultrasonic cleaner took a dump today so I need to get another. I looked for the version I had but could no longer find it on Amazon.

    What is the current version that folks are using? Mine will be cleaning suppressors as well as other stuff. The longest suppressor is 8 inches.

    TIA
     

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,643
    PA
    This was recommended by an MDS member and I have been 'saving it for later'...

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08Q84KL7J/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_4?smid=A1EZJIR6W6OPEV&psc=1

    Not sure if it was me, but have one, it's awesome, 2 transduscers, and can go to 99minutes at 175degrees. For suppressors, I just use simple green and water, does a great job on baffles, usually 30min @60c/140f knocks almost all fouling off and doesn't hurt melonite caps and housings. Use lemishine with dawn and it cleans brass inside and out, or gun parts, 30min for brass, just a couple minutes on gun parts. Have to be careful with some finishes, it can damage things.like cerracoat, and can pit aluminum. For most.things use a plastic bag with solvent and parts, drop it in the basket, and add enough clean water in the cleaner to cover the bag/s. Keeps the tank much cleaner, and easier to get stuff out that would fall through the basket.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,810
    Not sure if it was me, but have one, it's awesome, 2 transduscers, and can go to 99minutes at 175degrees. For suppressors, I just use simple green and water, does a great job on baffles, usually 30min @60c/140f knocks almost all fouling off and doesn't hurt melonite caps and housings. Use lemishine with dawn and it cleans brass inside and out, or gun parts, 30min for brass, just a couple minutes on gun parts. Have to be careful with some finishes, it can damage things.like cerracoat, and can pit aluminum. For most.things use a plastic bag with solvent and parts, drop it in the basket, and add enough clean water in the cleaner to cover the bag/s. Keeps the tank much cleaner, and easier to get stuff out that would fall through the basket.

    Pretty sure it was you. :)
     

    geda

    Active Member
    Dec 24, 2017
    550
    cowcounty
    My ultrasonic cleaner took a dump today so I need to get another. I looked for the version I had but could no longer find it on Amazon.

    What is the current version that folks are using? Mine will be cleaning suppressors as well as other stuff. The longest suppressor is 8 inches.

    TIA

    It might be worth taking it apart. I have a larger one where the buttons stopped working. I was able to hard wire the ultra sonic generator up to a toggle switch and the heater up to a $30 inkbird itc-308 PID controller I had laying around. It was dead simple and only took 20 min.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,721
    Socialist State of Maryland
    It might be worth taking it apart. I have a larger one where the buttons stopped working. I was able to hard wire the ultra sonic generator up to a toggle switch and the heater up to a $30 inkbird itc-308 PID controller I had laying around. It was dead simple and only took 20 min.

    I tried what I could and couldn't get it going. It gave me about 8 years so it did not owe me anything.
     

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,643
    PA
    Got mine from Harbor Freight a few years back, does what it is supposed to do.

    Of course, I would wait for a sale with them. Think it is this one;
    https://www.harborfreight.com/25-liter-ultrasonic-cleaner-63256.html

    Have one of those too, single transducer and only sets for 1/2/4/8 minutes. On paper it's 1/2 the power of the Amazon dual transducer units, for some things it just cleans much slower. For others, like fouled 22 baffles it's not even close and barely works after hitting several 8 minute cycles. The Amazon unit, just set once and let it roll, FAR more agressive cleaning. Given they cost about the same it's no contest.
     

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,643
    PA
    I think the HF goes on sale for something like 1/2 price.

    But I agree, the Amazon one looks like a much better machine.

    IMO it's not even worth it at 1/2 price. Often times I ran 22 baffles for 30+ minutes in my HF unit, and it didn't do a whole lot. Even more aggravating as you have to keep hitting the button every 8 minutes being that is all the timer can do. Most of the time after 30min in the Amazon unit, most baffles are spotlesss, and a couple just have a little bit of fouling. Some things like suppressor pistons and revolver cylinders, the HF doesn't do anything no matter how long it is in there, the Amazon one will actually clean them. Same with brass, the HF isn't powerful enough to clean primer pockets, the Amazon unit is, turn them on, the HF has a quiet humm, the Amazon unit has a loud teeth rattling buzz, can even feel the difference if you put a finger in the water, it's not even close.
     

    alucard0822

    For great Justice
    Oct 29, 2007
    17,643
    PA
    Figures I could show a couple pics of the $70 3L ultrasonic in action with my "regular" 22 suppressor cleaning. Probably 1K CCI SV through a mask and oculus, just starting to get buildup caking inside the baffles. Generally the dirtier they get, the better an ultrasonic works. Light fouling gets scrubbed off easily, thick fouling breaks up and leaves clean metal underneath, it's the fouling somewhere in the middle that tends to take the longest to clean off, but I don't really want to, that light coat of fouling also makes a can run quieter. All the fouling causing baffles to stick together, or hang up in the can is cleaned pretty quick. There are dozens of good cleaning solution recipes, I just use 50-50 simple green and water, a gallon of the stuff last forever and costs $6 at BJs, while being relatively mild and safe to handle.

    I do 30min at 60c(140f) in a plastic bag of 50% simple green and 50% water, put it in the basket and fill the cleaner with water. take the can apart, dump baffles in the bag with simplegreen(can use more aggressive cleaners and more time if you want them spotless). Then I brush out the tubes with a round brush in a drill, and just use a pick to clean out any fouling that cakes into the underside of the cap. Once the baffes are done in the cleaner, take them out, flush with hot clean water, and dry them. then reassemble, use silicone spray on the baffles if you want to cut down on future fouling. Takes all of 5 min worth of work, and 30 min to wait on the cleaner.

    1. dirty baffles
    20210930_134140.jpg
    2. dump in a bag with solution, bag in the cleaner.

    20210930_134530.jpg
    3. brushes and a drill to clean tubes and mounts, pic and bore brushes for caps and threaded parts

    20210930_134724.jpg
    4. clean enough with minimal effort, ready to reassemble

    20210930_145722.jpg
     

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