Ultrasonic Cleaners

[Bill G]

I realize this subject has been discussed before but it has been about 8 years since I have tried a ultrasonic cleaner. I bought a cheap Harbor Freight one and it was a piece of China poo. I am wondering if some improvements have been made in them. I am looking for a decent machine not a cheap China turd. I am wondering how well they will work on corroded cylinders. I am not talking about inside the cylinder just the outside.

Those who have experience with them what do you think?

 

[gary courtney]

I realize this subject has been discussed before but it has been about 8 years since I have tried a ultrasonic cleaner. I bought a cheap Harbor Freight one and it was a piece of China poo. I am wondering if some improvements have been made in them. I am looking for a decent machine not a cheap China turd. I am wondering how well they will work on corroded cylinders. I am not talking about inside the cylinder just the outside.

Those who have experience with them what do you think?

Bill I bought this one from Amazon and it has worked w/o any hitches.The heater works as it should.

 

[Bill G]

View attachment 1156216Bill I bought this one from Amazon and it has worked w/o any hitches.The heater works as it should.

I buy on ole Amazon 2-3 times a week so that is good. How well do they clean up exterior corrosion on a cylinder?

 

[GenXer]

Here's a review of the Vevor one. They seem to have decent quality for Chinese stuff.

 

[gary courtney]

I buy on ole Amazon 2-3 times a week so that is good. How well do they clean up exterior corrosion on a cylinder?

I have cleaned numerous carbs and I can get a complete case half submerged. Cylinders looked like new that I cleaned.

 

[Vintage Engine Repairs]

Grab a 10L one, they are good, but so damn expensive now!

 

[Franny K]

Bill is asking about corroded cylinders. Which I believe would be cast aluminum where the few atoms thick protective layer has been breached and chemical decomposition of the aluminum has occurred. Maybe the better question is what solvent to use. Or sand blasting with crushed walnut shells that I hear about would be more appropriate. Or maybe some process with an electric charge? My experience is limited, I doubt mine is a cheap Chinese one, but it is small, and I used kerosene as a solvent and never tried to reverse corrosion.

edit: I doubt the ultrasonic cleaner at the dentist is a cheap China poo while it might fit a chainsaw cylinder unlikely with their solvent would do much for aluminum corrosion.

 

[Chevboy0167]

Soda blast.

Convert bench top unit to use soda. Or for a 1 or 2 project, try the portable gun syle.

https://www.amazon.com/JEGS-81502-B...404&sprefix=bench+top+blaster+,aps,120&sr=8-2

https://www.amazon.com/LEMATEC-Comp...-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

 

[Sidecarflip]

I'm glad I bought mine prior to this insane inflation. Mine is quite large and is heated as well and is of course made across the pond. I don't believe you can buy a domestic made one anyway. I use mine for many different cleaning applications with various cleaning agents from lye in solution (for cleaning saw loops prior to sharpening) to cleaning carbs (with Berryman's B12 Chem tool, to dunking firearms for cleaning (after removing all the degradable parts like grips and optics) and for that I use Simple Green aviation cleaner and I keep the various solutions in plastic, one gallon jugs near the unit. The one I have, has a convenient drain as well as various baskets and you can control the solution temperature as well as the dwell time the transducers run. I use it a lot and like I said, glad I bought it when they were relatively cheap as they ain't anymore, but then today, nothing is cheap and we all know who to thank for that....

 

[Snowchaser]

An aluminum brightener would take care of the corrosion quite well as it is acid based. Just a spray bottle from auto parts store and a wire brush or maroon scotch brite pad. Dont think i would ultra sonic with it though. Test that first. I am very pleased with my vevor cleaner. Looks like the same size as the video. Cleaned many saws with purple power 50/50 with water. It will take printing off metal badges and dull/strip paint if left in there. I use the gunk or zep orange citrus degreaser if you’re worried about glossy finishes.

This is what walmart stocks here. Mine is from napa originally but its the same sulphuric acid stuff. Works great.

Star Brite Aluminum Cleaner - For Pontoons, Canoes & Unpainted Aluminum
https://www.walmart.com/ip/576344097

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

I have a older USA made ultrasonic cleaner I purchased off eBay little over a year ago. Been using them at work for years. They don’t do much for corrosion other than maybe knocking off the loose stuff. I run 80/20 water and simple green. I have a little handheld soda blaster I use for removing corrosion and carbon from combustion chambers and exhaust ports. Works great but it’s messy. Looking into getting a media blaster.

 

[Mad Professor]

An aluminum brightener would take care of the corrosion quite well as it is acid based. Just a spray bottle from auto parts store and a wire brush or maroon scotch brite pad. Dont think i would ultra sonic with it though. Test that first. I am very pleased with my vevor cleaner. Looks like the same size as the video. Cleaned many saws with purple power 50/50 with water. It will take printing off metal badges and dull/strip paint if left in there. I use the gunk or zep orange citrus degreaser if you’re worried about glossy finishes.

If you get acid based cleaners on the port edges it could get under the plating and destroy the cylinder.

Part of the trick will be finding the right cleaner/solvent.

I attached as a PDF that discusses cleaning brass cartridge cases but it makes some good points in general and some tricks (using a beaker) for using an ultrasound.

The Chemistry of brass (copper/zinc alloy) is different than aluminum. Both are acid sensitive, aluminum more so (reduction potentials/activities). I'm not sure if a vinegar mixture would be mild enough to eat the corrosion but not touch the port edges or eat the corrosion first?



If someone (i.e. Bill?) had some JUNK corroded cylinders it would be an interesting way to test cleaning solutions without risk?

A bead blaster would also work great. Used those on SBC intakes and they looked new when done. Need to clean all the media out well.

 

[Yukon Stihl]

There were some guys who boiled cylinders with dishwasher pods that claimed great results. The Walmart brand were the favourites if my memory serves me right.
I ment to try some junk cylinders but never got to it. Probably because the nearest Walmart is 100 miles away and never got any pods from there

 

[Bill G]

I need to do some investigating. I just do not want to harm the lining

 

[Sidecarflip]

There were some guys who boiled cylinders with dishwasher pods that claimed great results. The Walmart brand were the favourites if my memory serves me right.
I ment to try some junk cylinders but never got to it. Probably because the nearest Walmart is 100 miles away and never got any pods from there

Don't young kids eat those pods?

 

[singinwoodwackr]

I've used my bead blaster cabinet on cyl exteriors with good success getting off baked on crud. I'm using the fine Coke ash from TSC.
Best craigslist $75 I've spent.
2 Shindaiwa mufflers from yesterday...ready for acetone rinse and paint

 

[Yukon Stihl]

Don't young kids eat those pods?

Tide pods as they were colorful like candy

 

[Yukon Stihl]

I need to do some investigating. I just do not want to harm the lining

Nobody ever had plating issues
Some of the other makes of dishwasher pods turned the aluminum black

 

[JCB]

Tide pods as they were colorful like candy

And don't eat the Tide Pods Bill.. I don't think you can afford any more damage....