Ultra Sonic cleaner at Harbor Freight $59.99

[GN.2-6-8-0]

I been looking for one of these at a reasonable price for cleaning all the different size parts we come across in this great hobby of ours. WOO-HOO!!

 

[tomustang]

I wouldn't doubt that item goes on sale every other month, probably get it much cheaper if you wait

 

[LATX]

does it clean locos or what?

 

[tooter]

Intriguing idea, GN...
What liquid medium would you use for cleaning a motor and geared trucks? Hey, would it strip paint?

 

[flyboy2610]

Hey, would it strip paint?

It might, but given that it's from Harbor Freight I'll bet it wouldn't do it for very long!

 

[tomustang]

It might, but given that it's from Harbor Freight I'll bet it wouldn't do it for very long!

 

[GN.2-6-8-0]

Ultrasonic cleaners work by using vibration of a cleaning solution and on looking at this unit I'm pretty sure its all plastic so any paint solvent would more than likely destroy it ,well maybe brake fluid might not hurt it but I was thinking along the lines of removal the dirt and gunk our equipment picks up more or less on a daily basis or when we buy that used engine or piece of equipment thats been laying around unused for years.

 

[K-Pack]

Dental offices use metal ultrasonic cleaners. You might be lucky enough to find an old used one for cheap. Just make sure you sterilize it first.

 

[Espeefan]

The best use for these is cleaning shells & parts prior to painting. I have a large one that can take HO passenger cars, and I use it after the parts come out of the blasting booth. For the solution: Water with some Dawn dishwashing detergent in it. Works great. Don't use solvents or brake fluid. After a trip through the cleaner I rinse the parts & blow them dry with the compressor air hose. They also can restore hobby paints by shaking the settled pigment loose & allowing it to mix with the carrier again. Nice tool to have.

 

[Mike_Arnold]

No wonder it's $60. It's HF. haha.

 

[kenw]

don't dis plastic stuff. We used an ultrasonic dentures cleaner (no joke) from Walgreens for several years in daily use to clean small plastic parts prior to assembly. Set us back a whopping $29.95 (iirc, this was ~1979). We used isopropyl alcohol as the cleaning agent to remove mold release prior to gluing to the parts. The cleaner stayed on all day long and was only turned off when we had to clean it out at the end of the day. Granted the parts were very small (~1/4") and the tank would hold a few 100 of them.

I had bought an extra cleaner anticipating when we wore out the 1st, but we never had to use it. We shut down the plant in 83 and #1 was still going strong then.