Ultrasonic Case Cleaning

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janobles14

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ok boys and girls i am going to save everyone so much time and money and headache that you will all be dying to send me one case of ammo each (hint hint :neener: )

here it is:

DUMP YOUR TUMBLER AND BUY AN ULTRASONIC CLEANING MACHINE!

with a half vinegar half water solution and a baking soda post rinse you can get the most sparkling cases ever with clean primer pockets and no powder residue in the case. at the end i'll post a link to a fantastic site that saved me so much time i want to kiss someone (guess my wife will have to do, though shes wondering what the hell is going on :) ).

TRUST ME!! do this!! go to harbor freight and get this! i have tweeked this recipe to my liking and can have a batch of like new cases in 15 minutes. if you have any questions or i have doubled a thread feel free to ask or tell me i suck! :neener:

http://www.6mmbr.com/ultrasonic.html
 
2nd

I'll second using the ultrasonics. I have not turned on my tumbler in over a year since using the ultrasonic cleaner. It does a much better job and does the inside of the case and primer pocket as well.
Pat
 
Sounds interesting! Especially, if I can size/deprime, then move straight to priming without picking out media from flash holes. :D

Sounds sort of strange, but I think I would look into it, especially if its a quiet (my vibratory shaker had people think Im trying to gas myself in my garage with a loud car).
 
Nice bolt face imprint, complete with extruded ejector mark, in your .243 brass picture!

Might want to back off that load just a frog-hair!

rcmodel
 
The two problems I see with ditching a tumbler are that it looks like its hard to do any real quantity of brass in the ultrasonic cleaner at once and a tumbler can be used to remove lubricant from loaded rifle rounds. You probably don't want to drop those in the cleaner :D
 
I Use Both

I use both the ultrasonic cleaner from harbor freight and my RCBS vibratory cleaner. The cases come out of the ultra sonic cleaner clean but not particularily shiny. Time spent in the tumbler with either Fitz or Iosso added really shines them up.
 
As an added bonus, you should cut down on your lead exposure compared to using a sifter following tumbling. Just don't drink the solution used for the ultrasonic case cleaning.
 
And I just hate drying wet cases!

rcmodel
Click to expand...

Ditto! If it worked dry, I'd be gone to get one right now! A buddy offered to do some cases for me to see if they'd clean up, he has an ultrasonic cleaner. I declined, afraid I'd like it too much.

Sounds interesting! Especially, if I can size/deprime, then move straight to priming without picking out media from flash holes.
Click to expand...

You forgot to figure in drying time! Even a couple hours in an oven may not be enough, then there's the guy in a hurry cranking the temp too high, annealing the entire case!:fire: Oh yeah, there's "put them out in the sun for a couple of days" scenario. Then along comes a rain shower, you're right back where you started, wet cases!:cuss:
 
How does one pick a decent cheap cleaner? HF has several models. (I think the wattage should be a good indication) I expect the cheapest model probably doesn't do much of anything.
 
I don't have a tumbler/vibrator, and use an ultrasonic. After the final rinse, I dump them on a triple layer of paper towel for about a half hour. Then I dump them on another triple layer and, by the time I'm ready to leave work (the ultrasonic is in my office), the cases are dry. I don't see the issue. In a hurry? Run a fan over them to speed up drying.

Chuck
 
I'm sure laying them out on paper towels get them dry on the outside works just fine.
But it's not drying the outside I have problems with.

It's making sure I got that last speck of moisture out of the inside that drives me up the wall.

I tried liquid case cleaners both home-made, and commercial many years ago.

Just too darn much fuss & bother hanging cases up to dry on nail studded drying boards for me to bother with.

I clean primer pockets and inspect cases in one operation, then tumble them for final polish.

If they are still a little black on the inside, it doesn't bother me in the least.

rcmodel
 
Currently when I shoot black powder cartridges, I wash them with Dawn dish detergent and hot water, rinse them, shake the water out, then put the wet cases in my vibrating cleaner. The walnut shell media absorbs the moisture eventually. (corn cob is probably more absorbant)
 
Thanks, but I'll keep my Model B

DUMP YOUR TUMBLER AND BUY AN ULTRASONIC CLEANING MACHINE!

http://www.6mmbr.com/ultrasonic.html
Click to expand...

The drawback with ultrasonics is it's small capacities.
The author of the 6mmbr.com article admits that he only does "about fifteen 17 Remingtons at a time." At those rates, an ultrasonic doesn't really appeal to me.

My rotary does hundreds at a time and I'm pleased with the results...

Cases.jpg
 
it is true that you are more limited with the ultrasonic when it comes to sheer numbers, but i just went and bought some cheap 2 cup pyrex measuring cups. i can fit 3 of them for each round of cleaning and can clean about 75 - 100 .40 s&w cases at once.

as for drying the cases i have always put them on an old cookie sheet and popped them in the oven for 30 minutes on 185 degrees. no case annealing and quick and painless.
 
How does one pick a decent cheap cleaner? HF has several models. (I think the wattage should be a good indication) I expect the cheapest model probably doesn't do much of anything.
Click to expand...

i got the 2.5 L one i think. it was 60 bucks or so.

also, instead of doing 200 rounds in a tumbler for an hour or so i can just break that same volume down over a few more shorter rotations. and the BC case cleaner will polish those bad boys up!
 
I generally clean between 60 - 80, 30-06 rounds at a time in my ultrasonic.

I have found that using a cleaner called Citranox works far better than the vinegar mix. Drying is certainly no problem. Just lay your rounds flat on a cookie sheet, place them in your over (preheated to 140) for 15 minutes, and done.

That being said, I also use my tumbler as much as my ultrasonic. They each have a purpose.

Richard
 
After shaking most of the water out of the cases, dump them in alcohol. It dissolves the remaining water and dries much quicker. I get a tough to remove powder fouling ring around my 22-250 case necks, and the ultrasonic removes it in a few minutes. Before, I had to get it off with 0000 steel wool and it was a real pain. When my rounds are all loaded, I use the tumbler to clean them up...
 
Looks like a solution in search of a problem, to me. My tumbler has done what it's supposed to for as long as I can recall.

Of course, if ultrasound works for you, more power to ya.
 
During my ongoing experimentation with ultrasonic brass cleaning have found using a heat lamp as a successful way to dry the cleaned cases.

Impressive the way the primer pockets and the insides of the cases clean up.
 
zxcvbob said:
It would be awfully small to tumble brass in.
Click to expand...

You can tumble brass in it just fine, I do. It does have a much smaller capacity, but when vibrating isn't an option, it works just peachy.
 
To get them dry fast and without annealing we just need to find a cheap vacuum chamber you can dump the cases into after ultrasonic cleaning. Boil the water out at room temp.

Does Harbor Freight do those?:neener:
 
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