Ultrasonic Case cleaning under $65

[Flybuster]

I bought an ultrasonic cleaner after reading reviews and post on another website 6mmbr.com. The machine cost $28.99 from Harbor Freight Tools. The Detergent I bought is called Citranox. A citrus detergent concentrate. By concentrate I mean you can take one gallon of it at make up to one hundred gallons of solution. So for $36 your set for a very long time. So I have been doing alot of shooting and reloading lately, and of course brass cleaning and am quite happy with the results. I am allergic to tumbler media (walnut) so this is the perfect solution. This little unit has a one pint capacity so i can only do 5-10 25-06 Ackley cases at a time. There is tons of info on this subject on 6mmbr.com so check it out if you are interested.

 

[steve smith]

How fast does it clean the cases? Might be worth looking at if it does it farely quickly.

 

[Flybuster]

Depends on how clean you want the inside of the cases. If you just want to clean the outside 3-6 minutes. I have run them 15-20 minutes just to see how clean I can get them. It makes the insides shiny like new. My little cleaner has a 3 minute shut-off so I have to sit near it to keep it going. No biggie. I havent really checked but other ultrasonic cleaners may not have this 3 minute shut-off, would be alittle more convieniet.

 

[CatShooter]

I tried a low power ultrasonic cleaner, and I was very disappointed. It cost about $125 and after several hours, the cases still had a lot of crud in the primer pockets.

I read the article on 6mmBR:

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

And they throw some light on the chemicals that make the process work, so when I have the loose change to get a larger ultrasonic cleaner, I'll give it a try again.

Fly... if you are allergic to the walnut stuff, have you tried corn cob? I use it in my large Dillon and the cases look like they just came off a jewelers wheel.

.

 

[Flybuster]

After using Citranox, I was pretty impressed with the results. Others have used a mixute, like Jason Baney who wrote the article you linked. He Used all sorts of household stuff, the only thing with that is you usually have to use a neutralizing agent. Or your brass will change colors. This Citranox is designed for ultrasonic Metal brightening, so theres only one process, no neutralizing involved. Yeah, Catshooter I did uses Corncob media once, the fact is I just think tumbling is a pain in the butt.

 

[tulku]

Flybuster , what's in the Citranox ? I'm guessing no Ammonia which workhardens Brass . Maybe Citric Acid ??? If so , any idea how it affects Brass ??? Many years ago I went thru every Brass Cleaning Concoction in some Chemical Handbook and used a Commercial HD Ultrasonic Unit during my lunch Hour to do the Tests . I only found one Solution that was amazing good . It was a dilute Acid that cleaned like CRAZY . I won't list it here because it would be dangerous to use without a Chem. Hood , and I have no idea what it did to the brass structure . The surprising thing was it left a bright , more yellow finish with a Passivation Layer on the Brass . You could finger that Brass for months and it would still stay shiny .

 

[CatShooter]

[ QUOTE ]
I only found one Solution that was amazing good . It was a dilute Acid that cleaned like CRAZY . I won't list it here because it would be dangerous to use without a Chem. Hood , and I have no idea what it did to the brass structure . The surprising thing was it left a bright , more yellow finish with a Passivation Layer on the Brass . You could finger that Brass for months and it would still stay shiny .

[/ QUOTE ]

Oddly enough... I do have a hood, and minored in chemistry (when I was going to be a professional Alchemist /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif ).

What was the acid, and what was the Passivation compound??

.

 

[Flybuster]

[ QUOTE ]
Flybuster , what's in the Citranox ? I'm guessing no Ammonia which workhardens Brass . Maybe Citric Acid ??? If so , any idea how it affects Brass ???


[/ QUOTE ]Phospate-free Citranox® contains a blend of organic acids, anionic and non-ionic surfactants and alkanolamines,what-ever that means.

 

[jb1000br]

[ QUOTE ]
I tried a low power ultrasonic cleaner, and I was very disappointed. It cost about $125 and after several hours, the cases still had a lot of crud in the primer pockets.

I read the article on 6mmBR:

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

And they throw some light on the chemicals that make the process work, so when I have the loose change to get a larger ultrasonic cleaner, I'll give it a try again.

Fly... if you are allergic to the walnut stuff, have you tried corn cob? I use it in my large Dillon and the cases look like they just came off a jewelers wheel.

.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey Paul, I think you got a bum US unit /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif Mine cost like 50$ shipped and is what I ran the tests with for the article...

Citranox works OK...haven't played with it a lot yet, but have tried it. Also working with another citric acid cleaner soon...

Jason

p.s.: thought you were going to shoot my smiley match /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Flybuster]

Hey Jason, I just wanted to thank you for leading me in the direction of ultrasonic cleaning, that was a mighty fine article you wrote too.

 

[CatShooter]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey Paul, I think you got a bum US unit /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif Mine cost like 50$ shipped and is what I ran the tests with for the article...

Citranox works OK...haven't played with it a lot yet, but have tried it. Also working with another citric acid cleaner soon...

Jason

p.s.: thought you were going to shoot my smiley match /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I want to shoot it... but for these last two years, I have been fighting a custody thing in court for my son, and I'm doing it myself (I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy).

I can't find enuff time to shoot it now, but the case is supposed to be over this summer. I spend 40 hours a week on this crapola - I'll never be able to do jury duty again. If the public knew how the courts worked from the insides, they would burn them to the ground and start over again.

.

 

[jb1000br]

Thanks buster /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Paul, sorry to hear that. Wish you my best with that.

Jason