Ultrasonic Cleaners

[squirrel_hunter]

Does anybody have any experience of Ultrasonic Cleaners? Any recommendations or ones to avoid?

[yorkie_chris]

No idea about brands etc. I've got a massive old one that came from the navy I think, it's a pain in the arris because the huge tank is a PITA to empty.

Also owenski has a little un, that seems fairly effective at shifting crap.

[joshwalker094]

Hmm Chris, maybe stick my entire bike in it when I come to yours? It needs a good clean haha

[yorkie_chris]

Don't be a poof.

You want it washing, take it through a ford...

[Owenski]

Mine's very similar to this (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2L-Professional-Industrital-Ultrasonic-Cleaner-Bath-with-Basket-Uk-Stock-/170950238277?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27cd6da045) one and I cant fault it. The one in the link is a few quid cheaper than when I bought it, my only advice would be to make sure you get bigger than you think you'll need as the volume is never accurate I thought 2L would be plenty big enough to do all calipers at once but its not, you need to do one at a time with that.

That said the standard of clean is perfect for cleaning calipers and/or carbs, fill the bath with a kettle of water and top it up with solution (depending on purpose) and you're gravy.
Stainless items come out gleaming but galvanised or unfinished stuff will need a tooth brush clean/whacking in the dishwasher afterwards.

To summarise If you value the time more than the money then its a bargain! :thumbsup:

[flymo]

My dad is a watchmaker and has a set of machines for this kind of thing. I laughed when I read that ebay advert suggesting this was good for cleaning watches, when you see the proper equipment used this would be like a brain surgeon using B&Q tools :-)

But as for cleaning ability, they are fantastic especially for carbs etc. Be sure to dry what you've cleaned fairly smartish or you'll get rust appearing depending on material.

I think he uses L&R ultrasonics equipment, but likely overkill for use in the garage.

[rb8989]

Good for old valve (vacuum tube) bases! Would use to clean carb bits as already mentioned but I haven't had to yet.

[maviczap]

There's an article in this months Practical Sportsbike magazine

Can scan it if you need it?

They just use a cheapo Aldi,Lidl, Maplin cleaner £20, but with proper cleaning fluid

[maviczap]

spookey

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/media/offers/01_13_week_05/Product_detail_Wk5S_27a.jpg

[squirrel_hunter]

Didn't know PS had an article, not got the latest issue yet.

I like the look of the industrial one that Owenski has linked to, might order one of them...

[joshwalker094]

Is that aldi one, big enough to fit sv Brake calipers in?

[xXBADGERXx]

I use them daily in work , I would say that if you want to clean seriously gunky parts then get a heated one . I tend to clean stuff with ISO or Acetone in work for delicate items , but there are limits to these things . If your gonna be throwing bike bits in there then you may be disapointed . Scrubbing brush and Jizer can sometimes be the best way to remove the worst , then use the Ultrasonics to get at the nitty gritty .

[Bibio]

been after one for a while to clean records but cant find a cheep 60hz one.

[squirrel_hunter]

Why 60hz?

[Bibio]

smaller cavitation so gets into more nooks and crannies which is better for digging into the grooves of records to get the much out of the bottom of the groove.

[squirrel_hunter]

So for bike parts what sort of Hz range should I be looking at? Or would it not matter that much for my intended application as after all bikes don't sound to good on a turn table?

[Rocketeer]

I use one. Just done all my blackbird jets with it. They were green as it'd been standing. 20 min later spotless

[Bibio]

40hz will do just dandy for cleaning bike bits :-)

[xXBADGERXx]

Aaaaaaand look what is in Aldi this Sunday :)

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/special_buys3_28898.htm?WT.mc_id=2013-01-25-12-37

Cheapo , but handy for some of you Southerners with yer Sovereigns and Bling

[maviczap]

Aaaaaaand look what is in Aldi this Sunday :)

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/special_buys3_28898.htm?WT.mc_id=2013-01-25-12-37

Cheapo , but handy for some of you Southerners with yer Sovereigns and Bling

Wake up at the back there ;) :p

#8 in this thread

spookey

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/media/offers/01_13_week_05/Product_detail_Wk5S_27a.jpg

[SV_archie99]

Used to use these all the time in my work.
We had all manner of ultrasonic cleaners, all the way up to big heated monsters with Trichloroethylene in them, truly brilliant stuff, I stripped and overhauled an entire Vauxhall Astra engine using this monster when I was an apprentice, those we're the days..........
Unfortunately Trichloroethylene is no more, and it's replacement doesn't cut the mustard !

Still, be great to have a decent sized one of these in my man den, together with a high pressure blaster cabinet which utilises plastic beads or ground walnut shell. Once you got those babies in your arsenal you can overhaul anything !

[suzukigt380paul]

Does anybody have any experience of Ultrasonic Cleaners? Any recommendations or ones to avoid?they are supposed to work well,but have known people with classic working bikes send the carbs off to be cleaned and have carburetor problems on the rebuilt carbs with no real apparent reason other than they had been cleaned

[andrewsmith]

I use them daily in work , I would say that if you want to clean seriously gunky parts then get a heated one . I tend to clean stuff with ISO or Acetone in work for delicate items , but there are limits to these things . If your gonna be throwing bike bits in there then you may be disapointed . Scrubbing brush and Jizer can sometimes be the best way to remove the worst , then use the Ultrasonics to get at the nitty gritty .

I've always had used Gunk or Jizer and emery paper on corrosion (on calipers).
Badg, think you could fit a SV engine in one at work? ;)

[timwilky]

Used to use these all the time in my work.
We had all manner of ultrasonic cleaners, all the way up to big heated monsters with Trichloroethylene in them, truly brilliant stuff, I stripped and overhauled an entire Vauxhall Astra engine using this monster when I was an apprentice, those we're the days..........
Unfortunately Trichloroethylene is no more, and it's replacement doesn't cut the mustard !

Still, be great to have a decent sized one of these in my man den, together with a high pressure blaster cabinet which utilises plastic beads or ground walnut shell. Once you got those babies in your arsenal you can overhaul anything !

I worked for a while at the Chorley site of Leyland Truck & Bus as an apprentice seconded to the safety office, when a tric tank exploded. People thought I was taking the P when I as an 18 year old was trying to order them out that area. Next day all machine tools had a thin film of surface rust where they had been nicely degreased overnight. Brilliant degreaser, what a pity it is no more.

[Fraser1200]

just noticed on my aldi app these were selling from yesterday : http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/special_buys3_28898.htm

[chris8886]

just noticed on my aldi app these were selling from yesterday : http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/special_buys3_28898.htm

you have an aldi app?!?! wtf!!

[Fraser1200]

hahaha pretty tragic i no but they sometimes sell decent stuff, the apps free and u shd get it :smt023