Ultrasonic case cleaners - who has experience with what would be considered a High End one?
Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2021 5:03 pm
Afternoon Everyone
I did not want to hi-jack Glen's thread so thought I would start a new one. I have a Dillion vibratory cleaner that was used for many years, was not satisfied with the performance with cleaning the primer pockets and inside the necks. Shortly after joining the herd here I saw some interesting threads relating to cleaning cases with tumblers and media. I had heard about them from MLV (or whatever's) writings over the years but did not pay that much attention to them. Getting into the BP all of a sudden it was more relevant! I ended up picking up a Thumbler's Tumbler and the SS pins. I got the pins as I thought it may do a better job on the primer pockets.
So far I've been very impressed with the cases when they come out of the cleaner. I did learn a few things though:
1. Don't use too much dawn, as it will cancel out the lemi shine, acid canceled by base, a dab will do ya!
2. I give the cases a quick pre clean. Throw them in the kitchen sink for a quick soak and then pull them out and run a bore brush in and out of the neck quick. I chuck the brush in an electric drill so easy to do. Knocks out a TON of crap from the cases and ensures clean inside necks. This keeps all that fouling from rolling around with the cases. Found the cases come out MUCH shinier and the pockets are cleaner.
3. I use hot tap water, seems to clean a little faster/better.
4. During a discussion on mouth peening I THINK it was Woody who suggested that you should only put in enough water to cover the cases in the tumbler which helps keep the cases sliding over each other rather than going "over the top" to bang back down. Don't know if it helps or not as I currently shoot greasers and use a stepped sizing die so even if I were experiencing peening I would not know it.
5. I use my dillon media separator in the tub, dump pins and cases in the separator then run water in the separator tub to keep a steady overflow of water draining over the side of the separator tub. Then slowly turn the separator which is about half submerged in water. All pins fall out IN the tub, none fly out to go down the drain. This way I separate and rinse all in one go. I then tip the separator tub to carefully drain the water out. and then pour the pins back in the tumbler. Pins CAN be a PITA as they stick to the walls and are very hard to pick up with fingers. Now use a magnet, much faster. Cases come out looking like Kurt's in the other thread.
SO, no real complaints other than it takes a bit of effort to separate the media, screwing the lid on and off and keeping the pins were they belong.
That got me to thinking of the ultrasonic cleaners. I DID do a search on the foum and also google, not a whole lot out there. Some guys say they are the greatest thing since sliced bread and others are a bit more ho-hum about it. I've got other uses for an ultra sonic cleaner, I'm mechanical so LOTS of things can go in there, including AR bolts which I've always hated cleaning, even in the Corps!
Who has experience with one of the higher-end units? Not the Harbor Freight or Lyman or RCBS units. Say in the $300-500 range from Amazon or the like.
Looking for a 1.5 to 2.5 gallon unit, something along that line. Want something a little bigger as more features, power, heat, drains, timer for 30 minutes blah blah blah.
Any body want to admit they use one of the more expensive units?! In the scheme of things $300-$500 is not a lot considering what the rest of this hoby costs. To reiterate, not a fool trying to be separated from my money (this time!), pretty satisfied with the tumbler, just wondering if there is a better mouse trap out there and I would have other uses for it.
Cheers!
Wade
I did not want to hi-jack Glen's thread so thought I would start a new one. I have a Dillion vibratory cleaner that was used for many years, was not satisfied with the performance with cleaning the primer pockets and inside the necks. Shortly after joining the herd here I saw some interesting threads relating to cleaning cases with tumblers and media. I had heard about them from MLV (or whatever's) writings over the years but did not pay that much attention to them. Getting into the BP all of a sudden it was more relevant! I ended up picking up a Thumbler's Tumbler and the SS pins. I got the pins as I thought it may do a better job on the primer pockets.
So far I've been very impressed with the cases when they come out of the cleaner. I did learn a few things though:
1. Don't use too much dawn, as it will cancel out the lemi shine, acid canceled by base, a dab will do ya!
2. I give the cases a quick pre clean. Throw them in the kitchen sink for a quick soak and then pull them out and run a bore brush in and out of the neck quick. I chuck the brush in an electric drill so easy to do. Knocks out a TON of crap from the cases and ensures clean inside necks. This keeps all that fouling from rolling around with the cases. Found the cases come out MUCH shinier and the pockets are cleaner.
3. I use hot tap water, seems to clean a little faster/better.
4. During a discussion on mouth peening I THINK it was Woody who suggested that you should only put in enough water to cover the cases in the tumbler which helps keep the cases sliding over each other rather than going "over the top" to bang back down. Don't know if it helps or not as I currently shoot greasers and use a stepped sizing die so even if I were experiencing peening I would not know it.
5. I use my dillon media separator in the tub, dump pins and cases in the separator then run water in the separator tub to keep a steady overflow of water draining over the side of the separator tub. Then slowly turn the separator which is about half submerged in water. All pins fall out IN the tub, none fly out to go down the drain. This way I separate and rinse all in one go. I then tip the separator tub to carefully drain the water out. and then pour the pins back in the tumbler. Pins CAN be a PITA as they stick to the walls and are very hard to pick up with fingers. Now use a magnet, much faster. Cases come out looking like Kurt's in the other thread.
SO, no real complaints other than it takes a bit of effort to separate the media, screwing the lid on and off and keeping the pins were they belong.
That got me to thinking of the ultrasonic cleaners. I DID do a search on the foum and also google, not a whole lot out there. Some guys say they are the greatest thing since sliced bread and others are a bit more ho-hum about it. I've got other uses for an ultra sonic cleaner, I'm mechanical so LOTS of things can go in there, including AR bolts which I've always hated cleaning, even in the Corps!
Who has experience with one of the higher-end units? Not the Harbor Freight or Lyman or RCBS units. Say in the $300-500 range from Amazon or the like.
Looking for a 1.5 to 2.5 gallon unit, something along that line. Want something a little bigger as more features, power, heat, drains, timer for 30 minutes blah blah blah.
Any body want to admit they use one of the more expensive units?! In the scheme of things $300-$500 is not a lot considering what the rest of this hoby costs. To reiterate, not a fool trying to be separated from my money (this time!), pretty satisfied with the tumbler, just wondering if there is a better mouse trap out there and I would have other uses for it.
Cheers!
Wade