Pistol Frames in Ultrasonic

[Homerboy]

I just like clean guns, and even though I use q tips and patches, the nooks and crannies of the frame still show black smudges. On my metal guns, I clean the inside with non chlorinated brake cleaner, but I can’t use that on plastic frames. I know they make plastic safe degreasers so that’s an option. But either way I have to thoroughly lube after that treatment.

so I have a Hornady sonic cleaner I used to use for brass but switched to wet tumbling. I’ve watched a bunch of videos. Seems purple Simple Green or the new Aircraft Safe Simple Green and water will thoroughly clean the frame without taking the whole thing apart. Some videos say to follow up with an ultrasonic lube bath to displace whatever water might be left even after blasting from compressed air. What do I do with the frame after a lube bath? Don’t want it dripping the stuff.

 

[shoobe01]

I do not even OWN Simple Green it's so dangerous to aluminum.

I also don't get why people like to repurpose things. I have ultrasonic cleaner for my ultrasonic.

Anyway, yes I ultrasonic plastic pistol receivers. Works fine. I am not getting why some leftover cleaning solution might be an issue. When things come out of the bath they go onto a drying rack/towel/etc because of course they are wet and need to drain. The few things I know are in the white and will flash rust get a quick brushing with oil, but otherwise I leave things at least an hour to dry. A heated ultrasonic makes them a bit like a dishwasher and they will self-dry from the heat as long as there's a place for water to drain, pretty fast.

Inspect, sometimes realize there's some water in there, and then lube and reassemble. Easy. I wouldn't do an oil bath, and have heard of specific issues of oil getting lodged places and causing issues (oil doesn't evaporate or drain like water so will often not come out unless you go get it) if you go to immersion.

Do use some caution without full disassembly. Water is not the issue but displacing dirt and letting it fall somewhere else you can't get to it. It can make the gun effectively more dirty and that can gum up things, so know your gun, and inspect carefully. For handguns, usually just making sure it's stored framerails down will let the gunk fall out, but you may need to brush or blow some dirt around, may even then need a second cleaning.

(Also: some dirt usually isn't a big deal. More guns are damaged by overcleaning than undercleaning so maybe the smudges don't matter?)

 

[Homerboy]

I do not even OWN Simple Green it's so dangerous to aluminum.

I also don't get why people like to repurpose things. I have ultrasonic cleaner for my ultrasonic.

Anyway, yes I ultrasonic plastic pistol receivers. Works fine. I am not getting why some leftover cleaning solution might be an issue. When things come out of the bath they go onto a drying rack/towel/etc because of course they are wet and need to drain. The few things I know are in the white and will flash rust get a quick brushing with oil, but otherwise I leave things at least an hour to dry. A heated ultrasonic makes them a bit like a dishwasher and they will self-dry from the heat as long as there's a place for water to drain, pretty fast.

Inspect, sometimes realize there's some water in there, and then lube and reassemble. Easy. I wouldn't do an oil bath, and have heard of specific issues of oil getting lodged places and causing issues (oil doesn't evaporate or drain like water so will often not come out unless you go get it) if you go to immersion.

Do use some caution without full disassembly. Water is not the issue but displacing dirt and letting it fall somewhere else you can't get to it. It can make the gun effectively more dirty and that can gum up things, so know your gun, and inspect carefully. For handguns, usually just making sure it's stored framerails down will let the gunk fall out, but you may need to brush or blow some dirt around, may even then need a second cleaning.

(Also: some dirt usually isn't a big deal. More guns are damaged by overcleaning than undercleaning so maybe the smudges don't matter?)

Thank you. The Simple Green I am referring to is the aircraft variety and specifically says is safe for aluminum

 

[shoobe01]

Oh sure, but they took a long long time to make that and still barely admit the issues of it with the base product. With so many other products I choose to not trust them. But that's just me.

 

[rdnktrkr]

I clean mine using Eds Red, I remove barrel and clean it while everything else makes a cycle, then run a couple of cycles with everything, run a patch through the barrel and wipe everything else with a microfiber rag that I keep in a sealed tub so it stays oily. I do not put wood in the ultrasonic cleaner. After cleaning I pour the fluid into a marked gas can using a cone coffee filter in a funnel (it flows slow). I also run my reloading dies in the ultrasonic cleaner. Simple Green, Purple Stuff and citrus/orange cleaners works great for cleaning tools and small parts but I don't like putting my firearms in a water-based cleaner.

 

[Drail]

Buy an air compressor. Every guy needs one. Stop buying aerosal products - they are a huge waste of money. Soak the gun in your favorite solvent - blow it out. Nothing can hide in nooks and crannies with 100 lbs. of air pressure blasting it. Wear eye protection. Ultrasonic tanks are massive overkill for cleaning guns and car parts. Compressed air makes your life much easier.

 

[hso]

Wear gloves when using compressed air or limit pressure to 35psi.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

As stated above, more guns are ruined by over zealous cleaning than dirt.

Go easy with "good ideas". I have seen a lot of things go wrong. Simply Green eating $$ suppressors or Al frames, oven cleaner eating up M16's finish (that was a bad time for some folks!) and people doing things I was not fully informed of with ultra sonic cleaners which damaged handguns (may have been wrong solution or too long a time, not sure).

Sure clean is nice but if broken and clean is the option I'll take a little dirt and functional.

 

[ms6852]

I like to just use Ballistol, it cleans and lubes and safe on just about anything to use.