Ultra sonic cleaner helpful tips

[Scotsman1]

Just got one yesterday and put in a small batch of 7 mm brass. Followed directions to the "T". I ran it on setting (4), the longest time and the brass shined up somewhat, but the necks are still very dark and I'm sure the insides are filthy.
You guys know of any special cleaner that can be used with this thing?

Thanks,
Scotsman1

 

[stubbicatt]

Somewhere on accurateshooter.com there is a formula for using household vinegar and a dash of dish soap. I used this formula, and after about 15-20 minutes in the U/S cleaner, they came out pretty nice.

There is citric acid, again with a dash of dish soap, will get them pretty clean. It does take a little while and a little heat to get them clean.

The reloading manufacturers like Hornady RCBS et al offer a solution which is citric acid. I think lemishine is citric acid, though I am not certain about that.

Good luck.

 

[TimP]

I use 3oz of Citranox to one gallon of water. If its once fired brass it does a pretty good job in 20 minutes.

 

[dickn52]

The soap addition is or should be ONE drop. The vinegar is totally up to you, but there comes a point where more is not better per se. But the soap is ONE drop...don't ask me, ask the wife with the bucket and mop.

 

[Phil3]

Go here.

http://www.6mmbr.com/ultrasonic.html

This will tell you all you need to know. I performed ultrasonic cleaning with the writer's "best" solution, and they do come out very clean, inside and out. However, you can not do many cases at once. I could do 15 223 Remington cases without a problem though and expect I could do more. Do find the best water level to assure maximum agitation. This will take experimentation. Do get a glass beaker to hold the cases.

Phil

 

[normmatzen]

I have been ultrasonic cleaning for some time now. I have a small unit and use a solution of 50-50 water to plain white vinegar with a small splash of simple green added. I put the cases through 4, 8 minute cycles,
Then I pour out the cleaning solution and put in water with a good dash of baking soda for 8 minutes, then flush well with water. The baking soda is to neutralize the acid.
I dry the cases with an air gun pretty well and stand the cases on a paper towel overnight. They come out very clean.

Warning, if you neck size, especially with a Lee collett sizer, dip the necks in white graphite or hBN before sizing or the necks can cold weld to the mandrel! Don't ask me how I know!!

I do not find it necessary to do any further cleaning in the primer area. The cases are pretty much shiney in and out.

 

[DeltaBravo]

I use Hornady's mixture in my cleaner. I also use a peanut butter jar for the brass to limit the amount of mix I need. If I have a larger number of brass (50 or more) I use some plastic 40 S&W shell holders that came with the factory ammo, just don't remember whose. I run 2 or 3 5 minute cycles with the bases down and then turn them over and do it again. Then flush with clean water a couple cycles and done. I don't use ultrasonic more than once every 7 or 8 firings on the brass. After the U/S cleaning, and for the other times, I use walnut shell media in my tumbler so that I get nice, pretty brass!

Dennis

 

[Gillie Dog]

I have had good luck with a Harbor Freight US machine. But I do not do mass quantities of cases.

I use a 1% solution of citric acid (Lemishine powder is citric) in hot tap water with a drop of Dawn soap. This is in a glass beaker in center of machine water bath, heated water, filled to cover cases in beaker and water bath that full also. Machine just sees water, no solution, makes it easier to keep clean.

One or two eight minute cycles and once fired rifle cases are nice and clean, primer pockets also. Rinse well with water, dry and they are good to go. Real shiny, no, clean, yes, tarnish quickly, yes (Tumble with NuFinish if need be, I don't)

Note, I only do 20 or so cases at a time. I think a high power industrial machine would be the cat's meow.


GD

 

[joecob]

I only do small batches as well. !5 per run 45 at a sitting.

After my unattended 20 yr. old vibe tumbler caught fire in the basement melted down ruining 40 Normas
and charring my bench, I bought an $80 US unit from Harbor freight (Which looks suspiciously EXACTLY
like the ones with Shooting name brands stenciled on them).

I tried various home recipes using vinegar. They all left a nasty film on the inside of the neck even after
trying a baking soda step to neutralize. I now use Hornady One Shot. $18 worth=10 gallons of solution
at 40-1, 200ml per 15 rds. in a beaker. Follow that with a few drops of Lemi-Shine then a cycle in distilled
water alone. Finish with 5 min. in a 170 deg. oven to dry. I rinse brass with hot tap water between cycles.

Clean & shiny inside and out including primer pockets . No nasty residue and no unattended noisy machine.

 

[Coolhand]

My brew is 50% distilled water 50% white vinegar + approx 100ml of Shower Power , which is a plant acid shower and glass cleaner + a few drops of liquid hand soap .
Works perfect , I have tried turning on the heater in my unit but the results are the same . I no longer bother with the bi-carb step.
I clean my cases after every firing and rarely need to go over 4 cycles and standing cases inside glass beakers works better than chucking cases in the tank loose.
My buddy uses the Hornady brew and reports excellent results.

regards
Mike.

 

[Jeffvn]

+1 I use Citranox as my cleaner.

I have been using this process for going on 5 years now. I use a larger unit - holds 80 WSM cases at one time 40 each in two beakers- that has the ability to heat the solution. No question my brass gets significantly cleaner when the solution is heated to something above 120 degrees (50C) during the cleaning process.

Jeffvn

 

[Leaddog]

Citranox is the best cleaner I've used. 2oz in one gallon of water. Cleans 40 pieces of Dasher brass in 12 minutes. Run 7 minutes, shake up brass in basket and run another 5 minutes. I use a Sharper Tek machine set at 60 temp.

I cleaned 200 pieces of once fired brass without changing out the dirty water the other day. All came out perfect.