Ultrasonic cleaner

[Alabama556]

I am considering buying a hornady magnum ultrasonic cleaner and had a few questions

Do I need to throw out the solution afterveachnuse?

How do you dry the cases?

Do you still need to run through a tumbler after taking the cases out of the cleaner?

Any other brands I should look at?

Thanks. This unit will be used for cleaning brass 90% of the time with the reaming 10% being gun parts and silencer baffles.

 

[jkonzal]

Re: Ultrasonic cleaner

I have the small Hornady Ultrasonic cleaner. I use their cleaner, but add a couple of drops of dish soap in it. I ONLY use distilled water. I run 4 cleaning cycles and then throw the solution away. After rinsing with distilled water, I blow out the primer pockets with compressed air and then let them air dry in the sun. That's my entire cleaning process. Seems to work well for me.

 

[dvdt]

Re: Ultrasonic cleaner

been thinking of buying one of these myself. Seems easier than the SS media and tumbler.

Any thoughts on dumping the solution? Is it easy to do or does it make a mess?

 

[Tx_Flyboy]

Re: Ultrasonic cleaner

I have the smaller Hornady unit.

I don't use the one-shot cleaner because it's not as good a cleaner as a 50/50 mix of water + 5% vinegar plus a couple drops of dish soap.

Here are my steps...blatant copy of that recommended by 6mmBR.com

http://www.6mmbr.com/ultrasonic.html

I am now in the market for a bigger cleaner, and the Lyman Turbo 6000 is the one i have my eyes on...its bigger than the Hornady unit, which means i can clean my AR BCG, pistol slides and other gun parts easily and probably process even more cases in one sitting.

 

[RampedRaptor]

Re: Ultrasonic cleaner

Its a love hate relationship.

 

[Cacciatore]

Re: Ultrasonic cleaner

I have the smaller hornady unit as well. My solution consists of 50/50 water:vinegar, a good amount of dish soap, and a good amount of lemishine.

To dry the cases I throw them in the tumbler.

 

[leadbullet]

Re: Ultrasonic cleaner

I use tap water, a decent amount of distilled vinegar and a dozen squirts of simple green, run them for 4 cycles and dry them in the oven at 220 for 15 minutes, bone dry and ready to load after they cool off of course.
cheers.

 

[Jeffvn]

Re: Ultrasonic cleaner

I have a large unit, bought 5 or 6 years ago, for something like $250.00 (today its in the 700-800 range).

I can and do clean 80 WSM or 75 338LM cases simultaneously, placed into 2 40-count glass beakers. (I have a bunch of beakers of various sizes to accommodate the number of cases that I am cleaning at any given time) I put the cleaning solution only in the beakers and only enough to cover the top of the brass by roughly 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Tap water fills the ultrasonic basin to point above the brass. I do not use or waste a lot solution.

I use citrinox, so I do not need to neutralize the acid in the vinegar (started that way and it turned the brass pink). I mix it in a 1 liter clear plastic water bottle. When I get done cleaning the solution is seriously nasty, so it goes into the trash. I suppose I could let the black gunk settle out and try to reuse the solution, but I'm not sure the wisdom. The gallon of Citrinox lasts me close to 2 years, and cost roughly $45.00.

The cleaning process works MUCH better if you have a heated unit and the solution and tank are heated to something in the area of 120 degrees (roughly 50c). My unit measure temp in "C" and I have it set on 50. Hot, but not enough to burn the crap out of you. Hotter than 50C didn't seem to work much better and you could get a nasty burn, not to mention the time it took to get it heated to that point.

Currently I do not use a drying process, just let them drip dry, neck down with a high tech 45 ACP plastic ammo open holed tray. In Las Vegas it works great with the low humidity.

In Houston that was not the best, but it worked ok. I was looking at a smallish food dehydrator if I had stayed in Houston, it warms the brass but not enough to remotely approach annealing temps.

Tumbler - I have one but rarely use it anymore. I use a wax lube for sizing and wipe it off with a microfiber towel. No need to tumble anything. I do us it for my 45ACP and 357 pistol brass though.

 

[pawater]

Re: Ultrasonic cleaner

I'm told you can go to harbor freight and get a parts cleaner much cheaper. Same concept. I'm looking into it.

 

[mkollman74]

Re: Ultrasonic cleaner

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dvdt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">been thinking of buying one of these myself. Seems easier than the SS media and tumbler.

Any thoughts on dumping the solution? Is it easy to do or does it make a mess? </div></div>

I've had both. No way the US cleaner is easier than the stainless tumbling method. My US cleaner is now used for my wife's jewelry.

 

[justinbaker]

Re: Ultrasonic cleaner

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mkollman74</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dvdt</div><div class="ubbcode-body">been thinking of buying one of these myself. Seems easier than the SS media and tumbler.

Any thoughts on dumping the solution? Is it easy to do or does it make a mess? </div></div>

I've had both. No way the US cleaner is easier than the stainless tumbling method. My US cleaner is now used for my wife's jewelry. </div></div>


this!

the sonic cleaner is faster, but a pain in the ass.

I love being able to just toss my brass in the water with the stainless and forget about it.

havnt touched my sonic cleaner since i got my SS setup

 

[rusty815]

Re: Ultrasonic cleaner

I don't see how its a pain in the ass, I just have it sit next to me on a table while I watch TV, I put a relatively thick carboard box over it to dampen the sound, and only have to reach over every 8 minutes to start another cycle, repeat about 4-5 times and I'm done, brass comes out spotless and, after I rinse it for a bit, I throw it in the oven for 20 minutes, then its ready to load. I can do a max of 150 case at a time (usually about how many I fire in a few weeks), and be done and ready for loading within an hour. not much work imo.

I use a citric acid solution as stated, I use lemishine with a bit of dawn, cleans everything, including primer pockets.

 

[lanwickum]

Re: Ultrasonic cleaner

I have an ultra sonic cleaner. Used to use it every now and then. I used viniger and water. Cuts carbon great. The little ones aren't worth it IMO. I couldn't keep up with reloading and got a bigger one. Now use it as a small cleaner. Big enough to fit a carberator in it. I now use stainless media and a tumbler. I got the larger tumbler. 1000 or so .223 at a time. Does better job cleaning IMO. I hate prepping brass. Otherwise I love reloading.

 

[NoFail]

Re: Ultrasonic cleaner

I got a sonic from harbor freight. I got the smaller cheaper model but am not too annoyed I have to turn it back on after 3 minutes. I run in the sonic 4 - 6 cycles, depending. Brass comes it clean on inside & shiny on the outside.
I've had 20'cases I there at a time but I don't shoot large quantities.
I use just 100% lemon juice and distiller water mix. Afterwards I rince them off in a bowl with clean distilled water, lay on towel to dry or better when warm Sun is out I'll put them under that Sun.

 

[Jeffvn]

Re: Ultrasonic cleaner

I do find it interesting that SS media cleaning folks feel the need to jump into every single ultrasonic thread to tell me/us how much better their process is. If I had wanted to use SS I would have changed to it. I like the process that I use; it works very well for me.

Flame on... I brought my asbestos full body suit today.

 

[pawater]

Re: Ultrasonic cleaner

Does the harbor freight cleaner heat?

 

[Deadshot2]

Re: Ultrasonic cleaner

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jeffvn</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I do find it interesting that SS media cleaning folks feel the need to jump into every single ultrasonic thread to tell me/us how much better their process is. If I had wanted to use SS I would have changed to it. I like the process that I use; it works very well for me.

Flame on... I brought my asbestos full body suit today.

</div></div>

When the OP starts out by asking questions and also asks about alternative machines, why not jump in and offer an honest opinion. He has the ability to listen or not. To take advice or ignore it.

Frankly I don't really care how others clean their brass.

Between reloading and my work experience I have used just about every process out there. Each have their benefits. US Cleaners do a good job but the affordable ones have limited capacity and often require solutions that require extensive rinsing. The ones that will handle large capacities are also very expensive. Corncob and walnut shell work if you don't mind both the dust and it's inability to clean the inside and primer pockets.

For the volume of ammo I shoot every week, the Stainless Pins offer the best cleaning method as it uses simple dish soap, takes a minimal amount of time to rinse. Cases get dried when I anneal them and I don't have to fuss with cleaning primer pockets.

Use whatever method you choose but don't criticize those that are merely responding to a poster who is asking for information. Remember, he did ask What other machines should I consider. I believe that does open the door for tumblers and ss pins.

Enjoy your US Cleaner. I'm happy you've found something that fits your needs.

 

[Gurry78]

Re: Ultrasonic cleaner

I have a Lyman 6000 ultrasonic and it works great, its one of the bigger ones you can get without going extremely expensive commercial grade. Gets the brass very clean inside/out/primer pockets which is all you need for reloading. I can set it for 30 minutes in the garage and go do something else. The cases do tend to tarnish and look dull sooner than the ones I clean with my SS media and tumbler...but that doesn't effect accuracy. The other benefit of the sonic cleaner is it doesn't peen the case mouths. I do not tumble afterwards. The Lyman 6000 has a hose so I can drain my solution into a gallon milk jug and I let all the crud settle to the bottom (takes 24hrs) and keep reusing the solution. I just rinse with twice water from my reverse osmosis filter and then lay them on a towel with a $10 24" box fan leaned over blowing down on them and they dry fast!

 

[NoFail]

Re: Ultrasonic cleaner

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: pawater</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Does the harbor freight cleaner heat? </div></div>

It's a Chicago Electric ultrasonic cleaner. Yes it does heat up in there. The longer you go the warmer it gets. I wouldn't say it gets HOT. Maybe 100*-105* but I don't need to go long enough to get hot hot... $30.00.....

Edit: the larger one at Harbor Freight was 80-90 $. It has a timer you can set for longer cycles. I would prefer that one but didn't want to spend the much extra.

 

[fx77]

Re: Ultrasonic cleaner

It matters which US cleaner U have..
I have used for years..vibratory walnut shell media..had to clean for 6-8 hrs and all the dust...
then I tried tumbling with SS...messy..

I had a small ultrasonic cleaner for gun parts and frames..it was a little too small for my 1911 stripped..so I tried using it for case cleaning and it worked pretty well..better outside than inside.

so I thought I could kill two birds with one stone and spend too much money. I bought a larger cleaner (made in Germany)- Elmasonic brand .
It has a sweep feature, bottom drain, and timer and temp settings..

It is unbelievable, The cases after 15 minutes at 40 degrees C come out ....BETTER THAN NEW..shiny inside and out and primer pockets pristine...So basically I have done my own prospective randomized controlled and unfortunately expensive study and have proven only to my own satisfaction that the Ultra Sonic method is for me the best and also effortless.

 

[gunsnjeeps]

Re: Ultrasonic cleaner

The habor freight ultrasonic works well. I use tap water, some Lemishine a healty shake like salting a plate, some folks measure out about a 40 cal case worth ($5 at Walmart), and a few drops of Dawn any dish detergent works. No special cleaning solutions required. I also rinse with tap water in the sink. A friend has the Thumler, he uses the same cleaning set up, lemishine and tap water, I've borrowed it to clean a few batches of brass. It's slower but for muddy range pick up brass, or in my case brass that was stored after we picked it up in the rain, the pins provide the cleaning action needed to remove mud or polish tarnish spots off (or the brown spots from wet grass).