Ultrasonic cleaning
Moderator: dromia
Forum rules
Should your post be in Grumpy Old Men? This area is for general shooting related posts only please.
Should your post be in Grumpy Old Men? This area is for general shooting related posts only please.
- MotorRacingBruce1980
- Posts: 105
- Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2018 3:45 pm
- Home club or Range: 5th Sussex Home Guard Rifle Club Worthing, Ford/Yapton, Fittleworth, Bisley
- Location: West Sussex
Ultrasonic cleaning
Does anyone have some good recommendations of cleaning fluids to use in an ultrasonic cleaner.
I use Vinegar, Water and a little washing up liquid for my Brass and that works well.
Would like to find something good to use on my Moderators, any tips anyone?
I use Vinegar, Water and a little washing up liquid for my Brass and that works well.
Would like to find something good to use on my Moderators, any tips anyone?
Anschutz Supermatch54, CZ452 LTH, Savage 16 FCSS 223, Ruger No1 243,
Enfield No4 Mk1/2 303, Mauser M18 308, Martini Henry Mk3 577/450, Chiappa 1892 357mag, Franchi Affin 12g, Miroku Mk38 GD5 Trap 12g, Ugartechea BLE SxS 12g, BSA R10 22, Webley Alecto 177
Enfield No4 Mk1/2 303, Mauser M18 308, Martini Henry Mk3 577/450, Chiappa 1892 357mag, Franchi Affin 12g, Miroku Mk38 GD5 Trap 12g, Ugartechea BLE SxS 12g, BSA R10 22, Webley Alecto 177
- 20series
- Site Supporter Since 2019
- Posts: 4840
- Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:42 am
- Home club or Range: Oundle R&PC
- Location: Chelveston, Northants
- Contact:
Re: Ultrasonic cleaning
Personally I use citric acid.
Alan
Alan
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools!!
Douglas Adams, 1952-2001 RIP
Douglas Adams, 1952-2001 RIP
- WelshShooter
- Site Supporter Since 2016
- Posts: 1804
- Joined: Wed Jun 25, 2014 9:45 pm
- Contact:
Re: Ultrasonic cleaning
Citric acid works well with plain water. I use one tea spoon with 2L of water and a squirt of dishwashing liquid to act as a surfactant.
I use this solution in a heated ultrasonic bath for 10 mins at 45°C. Afterwards, be sure to give the brass a healthy rinse with plain water. I usually tumble for 30 mins just to give the brass some shine.
One word of caution - do not use the above for blued steel! I cleaned a bolt using the above method, and whilst it cleaned very well it also stripped most of the blueing! Luckily it was a semi auto rifle where the bolt is internal so you can't see any difference.
I use this solution in a heated ultrasonic bath for 10 mins at 45°C. Afterwards, be sure to give the brass a healthy rinse with plain water. I usually tumble for 30 mins just to give the brass some shine.
One word of caution - do not use the above for blued steel! I cleaned a bolt using the above method, and whilst it cleaned very well it also stripped most of the blueing! Luckily it was a semi auto rifle where the bolt is internal so you can't see any difference.
-
- Site Supporter 2019
- Posts: 98
- Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2017 9:02 pm
- Home club or Range: Pipers Shooting Club
- Location: Gloucestershire
Re: Ultrasonic cleaning
I found this stuff many years ago and have used it ever since for all sorts of things. Works wonders on brass with 8 mins in the ultrasonic bath.
Not that cheap but you use so little (about 1% solution) it lasts for ages.
https://www.coleparmer.co.uk/p/cole-par ... lution/504
Steve
Not that cheap but you use so little (about 1% solution) it lasts for ages.
https://www.coleparmer.co.uk/p/cole-par ... lution/504
Steve
- Pete
- Past Supporter
- Posts: 2950
- Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2015 8:48 am
- Home club or Range: NRA Bisley
- Contact:
Re: Ultrasonic cleaning
"Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum" Lucretius
You're offended? Please explain why your inability to control your emotions translates into me having to censor my opinions....
You're offended? Please explain why your inability to control your emotions translates into me having to censor my opinions....
-
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 10:51 am
- Home club or Range: Pinewood
- Contact:
Re: Ultrasonic cleaning
As above, citric acid from Wilkos, add 10g to 500ml of boiling water, a squirt of washing up liquid and dilute to a litre with cold water. 10 mins in US bath cleans cases a treat. Rinse well, shake off excess water, dry on radiator overnight and then dry tumble for final polish.
- shugie
- Past Supporter
- Posts: 1602
- Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2012 3:42 pm
- Home club or Range: Sperry at Bisley
- Location: near Reading
- Contact:
Re: Ultrasonic cleaning
Says not to use with zinc (or magnesium, aluminium) is that ok with brass which has zinc in it? I've seen old brass seacocks become weakened through the zinc being leached out by seawater. Takes a long time of immersion to do it though.sclg wrote:I found this stuff many years ago and have used it ever since for all sorts of things. Works wonders on brass with 8 mins in the ultrasonic bath.
Not that cheap but you use so little (about 1% solution) it lasts for ages.
https://www.coleparmer.co.uk/p/cole-par ... lution/504
Steve
Careful now/that sort of thing
-
- Past Supporter
- Posts: 1047
- Joined: Sat Jun 14, 2014 9:07 am
- Home club or Range: Isle Target Sports Club
- Location: Cambridgeshire
- Contact:
Re: Ultrasonic cleaning
I used to use Seaclean, but when that ran out I bought this stuff..
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ultrasonic-c ... 2591e1bc71
It works very well.... 10 mins in there at 40+ degrees, then a ringe in water with a dash of rinse-aid, then dry in the sun or Oven at 100 degrees.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ultrasonic-c ... 2591e1bc71
It works very well.... 10 mins in there at 40+ degrees, then a ringe in water with a dash of rinse-aid, then dry in the sun or Oven at 100 degrees.
-
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 10:51 am
- Home club or Range: Pinewood
- Contact:
Re: Ultrasonic cleaning
I have sometimes found that brass cases have pink patches on them after cleaning with citric acid, particularly old cases with alot of discolouration. This is apparently a well known phonomenon and due to the citric acid leaching out the zinc in the brass leaving a thin layer of pink copper. I have found an hour or so dry tumbling gets rid of this pink layer. Some say throw the cases away if you see this pink discolouration, others say the layer is so thin it doesn't matter. Being a tight old git I believe the second group and am continuing to reload mine although I do keep a careful eye on them.
- shugie
- Past Supporter
- Posts: 1602
- Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2012 3:42 pm
- Home club or Range: Sperry at Bisley
- Location: near Reading
- Contact:
Re: Ultrasonic cleaning
I'd be chucking them away, having seen the state of a brass seacock where the zinc had gone, it had become very brittle.bewildered wrote:I have sometimes found that brass cases have pink patches on them after cleaning with citric acid, particularly old cases with alot of discolouration. This is apparently a well known phonomenon and due to the citric acid leaching out the zinc in the brass leaving a thin layer of pink copper. I have found an hour or so dry tumbling gets rid of this pink layer. Some say throw the cases away if you see this pink discolouration, others say the layer is so thin it doesn't matter. Being a tight old git I believe the second group and am continuing to reload mine although I do keep a careful eye on them.
Careful now/that sort of thing
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 18 guests