Need a recommendation for a ultrasonic cleaner

[buckwheatpaul]

I am in need of a ultrasonic cleaner but I am so confused. There are a lot of them out there but there are so many one star reviews that I am worried about picking one.....5 stars seem to be in the 66 approval.....

I want one for cleaning suppressors and maybe brass down the road....what say yea .... if you have a good one chime out and let me know the good, the bad, and the ugly about it please....Paul

[epilatos]

I've used the Lyman and Hornady both with good results. I can't complain about them.

A word of caution with ultrasonics cleaners and your choice of solution. Be sure to do your research and test on small parts as far as solution goes.

I put a Lyman casting mold in an ultrasonic cleaner, I can't remember what solution I used but it took the blueing clean off. Just glad it wasn't a gun part.

[Tall]

I have the Hornady. I can't detect that it does anything. I have run stuff for an hour using the Hornady solution. Not impressed.

[country gent]

I had a vevor 6 gallon that worked well but was a pain as that much cleaner took a while to heat up each time. I would look for one with several things, 1, a drain valve to empty and clean. 2 , easy to use timers. 3, a solid basket.

I use simple green precision clean in mine hasnt removed bluing from machine tooling yet. Very effective at greases and oils. not sure on carbons.

For small parts or special cleaners I use water in the tank and put the parts cleaner in a sealed jar to clean. This has a couple advantages 1) parts can be kept separated. 2) less cleaner is needed. 3) the tank stays cleaner) 4) if the jars float some it takes the weight of the tank making it more efficient. Peanut butter, mayonnaise, pickle jars are all good.

If you can set it up some place secluded its a plus as they can be noisy.

[country gent]

I have worked with several parts cleaners in different shops

a hot caustic tank with agitation, this would Remove paints and most crud but didnt do well with greases,

A solvent tank with agitation and air cavitation, this did well but was slow and didnt get into inside areas as well.

A speer jet steam gun basically a steam powered pressure washer this did good but was a BIG MESS to use.But it did clean big parts quick and well. Smaller parts had to be tied down though.

The ultra sonics are a good deal but really good ones can be expensive. Solvents almost anything from plain water to true solvents work well. I have also used water with dawn dish soap. Most lack in the heating end, you may want to pre heat to get up faster. Most heat to around 180* so hot tap water would be close. Its not so much the solvents used in ultra sonics but the "scrubbing action of the ultra sonic vibrations. When you watch one running the crude just seems to flake off

[Gtek]

The HF model is a buck fifty and appears the same as the one on Evil Bay. I also have recently been leaning into one and thinking about it. One buddy has a way more than I would ever pay but it's a big one and he does HP engine work. Another buddy has the the Evil Bay $100 one, drain and all for almost two years and still going strong, his cans go swimming in it and have heard no complaints except one. When he first had it he run a can and it ate all the coating off the outside, heed warning above about the witches brew.

[atr]

I'm using a Bald Eagle Model 1231 ultrasonic cleaner. Works very well cleaning brass and engine carburetors. I got it from Grizzly tools.

[country gent]

Will have to look at that model ATR

[hpbear101]

I have a Anbull 10L/2.6Gal 240W purchased off Amazon a couple years ago they are $120sh. Seems to be the right size for cleaning gun parts and brass.

[deces]

One with a sweeping frequency range of operation would be best.

[charlie b]

I have the Hornady one (HF has a clone of it). I used to use it a lot. It does remove all the oils and grime. Loosens but does not remove stuff like primer pocket build up. The Hornady solution for brass cleaning will remove bluing (DAMHIK ). For most other cleaning I use dishwasher detergent. I use it more on the sewing machine parts that I need cleaned

These days, if I clean brass (I usually do not), it goes in a tumbler with SS pins with water and Dawn dish detergent.

After cleaning brass I make sure and lube the necks before reloading the cases.

[2TM101]

I have a Anbull 10L/2.6Gal 240W purchased off Amazon a couple years ago they are $120sh. Seems to be the right size for cleaning gun parts and brass.

I have found myself unable with out a great deal of work and mess to effectively clean black powder fouling out of cartridge guns. 140 years ago everyone was effectively doing this with no electricity and whatever fit in their saddlebags but I do not have a time machine and old as everyone is here I'm guessing nobody remembers the 1880's

I have no problem with guns that have only fired Smokeless. I am actually getting away from that as I really like making and using black (and crimson) powder. But what a mess. So - I'm thinking sonic cleaner, something I have never possessed or even used. And a lot are available. So this one is good? I don't really need it for brass, just gun parts, so a small one would probably be just fine.

[nuclearcricket]

As to BP rifles, there are a lot of good cleaners out there and I find mine are very easy to clean. CAses thats a different story all together. Last I shot I tried putting the cases in the ultrasonic, I have one from HF. it really didn't do much of anything, maybe loostened things up a little. I ended up putting them in the tumbler with creamic media, water and simple green, and a little lemi shine. Run for an hour and a half, rinse, repete and they came out nice and clean inside and out.
toss them into the vibrator with walnut shells to dry and polish. makes them nice and pretty.
Sam

[porthos]

i use a L&R works great