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Posted: 7/25/2016 2:04:17 PM EDT
I just purchased an cheap ultra-sonic cleaner (Lyman) through Cabela's and was wondering if there is a secret formula that works best.

My cans are made of aluminum and stainless steel. Should the parts be treated separately?

I have kept the can clean using elbow grease up till now, I'm looking for the easier softer way.
Link Posted: 7/25/2016 2:14:09 PM EDT
[#1]
Ran my stainless baffles in Hornady gun parts cleaner solution for several hours and the baked on carbon still needed some persuasion.  The aluminum tube cleaned up easily with some CLP.
Link Posted: 7/25/2016 2:30:46 PM EDT
[#2]
Yes, treat them separately. Aluminum is a "hot" metal (much more chemically reactive). I have a commercial sonic cleaner and it really does make things squeaky clean, although I live in the Fascist State of California so I have never cleaned a "can".

For the Aluminum I would use non-acidic detergent (Simple Green, Dawn, maybe. Something low sudsing. Keep an eye on it for sudsing and experiment. Avoid dishwasher machine detergent.

For steel, I would add something acidic such as vinegar, lemon juice, Lemi Shine or some commercial stuff made for sonic cleaners (I have some sold by Lyman).

Be aware when cleaning brass if you have something copper (such as a penny) in the batch it will turn your brass pink. (Don't ask me how I know ) But then, pink brass might help you separate your brass from other people's brass at the range, LOL!  

Do not put flammable chemicals in your sonic cleaner. I have heard that you can put parts in a sealed jar (or freezer bag) with paint thinner and submerge the jar in water in your sonic cleaner, but I haven't yet tried it. If you try it, do so outside in a fire safe area and wear protection.
Link Posted: 7/25/2016 3:05:19 PM EDT
[#3]
How much do commercial ultra-sonic cleaners cost? I have very low expectations for the $44.95 unit I just bought. Figured at that price I have little to lose.

Mine is only big enough to hold one can.
Link Posted: 7/25/2016 4:00:24 PM EDT
[#4]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
How much do commercial ultra-sonic cleaners cost? I have very low expectations for the $44.95 unit I just bought. Figured at that price I have little to lose.

Mine is only big enough to hold one can.
View Quote


Mine was around $200 if I remember correctly. (I did a lot of shopping around.) It's all stainless steel, has two transponders and a heater, and is one you might find in a dentist's office. Really large and powerful industrial ones can cost way, way more.

How fast and well they clean is affected by the ability to heat the solution, and how many transponders they have (I have seen some with six transponders, and I assume there may be even more powerful ones). Yours should give good results but it will just take longer. Give it time.
Link Posted: 7/25/2016 5:14:42 PM EDT
[#5]
I have a $25 amazon job for jewelry and DVD's, and it's been just fine for baffles.     10mins and they're much cleaner.   30mins and they look like new.
Link Posted: 7/25/2016 9:25:06 PM EDT
[#6]
Quoted: I'm looking for the easier softer way.
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The easier, softer way is to use Google and search.
Link Posted: 7/25/2016 9:28:46 PM EDT
[#7]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
I have a $25 amazon job for jewelry and DVD's, and it's been just fine for baffles.     10mins and they're much cleaner.   30mins and they look like new.
View Quote


What are you using for the cleaning solution?
Link Posted: 7/26/2016 3:11:09 AM EDT
[#8]
If you have stainless steel baffles...  

Vinegar will get them spotless after an hour or 2 depending on how dirty they are. Wear gloves and properly dispose of the waste as it is toxic though.
Link Posted: 7/26/2016 9:09:42 AM EDT
[#9]
My research turned up SimpleGreen HD Pro cleaner, but its actually blue in color. Safe for metals and sold at Home Deepo in one gallon containers $$. Haven't used it yet because I have no sonic cleaner yet.

eta - I want a sonic cleaner that has a removable strainer-basket, heating, and a drain plug/hose to empty the dirty solution so I can dispose of it easily/properly.  Big enough to hold most suppressor tubes or at least a BCG. Hornady has a nice one that fits my list, but its $300 and bigger than I want.
Link Posted: 7/26/2016 4:38:21 PM EDT
[#10]
http://www.harborfreight.com/25-liter-ultrasonic-cleaner-62442.html



i just picked one up, plenty reviews on youtube




Link Posted: 7/26/2016 5:14:36 PM EDT
[#11]
What do you do with the solution after it's done?  How do you dispose of it correctly?
Link Posted: 7/26/2016 7:59:06 PM EDT
[#12]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
If you have stainless steel baffles...  

Vinegar will get them spotless after an hour or 2 depending on how dirty they are. Wear gloves and properly dispose of the waste as it is toxic though.
View Quote


You mean without an ultra-sonic cleaner I presume. My ultra-sonic can only cycle for 3 or 4 minutes if I read the directions properly.
Link Posted: 7/27/2016 1:31:42 AM EDT
[#13]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


You mean without an ultra-sonic cleaner I presume. My ultra-sonic can only cycle for 3 or 4 minutes if I read the directions properly.
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Quoted:
Quoted:
If you have stainless steel baffles...  

Vinegar will get them spotless after an hour or 2 depending on how dirty they are. Wear gloves and properly dispose of the waste as it is toxic though.


You mean without an ultra-sonic cleaner I presume. My ultra-sonic can only cycle for 3 or 4 minutes if I read the directions properly.


Without an ultrasonic cleaner, you have to leave it sit overnight with vinegar and h2o2. With an ultrasonic cleaner, all you need is vinegar and an hour or 2.

Mine has a crappy 8 minute timer. I use to just put on a movie and sit next to it to hit reset every few minutes.

But I got tired of doing that, I have been using a tumbler with stainless steel pins to clean my baffles now. Takes anywhere from 2 to 8 hours depending on how cruded up it is.


Link Posted: 7/27/2016 1:34:07 AM EDT
[#14]
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Quoted:
What do you do with the solution after it's done?  How do you dispose of it correctly?
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Take it to your local hazmat disposal place.

Or do what I do and just pour it into a jar and let it evaporate. The crud will stay at the bottom.  I've been using the same jar for the last 2 years...
Link Posted: 7/27/2016 2:31:16 PM EDT
[#15]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

What are you using for the cleaning solution?
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Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
I have a $25 amazon job for jewelry and DVD's, and it's been just fine for baffles.     10mins and they're much cleaner.   30mins and they look like new.

What are you using for the cleaning solution?

Tap water.  
Link Posted: 7/27/2016 5:17:34 PM EDT
[#16]
one part water one part pine sol ! works great
Link Posted: 8/1/2016 2:00:40 PM EDT
[#17]
Link Posted: 8/1/2016 2:09:35 PM EDT
[#18]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
...

For the Aluminum I would use non-acidic detergent (Simple Green, ...
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Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
...

For the Aluminum I would use non-acidic detergent (Simple Green, ...


Ahem (my emphasis added):

http://simplegreen.com/faqs/


Is it safe to use Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner on aluminum?

...

However, caution and common sense must be used: aluminum is a soft metal that easily corrodes with unprotected exposure to water. The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times for unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes. Large cleaning jobs should be conducted in smaller-area stages to achieve lower contact time. Rinsing after cleaning should always be extremely thorough - paying special attention to flush out cracks and crevices to remove all Simple Green product residues. Unfinished, uncoated or unpainted aluminum cleaned with Simple Green products should receive some sort of protectant after cleaning to prevent oxidation.

Simple Green has also developed break-through water based cleaners that are safe for use on metals, plastics, rubber and high tech alloys. Extreme Simple Green Aircraft & Precision Cleaner, Pro Series Simple Green Automotive Cleaner, and Simple Green Pro HD are available on both the industrial and retail markets, respectively. These products were initially developed for the aircraft industry and extensive testing shows that they are safe and effective on a variety of metals and other sensitive surfaces even in the most extreme circumstances.

Simple Green Stainless Steel One Step Cleaner & Polish is another option for cleaning polished aluminum. This product is designed for light duty metal cleaning and polishing.



Link Posted: 8/2/2016 7:36:59 PM EDT
[#19]
I use Simple Green HD
Link Posted: 8/3/2016 3:51:17 AM EDT
[#20]
Simple green and other cleaning agents will only clean off the carbon and is good if you clean it regularly after 1-200 rounds. It's not going to do anything if you've ran 500+ rounds of 22lr and have caked on lead. Vinegar will disolve the lead.
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