Ultrasonic cleaner. Which one?

Dundgren · October 20, 2017, 02:33 PM

Hi, I've been looking at the lyman turbo sonic 2500 but here in sweden it costs twice as much as one I can get from a general store. Is it priced because it is marketed towards guns? Do I really need a "Gun ultrasonic cleaner" ?

Thanks.

444 · October 20, 2017, 02:56 PM

I don't know a whole lot about ultrasonic cleaners.

That being said, I often suspect that a lot of stuff like ultrasonic cleaners, and scales and things like that are branded by reloading equipment manufacturers (who don't actually manufacture this stuff) and the price is significantly increased because their name is on it. In other words, in my uneducated opinion, I think that if you can find an ultrasonic cleaner somewhere other than from a reloading equipment manufacturer, I am sure it would work fine: there is nothing "gun specific" about an ultrasonic cleaner.

Here in the US, we have a chain of stores called Harbor Freight. They sell mostly low end, cheap, Chinese made tools under brand names such as "Pittsburgh", "Chicago"........... While they are sold in Pittsburgh and Chicago, they are Chinese manufactured and the names are a poor attempt at making you think they are quality tools. Anyway, they sell an ultrasonic cleaner and I know quite a few people who are using them to clean brass and according to them, they work great.

For years, I have used an ultrasonic cleaner branded by Hornady for brass cleaning. It also works great but I wanted a larger one to clean suppressors. In particular, I wanted one that was big enough to hold something about 12" - 13". I looked at Amazon and didn't see anything that was reasonably priced that was that big. I ended up buying a Lyman 6000 not because it had the brand name of a reloading equipment manufacturer but it happened to be the only one of that size that I found reasonably priced. I originally had no intention of buying one from a reloading equipment manufacturer.

Tsquared · October 20, 2017, 05:11 PM

Any ultrasonic cleaner will do. You need to compare the volume that they are capable of cleaning at one time. There are some drawbacks to ultrasonic cleaning. The solution does not go very far, lower yield due to lower capacity, you must use very hot water to maximize cleaning, expect to run brass for 4 or 5 cycles before brass is clean. Ultrasonic cleaning is labor intensive and the most expensive of the 3 methods to clean brass.

I had a cheap Chinese jewelry ultrasonic cleaner that I paid $30 for many years ago. It quit on me about 3 years of using it and I switched over to a vibratory cleaner. The vibratory could handle more volume and the process was much less time consuming and cheaper. If you absolutely need sparkling brass get a rotary rock tumbler and some stainless steel pins - the initial cost of the tumbler and pins is a bit more than a vibratory but the dish-washing liquid, citric acid, and sodium bicarbonate is cheap.

OzeanJaeger · October 20, 2017, 09:09 PM

No! Do NOT buy any ultrasonic from Hornady, Lyman or any of them. If it’s for “guns” you are paying a 30% markup for nothing...nothing except lower volume and capacity, and a plastic bin.

You can get an all metal, commercial grade, heated 10L bath, with a basket, for what a 2L that’s “for guns” costs. If anything the ones marketed for guns are more cheaply made.

However, do not expect it to “clean” your guns for you. All it will do is loosen the carbon so it’s easy to scrub it off. You still have to scrub it off. It’s an extravagance if you don’t clean a lot of guns, or aren’t cleaning full auto rifles.

disseminator · October 21, 2017, 11:18 AM

I have an Ultra Sonic cleaner that I bought off Amazon.com that is a made in China model that works ok for brass but I only use mine for cleaning my dies and gun parts since I bought a Frankford Arsenal Rotary Tumbler. (SS pin tumbler)

If your primary use will be brass cleaning, skip the sonic and go SS pin tumbling.

It is 1000% better.

OzeanJaeger · October 21, 2017, 12:01 PM

True dat.

ms6852 · October 22, 2017, 12:08 AM

I bought the Hornady ultrasonic cleaner and it serves me well with my 1911's parts and other stuff. And since I pick up a lot of range brass it cleans the inside of the brass very well. In order to save on cleaning solutions you can fill the inside of the tank with water and than put the brass in a jar and fill it up with enough solution to cover the brass. For me it works because I am not a completion shooter and I reload at the most 50 rounds at a time. It will not make your brass shiny but it will be clean.

morgaj1 · October 22, 2017, 12:57 PM

I have found the stainless steel US cleaners on ebay are more durable than the plastic ones.

**Unclenick** · October 22, 2017, 02:01 PM

Dundgren,

There are some different things to know. In general, the cleaner with the most power per liter of capacity will clean fastest. Find the number of watts of ultrasonic energy (not the outlet demand, as that will include the heater, if there is one, and controls) and divided it by the liquid capacity of the unit to get watts/liter. The higher the number, the more powerful the cleaning action.

Some larger industrial ultra-sonic cleaners run at lower frequencies, like around 25 kHz. These do better with coarse dirt removal, while the ones running nearer to 45 kHz are better at fine details, albeit slower.

Most folks just believe the liquid level number on their cleaner without testing it. Some units auto-tune and don't need testing, but for a simple units you want to check. Let some of your cleaning solution sit out for a few days to outgas naturally. Fill the ultrasonic about 80% full, then run it briefly. Slowly raise the liquid level until you see peak vibratory activity on the water surface. Note the liquid level that produces the most vigorous surface activity with your solution and use that level with it.

fredvon4 · October 22, 2017, 02:45 PM

I too wanted one years ago and sticker shock on the purpose marketed ones stunned me...
Simple research sez there is a distinct difference in the frequency range and materiel used and the suspension baskets... heat or no heat

Higher frequency + better
Stainless tub is mandatory for any solvent....plastic tub only OK for water soaps
Big enough to totally immerse a part/item
Good parts basket and lid

Bang good
Ali Babba
E-bay sorces
just compare specs to the High cost name brand purpose built versions

I got a 1 liter with heat and very high frequency and duty rate, with timer for 50% of the cost of a name brand version

It's called comparison shopping and you might consider finding one or more Name brand versions and then going to Amazon to simply read the reviews....starting with the bad ones
For some reason ( I am not one) Amazon shoppers are a very prolific review writing bunch

Over time you will get the sense, in BAD revues who is an idiot and who knows the item is really a POS... pay no attention to all the good reviews...mostly folks who feel good about their purchase and are not objective...

Does not take much in the BAD reviews to ferret out the idiots who cannot read simple instruction from the guys/gals who really do have a working clue

October 20, 2017, 02:33 PM	#1
Dundgren Member Join Date: May 14, 2017 Posts: 27	Ultrasonic cleaner. Which one? Hi, I've been looking at the lyman turbo sonic 2500 but here in sweden it costs twice as much as one I can get from a general store. Is it priced because it is marketed towards guns? Do I really need a "Gun ultrasonic cleaner" ? Thanks.

October 20, 2017, 02:56 PM	#2
444 Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2000 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,968	I don't know a whole lot about ultrasonic cleaners. That being said, I often suspect that a lot of stuff like ultrasonic cleaners, and scales and things like that are branded by reloading equipment manufacturers (who don't actually manufacture this stuff) and the price is significantly increased because their name is on it. In other words, in my uneducated opinion, I think that if you can find an ultrasonic cleaner somewhere other than from a reloading equipment manufacturer, I am sure it would work fine: there is nothing "gun specific" about an ultrasonic cleaner. Here in the US, we have a chain of stores called Harbor Freight. They sell mostly low end, cheap, Chinese made tools under brand names such as "Pittsburgh", "Chicago"........... While they are sold in Pittsburgh and Chicago, they are Chinese manufactured and the names are a poor attempt at making you think they are quality tools. Anyway, they sell an ultrasonic cleaner and I know quite a few people who are using them to clean brass and according to them, they work great. For years, I have used an ultrasonic cleaner branded by Hornady for brass cleaning. It also works great but I wanted a larger one to clean suppressors. In particular, I wanted one that was big enough to hold something about 12" - 13". I looked at Amazon and didn't see anything that was reasonably priced that was that big. I ended up buying a Lyman 6000 not because it had the brand name of a reloading equipment manufacturer but it happened to be the only one of that size that I found reasonably priced. I originally had no intention of buying one from a reloading equipment manufacturer. __________________ You know the rest. In the books you have read How the British Regulars fired and fled, How the farmers gave them ball for ball, From behind each fence and farmyard wall, Chasing the redcoats down the lane, Then crossing the fields to emerge again Under the trees at the turn of the road, And only pausing to fire and load.

October 22, 2017, 12:08 AM	#7
ms6852 Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 1,394	I bought the Hornady ultrasonic cleaner and it serves me well with my 1911's parts and other stuff. And since I pick up a lot of range brass it cleans the inside of the brass very well. In order to save on cleaning solutions you can fill the inside of the tank with water and than put the brass in a jar and fill it up with enough solution to cover the brass. For me it works because I am not a completion shooter and I reload at the most 50 rounds at a time. It will not make your brass shiny but it will be clean. __________________ ONLY TWO DEFINING FORCES HAVE GIVEN UP THEIR LIVES FOR YOU. ONE IS JESUS CHRIST FOR YOUR SOUL AND THE OTHER IS THE AMERICAN SOLDIER FOR YOUR FREEDOM.

October 22, 2017, 02:01 PM	#9
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,060	Dundgren, There are some different things to know. In general, the cleaner with the most power per liter of capacity will clean fastest. Find the number of watts of ultrasonic energy (not the outlet demand, as that will include the heater, if there is one, and controls) and divided it by the liquid capacity of the unit to get watts/liter. The higher the number, the more powerful the cleaning action. Some larger industrial ultra-sonic cleaners run at lower frequencies, like around 25 kHz. These do better with coarse dirt removal, while the ones running nearer to 45 kHz are better at fine details, albeit slower. Most folks just believe the liquid level number on their cleaner without testing it. Some units auto-tune and don't need testing, but for a simple units you want to check. Let some of your cleaning solution sit out for a few days to outgas naturally. Fill the ultrasonic about 80% full, then run it briefly. Slowly raise the liquid level until you see peak vibratory activity on the water surface. Note the liquid level that produces the most vigorous surface activity with your solution and use that level with it. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

October 20, 2017, 05:11 PM	#3
Tsquared Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2016 Location: NE Atlanta Posts: 337	Any ultrasonic cleaner will do. You need to compare the volume that they are capable of cleaning at one time. There are some drawbacks to ultrasonic cleaning. The solution does not go very far, lower yield due to lower capacity, you must use very hot water to maximize cleaning, expect to run brass for 4 or 5 cycles before brass is clean. Ultrasonic cleaning is labor intensive and the most expensive of the 3 methods to clean brass. I had a cheap Chinese jewelry ultrasonic cleaner that I paid $30 for many years ago. It quit on me about 3 years of using it and I switched over to a vibratory cleaner. The vibratory could handle more volume and the process was much less time consuming and cheaper. If you absolutely need sparkling brass get a rotary rock tumbler and some stainless steel pins - the initial cost of the tumbler and pins is a bit more than a vibratory but the dish-washing liquid, citric acid, and sodium bicarbonate is cheap.

October 20, 2017, 09:09 PM	#4
OzeanJaeger Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2014 Posts: 301	No! Do NOT buy any ultrasonic from Hornady, Lyman or any of them. If it’s for “guns” you are paying a 30% markup for nothing...nothing except lower volume and capacity, and a plastic bin. You can get an all metal, commercial grade, heated 10L bath, with a basket, for what a 2L that’s “for guns” costs. If anything the ones marketed for guns are more cheaply made. However, do not expect it to “clean” your guns for you. All it will do is loosen the carbon so it’s easy to scrub it off. You still have to scrub it off. It’s an extravagance if you don’t clean a lot of guns, or aren’t cleaning full auto rifles.

October 21, 2017, 11:18 AM	#5
disseminator Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2016 Location: Minnesota Posts: 960	I have an Ultra Sonic cleaner that I bought off Amazon.com that is a made in China model that works ok for brass but I only use mine for cleaning my dies and gun parts since I bought a Frankford Arsenal Rotary Tumbler. (SS pin tumbler) If your primary use will be brass cleaning, skip the sonic and go SS pin tumbling. It is 1000% better.

October 21, 2017, 12:01 PM	#6
OzeanJaeger Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2014 Posts: 301	True dat.

October 22, 2017, 12:57 PM	#8
morgaj1 Member Join Date: August 4, 2012 Posts: 25	I have found the stainless steel US cleaners on ebay are more durable than the plastic ones.

October 22, 2017, 02:45 PM	#10
fredvon4 Junior member Join Date: January 18, 2010 Location: Lampasas Texas Posts: 154	I too wanted one years ago and sticker shock on the purpose marketed ones stunned me... Simple research sez there is a distinct difference in the frequency range and materiel used and the suspension baskets... heat or no heat Higher frequency + better Stainless tub is mandatory for any solvent....plastic tub only OK for water soaps Big enough to totally immerse a part/item Good parts basket and lid Bang good Ali Babba E-bay sorces just compare specs to the High cost name brand purpose built versions I got a 1 liter with heat and very high frequency and duty rate, with timer for 50% of the cost of a name brand version It's called comparison shopping and you might consider finding one or more Name brand versions and then going to Amazon to simply read the reviews....starting with the bad ones For some reason ( I am not one) Amazon shoppers are a very prolific review writing bunch Over time you will get the sense, in BAD revues who is an idiot and who knows the item is really a POS... pay no attention to all the good reviews...mostly folks who feel good about their purchase and are not objective... Does not take much in the BAD reviews to ferret out the idiots who cannot read simple instruction from the guys/gals who really do have a working clue