Armory Sponsor
Posted: 11/22/2009 10:17:43 AM EDT
|
Well, I have been reading a few threads about using Lemi Shine to clean brass. I discovered that you could still give the brass a short tumble after a soak in Lemi Shine. I also read that using an ultrasonic cleaner had some advantage. I was setting up my tumbler and had a bit of an idea:
Why not put a bucket of Lemi Shine next to the tumbler and see if the vibratory action of the tumbler would cause the water to vibrate? The following photos show the results. I hope this is helpful. Take care jonblack 
*EDIT - before someone comes along and points out that this isn't a true ultrasonic cleaner because it doesn't use a transducer to produce ultrasonic waves, I already know that. The point of this point was to pass along a (hopefully) useful tip for others to streamline the task of cleaning brass. |
|
But what happened?
Was the brass cleaned better than simply soaking? Was it cleaned in less time? I ran Lemishine directly in my tumbler and decided it didn't work well enough to repeat. My usual practice is to let the brass soak for a few days and shake the container whenever I walk by. That loosens a little carbon but without some mechanical help to wipe it out, it's just not going to let go. |
|
I don't know if it works any faster. I bought Lemi Shine the first time last night so I have nothing to compare to. This "ultra sonic" cleaner trick could be used for any number of applications other than Lemi Shine. The idea I wanted to illustrate with the photos is that if you need an ultrasonic cleaner, but don't want to shell out the bucks to buy one, you could set your bucket beside your tumbler (while tumbling brass, of course) and get a little agitation that you wouldn't get with the solution standing alone. Since, it doesn't cost anything, I see it as a no-brainer.
jonblack |
|
It still won't be an ultrasonic tumbler. Your tumbler likely operates around 1700 RPM, even a fast one is only 3000 RPM.
Ultrasound generally has a transducer which directly makes contact with the fluid producing waves from 150-400 KHz, it would take a tumber operating at 9,000,000 RPM to generate the low end of that, 150KHz. I would call it more of a subsonic tumbler 
|
|
Quoted:
It still won't be an ultrasonic tumbler. Your tumbler likely operates around 1700 RPM, even a fast one is only 3000 RPM. Ultrasound generally has a transducer which directly makes contact with the fluid producing waves from 150-400 KHz, it would take a tumber operating at 9,000,000 RPM to generate the low end of that, 150KHz. I would call it more of a subsonic tumbler Did you read in my post where it says "*EDIT - before someone comes along and points out that this isn't a true ultrasonic cleaner because it doesn't use a transducer to produce ultrasonic waves, I already know that. The point of this point was to pass along a (hopefully) useful tip for others to streamline the task of cleaning brass." ...and then the part where I said "you could set your bucket beside your tumbler (while tumbling brass, of course) and get a little agitation that you wouldn't get with the solution standing alone. Since, it doesn't cost anything, I see it as a no-brainer." I wasn't trying to pass this setup off as a true ultrasonic cleaner. This "tip" (as it was meant to be) was an attempt to help others think outside of the box and try something new to see if it would be of benefit to them. Hope it helps someone! jonblack |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
What happens if you run brass in a real ultrasonic cleaner? It cleans every spec of carbon off, but an acid solution with Lemishine or vinegar is used, too. The cases come out looking like new. +1 Ultrasonic cleaners work wonderfully. Mine broke (transducer or frequency generator failed) so that got me scratching my head and wondering if this little bucket-beside-the-tumbler trick would work. jonblack |
|
I'm starting to get the impression that a few people think I am putting the Lemi Shine solution in the tumbler. I am not doing that. The tumbler only has crushed walnut and NuFinish to clean the brass. I simply placed the vibrating tumbler next to a bucket, barely touching it, with some Lemi Shine solution and brass in it.
My theory was the vibration from the tumbler would also rattle the bucket and cause a little vibration, or agitation of the solution, in an effort to better clean the soaking brass. jonblack *EDIT - In the photo above you can see the "waves" in the bucket of Lemi Shine solution. The vibration also causes the brass to buzz around a little bit in the solution. It's gotta be better than just static soaking. Like I said before, it costs nothing, so it definitely can't hurt. |
Armory Sponsor