SS Sparrow Ultrasonic Cleaning

[seattlite]

About 600-700 rounds of mixed ammo. I used a cheap ~$20 Ultrasonic cleaner and a Baking Soda and Dawn dish-washing liquid solution. I went through a BUNCH of 3 min cleaning cycles and here are the results:

Before:


After:

[Emilio]

Looks good, safest way to clean too. Do you have heat setting?

Things that help are, Music, beer, then after 4 cycles a bronz brush, bronz bell brush (for blast chamber) and rounded pot metal screwdriver.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... zhbpDi_E2A

[jh1990]

What sonic cleaners are you guys using?

[IB Slingin]

Can one reach in and pull the parts out of the cleaner after a cycle without wearing protective gloves? Does one have to treat this like "The Dip"? Thanks

[seattlite]

What sonic cleaners are you guys using?

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?InvtId=CD-2800

I got it way back in 2010 for about $30 shipped. I bought it to clean Spectre baffles, and was glad to find out that it fit the SS Sparrow baffles when I got the suppressor about a year later. From the description, it does not list that it has a heat setting, so I've been using hot water in the uinit, but, the hot water never seems to cool...even after a couple of hours.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... zhbpDi_E2A

Ahh...THANKS for the tip...never thought about using a dremel to clean.

The Half Shells took the most cycles. The Monocore cleaned up really fast.

The cleaning agent I used was just baking soda and Dawn...so no need for gloves to pull the items out.

[Trevor2011]

if you have a big enough sonic cleaner can you use it on say a 7.62sd or is not needed or recomended?

[Emilio]

What sonic cleaners are you guys using?

Get the big one with *heat* setting, $60 with coupon and sale at the store.. http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsea ... ic+cleaner

[Emilio]

Can one reach in and pull the parts out of the cleaner after a cycle without wearing protective gloves? Does one have to treat this like "The Dip"? Thanks

Not toxic like the dip but I wear gloves for the lead in the water, all the lead and dirt settle to the bottom as you can see in the vid and you can save the cleaning solution. (50/50 Purple power and water or other like simple green)

[Emilio]

if you have a big enough sonic cleaner can you use it on say a 7.62sd or is not needed or recomended?

Not needed for rifle cans, could be risky. Also no aluminum or Ti in sonics!


Oh, and no tubes!




To be fair my Element is nickel coated so less stick. (Making lemon aid with a pic)





Good thing I have Gun Kote and easy bake oven! Much better than factory now.




Make sure sonic cleaning is ok first!!!!

[Flipz]

I use a 50/50 mix of water and Purple Power when cleaning my Sparrow. I also throw in my Osprey's piston and spring. The ultrasonic does a really nice job cleaning everything up. The key is the heat setting. Don't bother buying an ultrasonic cleaner without a heat function.

[seattlite]

What sonic cleaners are you guys using?

Get the big one with *heat* setting, $60 with coupon and sale at the store.. http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsea ... ic+cleaner

Here is the coupon: 20% off coupon

Anyone know what is the max cleaning cycle of the unit? The smaller one has a 180sec(3min) cleaning cycle which is a pain. Does the larger unit have 10min or longer cleaning cycle?

[Abiqua]

What sonic cleaners are you guys using?

Get the big one with *heat* setting, $60 with coupon and sale at the store.. http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsea ... ic+cleaner

Here is the coupon: 20% off coupon

Anyone know what is the max cleaning cycle of the unit? The smaller one has a 180sec(3min) cleaning cycle which is a pain. Does the larger unit have 10min or longer cleaning cycle?

From the ad:

Five cleaning cycles: 90, 180, 280, 380 and 480 seconds

[seattlite]

Yeah...I saw that....was hoping that there was a longer cleaning cycle option....like maybe constant "on".

[Flipz]

This is the one I use. It's the Hornady Sonic Cleaner 2L. It has run time settings between 5 and 30 minutes in 5 minute increments.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/586045 ... r-110-volt

I just cleaned my SS Sparrow and Osprey's piston and spring this afternoon. Took some pics for you guys. Solution was a 50/50 mix of water and Purple Power.

Before:


After:

[seattlite]

This is the one I use. It's the Hornady Sonic Cleaner 2L. It has run time settings between 5 and 30 minutes in 5 minute increments.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/586045 ... r-110-volt

I just cleaned my SS Sparrow and Osprey's piston and spring this afternoon. Took some pics for you guys. Solution was a 50/50 mix of water and Purple Power.
......

NICE! I like the fact that it will run up to 30 mins. Having to push a button every 3 or 6 mins is a pain. Thanks for the reminder...I have to clean my MM piston and spring. I'll put the SS Sparrow Half Shells in there also and see if I can get the rest of the carbon off.

[Flipz]

This is the one I use. It's the Hornady Sonic Cleaner 2L. It has run time settings between 5 and 30 minutes in 5 minute increments.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/586045 ... r-110-volt

I just cleaned my SS Sparrow and Osprey's piston and spring this afternoon. Took some pics for you guys. Solution was a 50/50 mix of water and Purple Power.
......

NICE! I like the fact that it will run up to 30 mins. Having to push a button every 3 or 6 mins is a pain. Thanks for the reminder...I have to clean my MM piston and spring. I'll put the SS Sparrow Half Shells in there also and see if I can get the rest of the carbon off.

When you put the half shells in face their interior (carbon coated) side downwards towards the bottom of the tank. Opposite of what you see in the top photo. This helps the sonic waves hit them dead on.

Also, I do not put the endcap in the sonic cleaner. Just the half shells and core. The endcap really just needs to be wiped down. I'm also not sure of the material the endcap is made of and if its safe to put in the sonic cleaner or not.

The cleaning above was accomplished with two 30 minute cycles with a 5 minute break in between to let the transducer cool down as the manual suggests. VERY minor brushing with a brass brush removed any remaining fouling.

[wmdaniel70]

Is it safe for TiRant 45 baffles?

[seattlite]

Is it safe for TiRant 45 baffles?

Ultrasonic Aluminum Test - With Photo's

[wmdaniel70]

Wow, great post! How about vibratory tumblers with media like corn cob?

[Emilio]

Wow, great post! How about vibratory tumblers with media like corn cob?

No but this works good and ok for aluminum and TI. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=71295&hilit=wet+tumbler&start=50

[seattlite]

So....we know that Ultrasonic Cleaners will affect the surface finish of aluminum, but is that really a concern with aluminum baffles? There have been folks using Ultrasonic Cleaners to prep aluminum for anodizing and the car folks have been successful in using Ultrasonic Cleaners on aluminum carburetors, so I'm thinking that aluminum baffles could be cleaned using an Ultrasonic Cleaner.

I think with the proper solution that is not harmful to aluminum, aluminum baffles could safely be cleaned using an Ultrasonic Cleaner.

Here is more reading on Ultrasonic Cleaners and Aluminum: http://www.tovatech.com/blog/7084/ultra ... etreatment
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/ge ... er-171612/

[yamatitan]

So....we know that Ultrasonic Cleaners will affect the surface finish of aluminum, but is that really a concern with aluminum baffles? There have been folks using Ultrasonic Cleaners to prep aluminum for anodizing and the car folks have been successful in using Ultrasonic Cleaners on aluminum carburetors, so I'm thinking that aluminum baffles could be cleaned using an Ultrasonic Cleaner.

I think with the proper solution that is not harmful to aluminum, aluminum baffles could safely be cleaned using an Ultrasonic Cleaner.

Here is more reading on Ultrasonic Cleaners and Aluminum: http://www.tovatech.com/blog/7084/ultra ... etreatment
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/ge ... er-171612/

Those guys are doing it once, with a can your doing it every time its dirty. I wouldnt risk it.

[wmdaniel70]

So....is the concensis to use ultrasonic cleaning for steel parts such as SS Sparrow core and clamshells, TiRant blast baffle and piston, and tumbler with ss media for aluminum parts like the rest of the TiRant baffles and Bowers CAC9 baffles????

[Emilio]

So....is the concensis to use ultrasonic cleaning for steel parts such as SS Sparrow core and clamshells, TiRant blast baffle and piston, and tumbler with ss media for aluminum parts like the rest of the TiRant baffles and Bowers CAC9 baffles????

If you stuck with aluminum, I would use wet tumbler with brass rods or soda blast (messy).

SS rules.

[Abiqua]

So....is the concensis to use ultrasonic cleaning for steel parts such as SS Sparrow core and clamshells, TiRant blast baffle and piston, and tumbler with ss media for aluminum parts like the rest of the TiRant baffles and Bowers CAC9 baffles????

You can send the CAC9 back to Bowers and for $15 he'll clean, make any needed repairs, upgrade to most current baffles stack (if needed) and ship it back.