ultrasonic cleaning of brass -- lead contamination?

[DOCatRU]

Folks:

I was fascinated by the article on ultrasonic cleaning of brass:

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

Recent posts on other reloading forums have described the health hazards of exposure to lead styphnate from primers that remains in the cleaning media of vibratory cleaners.

Since the dust and contaminants would be in suspension or solution in the ultrasonic cleaner tank liquid, I am guessing the health concerns are greatly diminished.

Can anyone support this hypothesis?

Secondly, Harbor Freight has a 2.5 L ultrasonic cleaner for $78,including shipping). Anyone with experience with this device?

Thank you,

David

 

[Bob3700]

David,

The harbor freight unit is just about the right size for reasonable quantities of brass. You could probably do 40-50 308 cases at a time.

The only drawback that I see with the machine is the limited timer. It has set times that you can select and the max is 480 seconds 8 minutes. For cases that started clean and are fired one time, I have them in the cleaner for 30 min and they come out really clean inside and out. So about three cycles of the machine is what you need.

I actually take my brass and put it in qt or gal zip lock bags with the cleaning agent and place them in the cleaner filled with just plain water. Works like a champ.

Bob

 

[Preacher]

Bob,
Your not letting the bag of brass rest on the bottom of the tank are you ?
If you are, stop it and place them in a basket that is suspended from the bottom and the action will work lots better, and no risk to the machine.....

 

[Hanic]

Preacher,

Would you elaborate on that a little. I've been putting my brass in a jar filled with cleaning medium and sitting it in the unit, bottom on bottom, w/o ill effect. What is the issue with placing the bag on the bottom. I've seen some US units with tub shaped baskets that lay on the top of the unit and suspend the objects to be cleaned off the bottom, but I wouldn't know where to get these. Any thoughts. Hank

 

[Preacher]

Setting things hard on the bottom will negate the wave action, most US's have a statement addressing that, at least the high dollar one's do..
I use a sheet of plexiglas with holes cut so a glass beaker will set in them off the bottom of the tank.
Different grades of glass will change the times required to clean, Kimax is the best glass to use.
If you bend up some window screen to fit the tank and then put your bags in that
you'll be OK......

 

[tx_shooter]

I've been US cleaning for three months now and have found that the cleaning time is cut down when I suspend the bowl the brass/ cleaning solution is in. The results are still clean cases - inside and out - it just doesn't take that long. The total time is about 15 minutes per batch of 12 .300 Win Mag cases. But your results may vary depending on glass thickness and brass condition. Either way, I can't see how people tumble brass and call it good... the most important part is still contaminated.