doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Anyone use an ultrasonic cleaner for part cleaning

I was given one that currently doesn't work and may cost a few hundred to fix (vs. $900 for the same model new). It's from a jewelry store but is large enough to accomdate an entire action.

Sweep 200 Cleaner


Before I invest the money having it fixed I'd like to hear if they do a good job of cleaning actions and parts like this (great picture Chuck, looks like a Flues I am working on)



If you have used, one how well do they work? Must the action be completely disasembled or can coil springs and hammers be left assembled in the receiver body? What type of cleaning fluid do you use?

It may cost me $2-300 to have repaired, just wondering if it's worth it or am I going to scrubbing with the brass brush anyway/


Thanks, Rob

Rob,
You might check out ebay before committing to fixing that one. Also surplus machinery sales dealers will occasionally have these kinds of items for fairly low cost.

I've used mine for many things, but I think it's highly dependent on what cleaning fluid is used as to how effective it is. It's not the end all to cleaning tasks. But on occasion it helps. The really gummed up stuff is best and most quickly removed with a stiff brush and good solvent.

Oscar used one and he liked it. I have seen them used with cholorthane (Maybe outlawed)in industrial work and we rejected it because it cleaned the carbon out of the surface of cast iron.
The machine areas of the castings looked like fine swiss cheese.
bill

I use one with a tank about 4" deep x 4"x9". It works great with the solvent being powdered Spic and Span, which is easily disposed of.

I agree that you should watch out if trying to repair your $900 machine. Much cheaper ones, and still very good ones , can be found on Ebay. Daryl

I used one for years on and off,( I think I still have it somewhere), they are good, but I find boiling dicroclean works as well for most stuff. To drive out really tough grease one can heat a part to 550f or so without damage and for rust a litte bath of dilute muriatic works well. I can get rusty greasy cruddy ancient old parts clean enough for plating, polishing or any other finishing in short order with a combination of these methods.

They work great in my experience. Gets the cruddiest stuff sparkling clean, and saves a lot of time. Works best to completely dis- assemble. The large unit I have heats itself up, and my smaller one I use hot water with TSP cleaner usually. Good luck whatever you decide. Joe

another vote for the they work great group!!
Steve

I have had Sonic Cleaners in the Workshop since Chicago,1966.They can do a'Too Gooda'job sometimes,Guns(& Rifles) that have 'Fine Engraving'and have spent years in tropical'Climes'build up rust in the engraving, and when'Sonic-serviced'the pitting destroys the engraving pattern. I had a Nimschke Engraved Winchester in the shop Years Ago from The Late Tommy Haas ( With letter of Originality from Historian R.L.Wilson)....After I had it Cooking in the Sonic for a period, then removed it, washed it off...Nobody was Happy with the results!! Barry's Method is what I basically follow today. Im sure every Gunsmith has their own Formula'for the solution.I have a Cold Heineken Formula, goes down well with all the 'Fumes'..We need more Humor in the 'Workshop'!!!Xchisles.

I usually take Gojo or Goop and coat the parts with it then I put it them in a zip lock bag and let them sit for a week or so then just rinse them of with supper hot water, works great on sxs receivers when you can't get into the tight spots like firing pin holes just pack it in and rinse it out.
Hope this helps
Pete

saw this and and larger models in the grizzly catalog.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/h9401

http://www.grizzly.com/products/searchresults.aspx?q=ultrasonic&submit.x=0&submit.y=0