Dissappointed in my ultrasonic solution

[Hurricane Deck 100366]

I recently felt the need to change my ultrasonic solution and switched over to Hornady's gun cleaning solution and am getting very poor results. seems everything needs to be re-cleaned when it comes out. The only exception are the small parts I drop in a small jar and submerge in Hoppes. I excellent micro-bubble activity in the jar and everything comes out great. large parts. . . not so much.

 

What is everyone else using to in their ultrasonic to clean gun parts? I can't help but think the problem is the water-based cleaner. I'm used to using a solvent based cleaner and think I need to go back, but geez it's expensive!

[Boggus Deal #64218]

http://lucasoil.com/products/out-door-line/lucas-extreme-duty-bore-solvent-ultrasonic-gun-cleaner

Not the most expensive but worth every penny. I am one of their sponsored shooters but before I signed on, I tested their products and would not endorse it unless it was as good or better than advertised.

[Lead Monger]

I don't have anything good to say about ultrasonic cleaners. Wasted several hundred bucks on a nice one.

Buy the solution for brass, putt in dirty brass and get out wet less dirty brass that has to be rinsed and dried.

Buy the solution for parts, put in dirty parts and get out dirty parts that have to be scrubbed, rinsed and dried.

It does work on the wife's jewelry.

[Blackey Cole]

I use hot water and Palmolive with oxy and never had a problem. Now I got the parts/brass dryer I might pull it out and start cleaning things.

[Hurricane Deck 100366]

I grew up as a brat in my grandfathers jewelry store. There were a number of tools I was fascinated in: the brass hammers, the ultrasonic cleaner, the giant buffing wheel and the steam cleaner.

 

I learned a long time ago what makes a good ultrasonic, how to load the liquid and the components in to get maximum cleaning. There are three major mistakes people make when trying to use an ultrasonic: buying a tank made of plastic and with tiny transducers 1W per gallon isn't enough., Even the mid range, from an expense standpoint, look good but may have small tranducers and are useless.

 

loading too much weight in the tank and not loading enough liquid in the tank are the other most common problems.

 

They can produce incredibly clean parts when the right machine is set up the right way.

[CodyMaverick]

I use Ballistol with a 90:10 ratio. Still have to blow them out, wipe them down and run patches through the bore and cylinders but they come quite clean and lubed.

[Boothill Bandit, SASS# 48598]

HD,

 

Try this: MPro-7 Gun Cleaner Solution cut 50/50 with water. Yep, plain 'ol water. I am a firm believer in M-Pro products (read as Pantheon Chemical out of Phoenix, AZ) after having a long association with them. One of their senior people there told me long ago, mix the gun cleaner solution 50/50 with water and you will have good results. He wasn't lying. Using the M-Pro7 Gun Gleaner solution straight was not as effective as mixing it with water. I run the heat up very hot and use a coffee cup immersion heater to get a head start on getting the solution up to temperature. After running the parts through my ultrasonic, I wipe down all disassembled parts and run a patch through all cylinders and bores. Works great for me. YMMV. The nice thing about MPro-7 products is they are 100% non-toxic, non-poisonous, bio-degradable, non-Haz-Mat, and can be shipped by air, All that and a clean gun too.

 

Boothill

[loveymac]

1. use the manufactures recommended cleaning solution and amount, I don't know if your solution is water based but believe me a little goes a long way.

2. crank up the heat, let your ultrasonic run for about a half hour to warm up the solution and then place your parts in the ultrasonic, turn your unit on while it is warming up, that will accelerate the heating process, dont forget to turn the heater off when you call it a day.

3. forget about the lube solution.

4. dont put your slides,frames, or any other external parts in a basket.

5. wash your pcs thoroughly when you remove them from your unit, remember it's a cleaning process not a coating process, you'll want to remove all that cleaning solution from your parts and you will also want to thoroughly dry them, I'm thinking a hair dryer might be ideal for you.

6. keep your ultrasonic clean, all that residue will lay in the bottom of your unit and needs to be hosed out occasionally.

[Amarillo Rattler]

I use a small Harbor Freight ultrasonic cleaner for my BP cylinders. Hot tap water and a dab (about 1 tea spoon) of liquid Tide. Two 3 minute cycles and all fouling is removed from the exterior. Spin a nylon brush in each chamber under running water. Dry, lube and done.

 

Amarillo Rattler

[Happy Jack, SASS #20451]

I totally agree with Boothill Bandit. I use MPro-7 for almost every gun cleaning process. I have used it cut 50/50 with water in my Bransonic cleaner for years. I haven't found anything that works better. I buy it by the gallon from Brownells. Another thing to remember is that when you first put solution in a ultrasonic, let it run a few minutes before you put items in. It helps get the solution set.

 

As an aside I have used almost every commercial gun cleaning solvent over the past 50 years and a bunch of "home recipes" and find M-Pro 7 to be the best overall. HOWEVER for cleaning up carbon (like you get on a 66-73 lifter) Nothing beats the new cleaner from Bore Tech: C4 Carbon Remover. It is amazing.

[Ramblin Gambler]

Got a coupla questions on ultrasonics as I've been unhappy with mine so far. I will try the 2 cleaners that have been suggested, the Lucas Oil and MPro-7. Does the lucasoil get mixed with water too?

 

1. Is it a pipe dream to hope I can find a solution where I can clean my cylinders and won't need to run patches through it afterwards? Cleaning cylinders is the main reason I broke down and got an ultrasonic.

2. Are there solutions that clean and lubricate? I liked the idea of ballistol just for that purpose, does the lucas and Mpro lubricate too?

3. I set a temperature on mine and it seems to just keep getting hotter and hotter. Is there a max temperature where I need to turn it off and let it cool down?

4. If I don't put my parts in the basket, where do I put them? Drop them straight into the bottom of the bucket where all that crud is? DO you use tongs to retrieve them? Also, why not put them in a basket?

[Boggus Deal #64218]

• Cleans and protects your firearms, provides excellent rust protection.
• Low odor, pleasant grape scent, contains no ammonia, kerosene or water.
• Great for use in ultrasonic cleaners, solvent based formula requires no mixing, rinsing or oil dip after ultrasonic use, saving time and money.

The Lucas Oil should not be mixed with water. It is solvent based. It does lubricate to some degree. But, you have to remember, it was designed as a cleaner.

I would not let any solvent based cleaner get too hot but the Lucas has a flash point of 210 degrees.

[Blackey Cole]

My process for cleaning my Ruger old armies are as follows. It's the main thing I use my unltrasonic cleaner for. Yes you still need to run something thru each chamber of the cylinder.

 

1). Break the gun down by removing the cylinder and grip panels. Set grip panels aside.

2) setup ultrasonic cleaner with hot tap water and Palmolive with oxy

3) place the revolver in upside down with the cylinder and loose parts on the side

4) run the timed cycle three or four times with the heat on

5) lay I dry towel out flat

6) take the parts out being careful as they are hot let the water drain until it stops

7) lay on towel cylinder upright so it can drain as you clean and dry the rest

8) run a swab through the barrel several times changing swabs every other pass until swab comes out clean

9) run a lubed swab thru the barrel the take a lubed swab or rag and wipe the rest of the barrel frame and cylinder pin down

10) at this point the only thing left is the cylinder so take it and run a brush thru each chamber I use either a drill or other device with the brush attached

11) once you done that drop it back in the untrained sonic cleaner for a couple of cycles with heat

12) remove a drain again. The reason for doing it twice was the first with the frame was to soften everything up.

13) once drained again I use a wool mop with a patch to dry each chamber I roll it thru each chamber two or three revolution s then move to the next changing the patch as needed. Once you can use a patch in wall chambers and it it fairly clean your finished drying/ cleaning.

14) if your using the guns soon I'm done once I lightly grease the cylinder pin and spray the outside of the cylinder and frame down with Amsoil mp.

15) if the guns are going in to storage I spray everything with Amsoil mp including the chambers then return the assembled guns to their gun socks and case.

 

Note: prior to using after a storage I wipe chambers out with wool mop and patch then in either case I pop caps in each of the six chambers prior to first stage.

 

That's was one of the reasons I've not been shooting frontiersman lately between the work during the stage and the work after the days shooting it became too much for me plus I was asked to join the classic cowboy shooters several years ago. On a good note I've not cleaned my bp guns for a month a time or two for different reasons and had no problem cleaning them afterwards or any rust. The Amsoil bonds with the metal and lifts away any foreign material. My 73 would come out of the sock the next time cleaner than it went in the carrier go in black comes out clean.

[Camp Hill Kid]

Cheap ultrasonics just don't work very well. Commercial versions like a Branson or Crest with adjustable frequency and temperature are great and are powerful enough to really hurt if you stick your hand in them when running. The Harbor Freight and other Chinese made models are better than nothing but not buy much. I use a Crest Tru-Sweep to get the tumbler media residue off of the ammunition case gauges that we make, as well as dropping the stainless pistols in for the occasional deep cleaning, and it is amazing how fast and well that it works. Instead of using the expensive "ultrasonic detergent" I just put a couple of drops of Dawn in and it works just as well and does not streak or stain. One thing to watch is if you put blued gun parts or whole in you can get a red rust coating in just a couple of minutes, so be careful.