# New Toy!



## kev74 (Mar 22, 2008)

I picked this up yesterday for $30 from a Craigslist listing. It's an ultrasonic cleaner and should be big enougn to handle all of my handguns and the action pieces in my long guns. I can't wait to try it out and see what kind of gunk I can remove! :mrgreen:


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

That should make them squeeky clean. What solvent do you intend to use?

tumbleweed


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## kev74 (Mar 22, 2008)

I was given a couple of gallons of commercial parts cleaner and rinse solution with the machine. I think the cleaner solution will be a bit too harsh for a blued finish, but it should be OK for stainless.

For my first run, I'll likely try some warm water with a little bit of Simple Green. It should cut the gunk nicely, and shouldn't harm the finish. Then I can use the rinse solution which is petroleum based and has a rust deterrent. After that I'll blow it dry, lube and reassemble.


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## niadhf (Jan 20, 2008)

Hey Kev, Let me know how it works. I would be happy to drive south to OC to have you clean some of mine... :smt082


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## kev74 (Mar 22, 2008)

So far, so good. I used the warm water with a little bit of simple green to clean two slides tonight. My Bernardelli had about 100 rounds of commercial ammo through it since I cleaned it last and the slide came out as clean as its ever been.

My Taurus has had many hundreds of my home rolled rounds through it since its last cleaning. The cast lead bullets I am able to get locally have a very waxy lube that seems to leave a waxy carbon coating all over the gun when I shoot. With about a 1% Simple Green & warm water bath, it got a lot of the crud off and kind of bubbled up the rest so it wiped off easily. It also removed the half assed paint job on my front sight, which is good since I've been meaning to repaint it. The Nightsighter on my Bernardelli's front sight stayed in place nicely though (Yaaayyyy Nightsighters!).

The parts cleaner solution I have contains ammonia, so unless I get the urge to try my hand at reblueing, I can't use it on anything but stainless. Thats why I went with the Simple Green mix. I'm going to do some research and see what else I can use in the cleaner without harming the blueing.



> Hey Kev, Let me know how it works. I would be happy to drive south to OC to have you clean some of mine...


When I get a nice efficient process worked out, you're more than welcome. At this point though, I'm very content experimenting with my beater guns before I try it on something valuable. I'll keep you posted on my progress.


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## Poink88 (Feb 11, 2010)

I'm so excited to find/read this thread since I bought a (dented new old stock) industrial sonic cleaner from a dental supply store a few years back. Never used it but now I know why I bought it :mrgreen: LOL


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## Gunners_Mate (Feb 17, 2010)

ive heard of these before, but ive never tried my hand at them. you want a little bit of carbon left on the weapon, i don't think i want to achieve a squeaky clean level of detail these appear to give. jewlery perhaps, functional weapons? i'm mostly leaning on the no way jose side of the fence


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## bruce333 (Sep 1, 2006)

Gunners_Mate said:


> ... you want a little bit of carbon left on the weapon, i don't think i want to achieve a squeaky clean level of detail these appear to give. jewlery perhaps, functional weapons? i'm mostly leaning on the no way jose side of the fence


You're going to have to explain this comment. I've never heard any one say you can get a gun _too_ clean.


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## dosborn (Apr 17, 2009)

kev74 said:


> I was given a couple of gallons of commercial parts cleaner and rinse solution with the machine. I think the cleaner solution will be a bit too harsh for a blued finish, but it should be OK for stainless.
> 
> For my first run, I'll likely try some warm water with a little bit of Simple Green. It should cut the gunk nicely, and shouldn't harm the finish. Then I can use the rinse solution which is petroleum based and has a rust deterrent. After that I'll blow it dry, lube and reassemble.


I would love to have a machine like that! I hear they do a great job with little work.

Take a few moments and search the web for using Simple Green in these machines. If you are using very small ammounts it may be fine, but I have heard about some very bad results using SG. This is not from experience, just from reading.


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## Poink88 (Feb 11, 2010)

I heard (from another hobby) that these ultrasonic cleaner from HarborFreight works fine. Remember that 20% off coupons are almost always available too :mrgreen:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95563


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## bruce333 (Sep 1, 2006)

dosborn said:


> Take a few moments and search the web for using Simple Green in these machines. If you are using very small amounts it may be fine, but I have heard about some very bad results using SG. This is not from experience, just from reading.


Simple Green is mostly water with some detergent. It is primarily a degreaser. If you search the web you will find many reports of problems with steel and aluminum parts that have been soaked in it for long periods of time (cracking and corrosion).

*IMO* the problem is the surface film SG leaves behind. It retains moisture and the moisture is what causes the problem. Soaking parts allows SG to penetrate more deeply into minute surface cracks and imperfections, trapping the water in SG under the surface film when the part is rinsed.


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## CollinsGTO (Feb 23, 2010)

haha nice find!


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