Ultrasonic cleaner

I want one but all I can seem to find appear to be cheap Chinese knockoff units? Where can I find like a proper well made one?

Maybe like 3-6l capacity? What size do you think is good to be useful but not too big to be hard to store?

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  1. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    I'll be watching this thread to see what people have to say. I have looked into them a time or two as well. I'd like it to be big enough to drop a full sized engine head into, but that might be asking too much of one of those Chinese ones...

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      For something like that, you're gonna need to hit up industrial supply, and a good one that would fit an engine head will run you $20k. And, they're all made in China now, like everything else.

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        I own one of the models like your pic here, just in a bigger size. It works but it seems underpowered (they probably use the same parts for all the models, regardless of volume).
        I did look into proper vendors, but as
        says they are all either Made in China or they are a B2B vendor trying to launder where it's made.

        The chinky consumer ones that look like rice cookers do work, but they are only 500 mL or so capacity and only have 1 cycle setting usually. It's enough for household use and maybe even small components at the shop. Anything larger is jumping into tradesman or industrial territory and you need to look for b2b vendors.

        You don't really need to heat the cleaning solution. The unit warming up is merely a byproduct of the cavitation action and doesn't affect the process much. (unless you are using a flammable cleaner) What you need to do though is to degas the cleaning solution since air bubbles will impede the cleaning action, the easiest way to do this is to run the unit with just the solution for a cycle or two before you throw whatever you want to clean in it.

        I'd disagree and say the heat is helpful. It's just basically chemistry that things dissolve more readily in warm solutions, and chemical reactions are more likely to occur with heat present.
        That said, sitting and waiting for it to heat is not a major issue, because you can be cycling it for the degas during that time anyways. Actually probably want to degas on the lower temp anyways, since heat increases the solubility of the gasses in the water.
        My stupid trick for the degas is to fill the unit ahead of time and let it sit. I personally leave it filled between uses, but just overnight works fine.
        Also, if you are using a really nasty cleaning solvent (like something that could damage the basin), then put your solvent into a container and float it in the basin. It does absorb some of the energy, but IMO worth it for the lifespan of the hardware and ease of cleanup.

        • 1 year ago
          Anonymous

          >Also, if you are using a really nasty cleaning solvent (like something that could damage the basin), then put your solvent into a container and float it in the basin. It does absorb some of the energy, but IMO worth it for the lifespan of the hardware and ease of cleanup.
          Use a metal container or fold a boat with aluminum foil. Metals allow the waves to pass through with minimal loss unlike wood or plastic. Same thing with baskets. Don't allow the metal container to touch the bottom of the basin though, it may scratch.

        • 1 year ago
          Anonymous

          They literally have a heating function on them... For hard grease, using a hot degreaser solution makes a massive difference

          • 1 year ago
            Anonymous

            not all of em and the ones that arent can not handle dumping hot liquids into it. Just ask me how I know, go ahead I dare ya.

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      They're all vibratory solvent cleaners which is fine. Size should be determined by tasks it's expected to handle.

      Study solvent and impact cleaning methods used by volume engine builders. I now have my local shop clean my car and truck parts because it's cheap and saves time. I final clean before I assemble to remove any stray grit etc. They have thermal cleaning ovens and I don't. Water blasting and dry ice blasting work very well but also not cheap.

  2. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    >3-6l capacity
    no
    just no
    I can't even conceive how to manufacture transducers of sufficient size to do that
    or the cost of electronics necessary to phase an array
    you will be spending stupid dollars
    like five figures

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      so $189 is what you think 5 figures is?

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        >$189
        Whatever you're looking at is not holding 6L.

        • 1 year ago
          Anonymous

          I own one 1d10t

        • 1 year ago
          Anonymous

          https://www.ebay.com/itm/195071218544?hash=item2d6b269370:g:Rc4AAOSwL31dAzN9&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA8KzC%2BPSICX0RfgYDGkJ3P8eWeO5H1C47e05Ul%2FeGl%2FtbxiXUtGVjQeLjvuhELFm55PHRQZFirVBQzbFTI%2FxI89%2FoHaztXL1%2BoN7fZT6Wv7hImUKHqeeejoHQskfKi0z1wFLE8bZ1AlbDjl3ED5NAcD%2FwHA0kiv4PRJ3fHzEkeGd873ebjD4YTw9Pq4jqQ0yEXgEBxavrRlIjHemLfmBS4TxIrknXwLBWc84AZ2I04MVbNBKixGviyH5bh0EUHgrRwhXXJnUsTfZSAcGMRVwJJTI0fkVYisL8PNGDYf0afsUwDAp6uaj0vU8e%2FP1OflXWIw%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_qhubiGYQ

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      3l is less than a gallon. You can buy one for 80 bucks.

  3. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    I have a smaller iSonic one
    Works fine, I just use it on gun parts.

  4. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    Check out dentistry supply. They use them to clean picks and such.

  5. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    I've been wanting to get one of these for an unreasonable amount of time. A shitty one is so cheap, I'm tempted to just buy a $50 one on Amazon just to satiate my curiosity

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      I'll be watching this thread to see what people have to say. I have looked into them a time or two as well. I'd like it to be big enough to drop a full sized engine head into, but that might be asking too much of one of those Chinese ones...

      https://i.imgur.com/QsE2hIC.jpg

      I want one but all I can seem to find appear to be cheap Chinese knockoff units? Where can I find like a proper well made one?

      Maybe like 3-6l capacity? What size do you think is good to be useful but not too big to be hard to store?

      I've got one, great for the Mrs' israeliteellery, I also use them on watch parts, yacht winches and carburetors.

      The key downside I find is that they make and absolutely fricking horrible noise. Also, if you do get one, buy a small cheap kettle to heat whatever detergent you're using, the built in heater is really slow.
      Overall I'm really happy with it, if I wanted to do stuff like engine parts, I'd buy a shitty dishwasher of FB marketplace and plumb that into the shop

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        The chinky consumer ones that look like rice cookers do work, but they are only 500 mL or so capacity and only have 1 cycle setting usually. It's enough for household use and maybe even small components at the shop. Anything larger is jumping into tradesman or industrial territory and you need to look for b2b vendors.

        You don't really need to heat the cleaning solution. The unit warming up is merely a byproduct of the cavitation action and doesn't affect the process much. (unless you are using a flammable cleaner) What you need to do though is to degas the cleaning solution since air bubbles will impede the cleaning action, the easiest way to do this is to run the unit with just the solution for a cycle or two before you throw whatever you want to clean in it.

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        I have a 6L one that I use for all kinds of stuff. Bike parts, motorcycle parts, sewing machine parts. If I take something apart and the pieces have a complex shape it goes in the ultrasonic.
        A bike cassette is a good example of something to clean with an ultrasonic. Yes, you can do it without one. But this machine gets into all of those nooks & crannies, and it's done is like 5 minutes.

        The common ones (buy on Amazon, etc) all use kitchen/hotel pans for the basin (1/6th pan, 1/3rd pan, etc), if you're familiar with the size of those.
        Overall it works well. Heat certainly makes a difference. Over half of the parts I put in it are fist-sized, so I use an electric kettle to heat up the water bath, and put the parts in a glass jar full of cleaner. That said, I wish I had picked one with a slightly wider basket (~next size up), just to fit the largest chainrings without any portion sticking out.

        >they make and absolutely fricking horrible noise
        I made an enclosure for mine, from of 2" polystyrene insulation board, and acoustic ceiling tiles. Had the idea after watching one of those mad scientist Tech Ingredients videos. It works pretty well. You can be in the same room as the thing.
        I also taped some epdm nubs on the undersize of the lid, to keep it from rattling like mad.

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      I wanted one for years, and I got the harbor freight one. It's sort of effective, but I haven't come across many cases where it wasn't just easier to scrub the thing by hand.

  6. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    You can get them from watch or israeliteellery suppliers, just google a local one.

    Also, the chink ones are bound to work just as good, it's almost entirely dependent on the cleaning solution you use.

  7. 1 year ago
    Anonymous
  8. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    ive had a garbor freight one for over a year, no issues.
    also this branson brand is on amazon for about twice the price, i think ive seen it as low as $140

  9. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    I work at a machine shop and the one we have is dogshit, all it does is heat the parts up and sometimes burn them if you forget them in the thing. Does nothing for tiny bits of swarf held on by coolant residue, it's easier to just use the actual parts washer which is like a jetwash in a cabinet

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      the best parts washer I ever used was a bucket full of gasoline.

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        Based. Shake hands with danger.

        I actually clean 99% of the dirty nasty shit I have to work on with a sureshot sprayer full of gasoline and compressed air. I do this outside my shop so all the mess is out there and I don't have to clean up inside afterward. Sure keeps the solvent in my parts washer cleaner too!

        • 1 year ago
          Anonymous

          >keeps the solvent in my parts washer clean
          Fun trick: fill the tub with water
          put your part in a glass jar with your solvent (so need less solvent)
          float the jar
          the glass will resonate with the ultras in the tub
          while there's a little attenuation, it's still much more than half effective
          and you're not reusing or dumping huge quantities of solvent all the time
          and the cleaner stays cleaner

  10. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    i have a 2x4 foot varsol table. is it possible to convert it to ultra sonic? is it worth it?

  11. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    Bmi surplus has them. Look at lab closeout places

  12. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    >Boil dry is forbiddened

  13. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    There are many makers of real machines, not all made in China. I have Sono Swiss, 3 liter, made in Switzerland. Mine's about 5 years old and runs a few hours per day, no issues. I have a 20+ year old Elma, made in Germany, same size, that must have about 10k hours on it, no problems.

    A friend got one of the Chinese ones, after digging into it several times to fix cold soldered joints it finally died for real and he got a used Elma for twice the price- but it just works.

    If you do the glass jar in the main bath thing, it does work, but the US is attenuated somewhat. It also makes like twice the racket of the machine alone.

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      Does glass scratch the bottom of the basin? Or does it depend on the type of glass?

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        I try not to put anything in the US without a basket in there, it was always driven into my head that that's a no-no. So no idea; but glass and stainless steel are about the same hardness on the Mohs scale.

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        >scratch the bottom
        nothing should be touching the bottom
        you will damage the transducers

        • 1 year ago
          Anonymous

          >nothing should be touching the bottom
          >you will damage the transducers
          Does this include the basket, lol

          • 1 year ago
            Anonymous

            >Does this include the basket
            Depending on the basket, yes.
            Most are suspended from the top edges.

        • 1 year ago
          Anonymous

          >you will damage the transducers
          no

          >nothing should be touching the bottom
          >you will damage the transducers
          Does this include the basket, lol

          >Does this include the basket
          no

  14. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    I don't know about the capacity or if it's worth it but I saw someone building one on youtube.
    I'd love one too, for watchmaking.

  15. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    the 'capacity' is the displacement of the whole unit, not the tub. I bought the 3 and it really only holds about 1.25 depending on what i'm cleaning. great for carbs.

  16. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    we have one at work that's like 10 gallons. it cost $6k apparently.

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