Pictures for scale and dramatic effect. I went with the wide version to see what I could fit in there. Relatively pleased so far. I'm not going to do a whole gun like this, probably. I have some glass jars of various sizes. For the inaugural run, I'm gonna put some suppressors in a pickle jar and fill that with a mix of Simple Green and water, another jar with my glasses and some diluted Simple Green, and some old pocket knives in another with, you guessed it, Simple Green and water. I'll fill the rest of it with hot water from the tap so the heating element doesn't have to work so hard, and this way the inside of the tub won't get filthy every time I use it. The glass jars transmit the sound waves just fine. I've read that plastic inhibits the effect somewhat, or I'd be using those over the concrete garage floor.

Stay tuned for results.

Oh, and because someone will ask, here is the link. It has fluctuated a few dollars over the last few days. It was $146 shipped with a $25 off Coupert automatic coupon thing, so if it works like it's supposed to, I'll be pleased.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C8HLX74T

Oh, and before anyone judges me for the filthy toolboxes, that's 30 years of my old man's neglect, fresh moved from New York. I'm yet to clean all that crap off yet, and the ultrasonic is part of the process. His tools look just as bad, or worse. It's all getting scrubbed fresh and clean before I organize it and put it away.

Just be aware that straight simple green will remove anodized coating from a weapon. We had a BM2 at Station Hatteras put 2 M9 berettas in straight simple green and run it thru the sonic cleaner they had, and then left it overnight.

I got the phone all the next morning when they switched crews and the oncoming guy called. 1. At the time sonic cleaners were not authorized. 2. Using anything besides what’s on the maintenance card isn’t allowed. Dude wound up getting sent to Captains mast and was made to pay for the pistols. And restricted to the station. He didn’t lose his stripe over this, but when he rolled asmall boat he did.

I'd advise against putting anything made of Aluminum (that you care about) in there...Just Sayin'

What he said, any degreaser like simple green will do it, just keep aluminum parts out of the thing. Honestly I just use it for brass these days. If you put your pistol frame in there you’ll clean out all of the factory lube in the gun.

I bought the 15L one from the same mfg about a month ago.
I've only cleaned car parts (injectors) so far but guns will be getting done too.

Yep, not gonna use straight simple green, probably won’t run any anodized aluminum through it. At the absolute very least, this will be great for suppressors and stripped bolt carrier groups since those get so ridiculously filthy. Glock frames and slides as well.

I’m thinking a glass or steel box full of thin oil would be a good insert type thing for throwing certain things like steels pistol slides and frames back in for a cycle to keep the rust from getting at it after blowing everything dry. A wire basket and let it drain, then wipe the excess. Watched a video of a big industrial unit that came with that specifically and figure I can work something out myself. Just a water-tight box that fits on top in the recessed edge of the tank.

Simple Green is great for parts, tools and other greasy, dirty stuff.

Guns? Hornaday makes a solvent, I think it’s One Shot. It’s about $40 a gallon, BUT… You’re only using about 1/3 a cup per 1 1/2 gallons of distilled water (if you have “hard water” the minerals in said water can mess things up). You can get it at Bass Pro / Cabellas and probably other larger gun stores. (Plus side is your guns smell all “lemony”! )


https://ads.midwayusa.com/prod...2EAQYByABEgLvZ_D_BwE


Nasty, dirty, greasy ass AR’s, after a 3000 Winchester White Box rounds week, (and I like using wheel bearing grease as lubricant), about 45 - 60 minutes around 145f, my gun came out spotless!

When I say it removes every bit of oil and grease, it removes EVERY bit! Remember to wipe your guns down with a silicone cloth or oil afterwards.

They make short work of cleaning the real dirty stuff, if it’s just a little dirty, Ill hand clean it.

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:
I'd advise against putting anything made of Aluminum (that you care about) in there...Just Sayin'

I've learned this the hard way. Thrice...because I'm a slow learner.

I’ve read (but not tried) that Extreme Simple Green Aviation & Precision Cleaner is the ticket for this application. It claims to be safe for all kinds of things including aluminum. I didn’t see any mention of anodizing though. Anybody have experience with it?

I use Bore Tech's Extreme Parts Cleaner. No smell-water soluble.
For suppressor baffles that are not aluminum--I soak in Carbon Killer for 15 min, brush, soak again for 15 min--> ultrasonic bath.

quote:

Originally posted by CPD SIG:
Guns? Hornaday makes a solvent, I think it’s One Shot..

Thanks! Yeah, I'm starting to look into gun-specific solvents for carbon buildup and the like. I'll look for that. I know Hornady has their own ultrasonic cleaner, so it makes sense they make a solvent to go with.

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:
Anybody have experience with it?

I’ve been reading about it also, that it isn’t the ultrasonic that eats the anodizing, but the solvent used. Even Simple Green will do it, which is why they came out with the aviation grade stuff. I have an old Maglite D cell I picked up at a Goodwill for cheap with the intent of throwing a Malkoff head in it. I’ll try it out on that - no big loss if it eats the anodizing off it.

There's a couple posts I've read from guys who have been doing their Sig frames for years in an ultrasonic without ruining it, but again, internet anecdotes and all that. I've also read that some of the degradation of aluminum is on a microscopic level that really matters in aviation where tolerances get pushed a lot harder and lives are at stake, so problems that could crop up are much more closely scrutinized compared to our purposes. If I can throw a complete detail stripped Sig or Beretta in there with the aviation grade formula without ill effect, that would be great.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: P220 Smudge,

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:


https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...0601935/m/8900008015

Well, yes, but they're not exactly the same thing. They're different enough that I figured a second thread wasn't entirely redundant. I have a whole bunch of rusty tools that the parts washer will degrease, but not de-rust. This one will do both.

To that end, I gave a quick perusal through one of the bins of parts to come up with the nastiest thing in there. There's a small bench vise covered with both rust and grime. I'm gonna try it in a freezer bag with a 50/50 mix of water and CLR, and see how it comes out. I'll do before and after pics.

I haven't fired up the ultrasonic yet. Going to an industrial supply later today to pick up some various solvents, shops towels, and some distilled water. Oh, and I need to get my little DeWalt compressor sorted out also. Hopefully by tonight we'll see what it does.

I've been cleaning dirty guns for the last 5 years with an ultrasonic cleaner. I only use L&R cleaner sold by Brownells and Midway. It's concentrated so you dilute it 1:10.

Mine can be heated and I always put it to 39 C.(just a bit about body temp). I run the parts for about 3 minutes, take them out and brush everything lightly with a toothbrush. I then put them in the US again for 1-2 min. By then the parts are almost always clean. I dry carefully and then spray a rust preventative ( Hornaday One Shot...don't buy a similar product that is a case lube for reloading!!).

I have cleaned aluminum, steel, polymer, cerokote and other painted parts. The only damage that I have inflicted is if someone painted their sights with cheap paint. I don't submerge optics or tritium night sights. I just hold the slide in the solution, and not let the sights or optic get wet.

With an ultrasonic cleaner, time submerged and solution temperature can be you best friend or worst enemy.

I buy my Ultrasounds from either Harbor Freight or Amazon and always have a spare.

Best wishes to Smudge!

Well, thanks for the feedback, guys. I have enough time messing around with it now that I have some thoughts to share.

First of all, this thing is awesome. I don't like throwing around the term "game changer" because I think it's cliched and overused, but this thing is absolutely that.

If you have and use suppressors, I think one of these is almost required gear. If you do, you know how much crap they blow back into the gun and how fast your guns get absolutely filthy. Before I got this thing, it would take me a couple hours of cleaning for several rifles after a range trip. For about half a tax stamp, you get something that's going to cut your cleaning time down to nothing. I detail strip, submerge up to the top rail, run it at 50c for 15 minutes with a couple spritzes of Simple Green in the water, and then it's just a matter of wiping off the loosened crud, which works in concert with the heat to dry it. That's it. Oil/grease, and reassemble. Hasn't stripped the anodizing off anything, but I'm going to go ahead and order their aircraft grade solution today anyway just in case.

As for the suppressors themselves, I took measurements and after some looking around, ordered this four pack of juice jars. They neatly fit my Polonium, which is so far my biggest can, plus the others, all tubeless so no disassembly required or allowed. A couple glugs of Simple Green and two 20 minute heated cycles is enough to turn the water black. I take them outside and blow them out, and then what I can see of the blast chamber and baffles are shiny enough that I call it good. Maybe some day, some more in-depth cleaning for carbon buildup will be in order. Perhaps in a tumbler with some sort of media, but for now, I figure a quick bath after every range trip should be enough to put that off for a long time. Tubeless lifestyle and all that.

I've thrown whole Pmags in there, then wiped the fouling off the follower and feed lips with a shop towel, and just shook them out and let them dry. Works great. Glock mags, same deal. I did notice it ate the finish off the rear sight on my G45 slide, but that doesn't even move the needle on the meter of things I care about. Speaking of, that was also a refreshingly easy clean: I just detail stripped the slide, briefly thought about stripping the frame and thought "hell with it" and in it went, whole. Came out looking factory-new.

Oh! That reminds me. I ordered this set of baskets, which was totally worth it. The little ball-shaped one is great for springs and screws and whatnot, and the bigger one neatly fits a G19 sized RSA and all the slide parts. For $8, it's worth it.

I had some rusted-out knives I inherited or was given and experimented with those. I ran an old Case Trapper that was rusted shut through it enough that I can open it and close it, and worked most of the rust off the blades. However, the amount of time and CLR it took to get that far started to destroy the scales. They went from being smooth Delrin to looking like frayed wood one would find washed up on a beach somewhere. That's ok, it was a total loss already and purely an experiment. The rusted Barlow I was given wasn't as bad and I didn't run it through there as much, but it somehow started to plate the metal with something and it gave it a coppery finish. Kinda cool, but the knife still isn't in a state where it's all that usable.

I think it's definitely a keeper. It works magic, but only to a degree. Given my experimenting with the knives, I can absolutely see how someone could destroy the finish on a gun, but I think it takes more time, heat, and solvent than probably a lot of guys would like to admit to. 20-40 minutes so far hasn't been enough to do it, but I go easy on the solvent. Dawn dish soap does a better job than I would've guessed. The guys with the horror stories must be dumping a lot of Simple Green in there. Which also reminds me: A glass jar with hot water and a splash of Dawn is great for eyeglasses and NATO watch straps. I had some NATOs that were so filthy I couldn't get them clean with a brush and hot water anymore, and they look brand new again. So many uses.