Ultrasonic cleaner

Father Christmas brought me one of these. Good fun so far. All the metal watchstraps in the family have been through it, with loads of muck removed from each one. Keys - they come out looking like brand new metal. Knife blades - some spots of corrosion simply vanish.

Any other good suggestions for things to clean? I will try a bicycle chain when I can pluck up the courage to take it off (need one of those disposable Ebola suits;-)

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel
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Rings and earrings come out well too

Reply to
Bob Minchin

What do you use as solution? I have tried plain water and water with a dash of washing up liquid in my ?Maplin one and always been a bit disappointed. I can see that it is creating bubbles (I am familiar with industrial ones) bui it does not remove dirt or corosion as well as I expected.

Reply to
newshound

You have to use a surfacant (detergent such as washing up liquid), or the microscopic bubbles don't collapse fast enough to work. I don't think it should create bubbles you can see - they're much too small and the whole point is they collapse.

I'm currently using a bottle that was sold for use with it, but by all accounts I've read, it's not critical and washing up liquid works fine.

This is the Ultra 7000 - the small one sold my Maplin.

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

I bought mine, again an Ultra 7000 for the sole purpose of re-invigorating reluctant out-of-date, but original HP printer cartridges* bought off of eBay. Same as with computers and printers, since the early days of computer fairs, I've never bought anything new, and off the shelf, from proper shops.

After a couple of sessions at the maximum time setting in warm water (to start off with anyway) even the most reluctant cartridges eventually work o.k. Which is a lot less trouble than wasting countless ml's of ink doing endless cleaning cycles on the printer itself.

michael adams

...

  • Pre-chip HP 45, and 78 carts.
Reply to
michael adams

It works by cavitation.

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Reply to
harryagain

Now that is a good idea/use for them. I wonder what effect would be had on printed circuits?

I wonder if you could remove the fixed print nozzles and give them a do?

Reply to
harryagain

If I stuck a piece of mild steel that had been brazed and turned black in a forge in a ultrasonic cleaner, would it come out shiny? The forge is a gas/air mix.

Reply to
misterroy

I clean our specs in ours, although some claim it removes the coating. OTOH, apparently some coatings just wear too fast anyway!

Also earrings, jewellery chains, etc.

Reply to
Bob Eager

electric toothbrush heads, if you use them.

pop all the keycaps off the computer keyboard

record player stylus, if you use one

all the audio and mains plugs on the hi fi system working back to the main cutout fuseholder

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note the comments about pearls and turqoise, and not to put anything in the tub itself as it will wear the tub out.

Owain

Reply to
spuorgelgoog

A tiny amount of argon in water.

Always fancied a sonoluminescence kit.

Reply to
polygonum

Yes, the instructions say to check with your optician that the coatings are suitable for ultrasononic cleaning. Also warns that some plastic frames are too porous and can be damaged.

I don't possess a single piece of jewellery - it's just not me!

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

I did on one (relatively old) set of mine, I don't recall any noticeable defects in the coating before starting to use the US cleaner, and I didn't just chuck them in and leave the lenses bouncing on the bottom of the 'bowl'.

Reply to
Andy Burns

That's interesting. I often have the same problem with HP78 (and 23) cartridges - usually with the yellow refusing to flow - but the black

45's are usually ok. I can often get the 3-colour cartridges going with the microwave treatment, but I've never thought of the using the ultrasonic cleaner. Presumably you just use water, with no detergent? How long do you give it? Presumably you stand them upright so that just the bottom inch or so is submerged?
Reply to
Roger Mills

I have fixed a few blocked print heads at repair parties by holding an IPA soaked pad against them for a minute or two, and then trying to absorb the IPA back out of the heads onto a clean dry paper towel. Sometimes needs a couple of goes. (You want to use disposable plastic gloves - it's very messy.)

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

Swiss army knife.

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

What a good idea. I'll try all of mine!

Reply to
Bob Eager

What fluid do they use these days. They used to use CFCs and were hence banned. If you are doing other jewellery, watch out as if the setting is very old stones have been known to come adrift in these things.

As for suggestions of what to clean, steer clear of anything with printing on it as it will miraculously vanish.

Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

What about IPA? Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Don't forget the WD40 afterwards :-)

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

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