Ultrasonic cleaners

[bobins]

Does anyone have any experience with benchtop ultrasonic cleaners ? I'm after a fairly cheap (sub £100) 3-5 litre cleaner to clean up various carb bits and some other relatively delicate mechanical bits. I know the cheap Chinese 'eBay special' ones can stop working - repairs aren't that expensive - but do they actually work well enough or are they a waste of money ? Any thoughts or views welcome.
Cheers muchly.

[elma]

Brilliant, especially for carbs. Second hand advice though as my friend bought one to clean the carbs on his Golf. Worked a treat.

[addo]

Evilally on here (Alastair) used one for a bunch of kit.

[Zelandeth]

I've got a little desktop one and it's quite handy. Great for cleaning things like carb jets, manky keys, valve/coil screening cans in old radios and the like. Used it once to clean all the keycaps from a manky keyboard too.

Last time I cleaned a carb out the jets got thrown in the ultrasonic cleaner and the body got stuffed in the dishwasher. End result was a fully working carb afterwards, even if it did take a bit of time with the air line getting the water out of all the ports!

[Stickyfinger]

Yep....they are great. Cleans all sorts of crap off whatever you can get in one....get one (if you can) with a liner that you can take out/add dependant on the chemicals you wish to use.

For general cleaning stuff like low foam carpet liquid is good, on steels/iron try patio cleaner as a good liquid.
Take car with chemicals on machined surfaces/thin alloys....try them first. Heating any liquid usually helps as well.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Digital-Stain ... 3aad4781a2

[bobins]

Thanks for the info guys. I'm a bit wary of the Chinese ones in Sticky's eBay link though - these are the ones that even the sellers say don't use them for too long at a time to make them last longer ! They normally offer to replace them though - providing you send them back to China Anyone had good results with <specifically> the el-cheapo Chinese ones ?

[macplaxton]

Friend of mine has got this 6L one. He seems happy with it so far.

I can ask him more about it if you like.

[bobins]

In the end I took the plunge and bought myself an ex-display 6 litre ultrasonic cleaner. I shall be trying it out this week.

[macplaxton]

Do let us know how you get on with it, I'm rather temped myself.

[addo]

Do they clean "permanently grimy" fingers if not used boiling hot? I'm curious.

[CitroJim]

Do they clean "permanently grimy" fingers if not used boiling hot? I'm curious.

Swimming does it for me so on that basis, pop some bleach into the water and then dip the digits!!

[evilally]

Yes, I got an old medical ultrasonic from my last place when a change in health and safety regulations meant they were all getting replaced. Useful now and then, makes you popular with the ladies as it does an exceptional job of cleaning jewelry.

[addo]

You might attract bejewelled dowagers, rather than chirpy young things wanting all sorts of piercings removed, cleaned and refitted.

[bobins]

Do let us know how you get on with it, I'm rather temped myself.

Well, I think I'll declare it a success ! I've just finished cleaning a couple of old Kohler 8hp carbs and a Briggs 11hp carb in a filthy condition and the results were quite successful. I did 3 sessions of about 15 minutes each and used a mix of water and APL Chemicals (ultrasonic) engine parts cleaner at 60 degrees. Once rinsed, a quick blast with an airline brought them up pretty good - including removing a lot of the old paint. I took 'before and after' photos, but just imagine a dirty corroded carb, then imagine a clean carb - and you'll get the idea The water was filthy at the end !

[CitroJim]

That's a nice result Bobins