Thread: Ultrsonic cleaning solution

Hiya Team, who's got the good info on ultrasonic cleaning solutions?
The stuff seems stupidly expensive, for what is likely just some cleaning stuff?
Or am I just being a cheap bastard?
Thanks,

Originally Posted by Mistral

Hiya Team, who's got the good info on ultrasonic cleaning solutions?
The stuff seems stupidly expensive, for what is likely just some cleaning stuff?
Or am I just being a cheap bastard?
Thanks,

Actually ignore that, did a bit of work online & found 5L of concentrate for the same price as 0.5ltrs in the shops.
https://pacificultrasonics.co.nz/ult...ing-solutions/

A lot of people have their own concoctions

I don't ultrasonic clean anymore but I just used to use a teaspoon of Hansells Citric Acid (about 3 bucks a 100 gram jar at the supermarket). After cleaning just a good rinse in clean water although IIRC I used a weak solution of baking soda (it's alkaline) to neutralise the citric acid followed by straight water. It doesn't need to be any more complex than that.

In fact just clean water for the ultrasonic cycle doesn't do too bad without additives.

Once you add chemicals you run the risk of purple cases like I experienced early on.
Some of these commercial chemicals are quite harsh and you run the risk of the cartridge alloy being attacked.

I just use a little dishwash liquid and about a teaspoon of citric acid

Simple Green , water , heat , and time

I use the ulttasonic in a container of warm water, I give it a shake every now and then for about 30 - 45 mins then rinse and the shells come out shiney as.

You could use 2 cups of hot water, 1/2 cup or so of white vinegar, a lemon squeezed for it's juice, a tablespoon or so of clear hand soap to reduce the surface tension.

Or just buy ShowerPower Bam from the supermarket. Basically the same stuff as the Hornady brass ultrasonic cleaner fluid, and does double duty in the shower for you.

This ain't rocket science, some form of plant-based acid, something to reduce the surface tension, something to make it smell nice and bob's you best mate's friends relative or somesuch.

Now - tuning your ultrasonic cleaner, that's where you get the benefits of ultrasonic cleaning done right.

Bit of white vinegar a bit of dish soap and a sprinkle of salt
Don’t ask me what the salt does but certainly doesn’t work aswell without it
For 2 letters of water I would use a decent splash 100ml or so of vinegar
A good squirt of dish wash and a tea spoon of salt

Salt and vinegar creates sodium acetate and the gas hydrogen chloride which isn't the best to inhale (it's considered toxic). It's quite an aggressive corrosion remover on metals, so it'll be VERY effective at shining up cartridge brass. The down side of this, is that it could strip copper out of the brass affecting the ductility and tensile strength of the cases - not something I'd like to do with the pressures some rounds create right next to your face. Your mileage might vary on this - I'm quite happy to not add the salt and take a bit longer to do the cleaning thing.

That recipe I posted up a few is actually a home made 'spray and wipe' cleaner recipe, works fine in an ultrasonic cleaner and you could up the quantities of vinegar and lemon a touch if you wanted to up the oomph a touch. Have a look at the msds for a few of the citrus based cleaners or commercial ultrasonic cleaner fluids, they'll give you a pointer or two to start you off.