Ultrasonic Brass Cleaning

janneuf · Post by **janneuf** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 3:12 pm

Anyone ever tried ultrsonic cleaning of brass? I read a great article on 6mmbr.com about the topic. I just bought a unit off ebay for the job. No media, no dust and it cleans the primer pockets and inside the cases too. As Wilie would say, I will provide a full report, after I clean my first cases.

According to the article you can get brass shiny clean in just a few minutes using only white vinegar and water.

WHISTLEPIG · Post by **WHISTLEPIG** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 3:34 pm

janneuf, The only person here that I know of using the ultrasonic is Silverfox.

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 5:57 pm

Mind if I ask how much your unit was? I think I remember the article saying $70-80. That's not bad, considering my RCBS vibratory tumbler was $59.

georgetwalkerjr · Post by **georgetwalkerjr** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 6:02 pm

I use an old fashioned tumbler, but you might check out the 6mmbr site.....they have an article on the subject which I read recently. Here's the link::

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

janneuf · Post by **janneuf** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 8:12 pm

I paid 49.95 + 17.95 S&H. So I have just about the same as you'd have in a tumbler I had to buy a couple glass beakers off ebay and spent another $12. I should have it all up and running by the first of next week.

George...I read that article that's what got me interested, but thanks!

Silverfox · Post by **Silverfox** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 9:41 pm

janneuf--If you are only going to use white vinegar and water, I strongly urge you to find something to rinse the casings in that will neutralize the vinegar when you are done cleaning them. I believe the 6mmBR article suggested that you don't use JUST white vinegar and water, but also use a drop is dishwashing soap. He also suggested using mix of baking soda and water to neutralize the vinegar. The process takes more than

"just a few minutes"

--even the process you are planning to use takes 48 minutes.

I use the "Clean and Shiny" method which takes 43 minutes.

24 minutes - 50% Vinegar + 1 Drop Dish Soap per 8 ounces water
380 seconds - Birchwood Casey (BC) Case Cleaner
380 seconds - Hot Water
380 seconds - Distilled Water
Total: 43 minutes

Regardless of which method you use, you are going to have some sparkling clean casings. They get clean both inside and out. Well worth the time and effort.

WrzWaldo · Post by **WrzWaldo** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 8:42 am

I recently started cleaning my brass using an ultrasonic unit.

2 cycles @ 480 seconds in the vinegar/water/soap solution (I use a little more soap than in the recipe in the 6mmbr article.

1 cycle @ 180 seconds in chevron tar solvent. (Will use Birchwood Casey when I'm out of the solvent)
edit: above step was replaced with a hot water rinse.

30 second hot water rinse. (just a rinse in the sink/basin)
edit: above step was replaced with koolaid flavor pack mix in 20ish ounces of water.

1 cycle @ 90 seconds in distilled water.

21 minutes total

I run two beakers at a time after I get the first batch through the initial cleaning solution.

That way I always have one batch cleaning and a batch in the solvent or water.

Note: This works for my reloads using BL-C(2). Other powders may require more/less time.

janneuf · Post by **janneuf** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 5:25 am

Silverfox

I saw that, I am aware if that I just didn't expand upon it in my post. My point was the only real "cleaner" was white vinegar. Thanks for the input though I look forward to getting the unit. I just got a notice that it shipped today.

Can you tell me where you get the Birchwood Casey case cleaner?

MrzWaldo is the Chevron tar solvent easy to find and inexpensive?

WrzWaldo · Post by **WrzWaldo** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 10:32 am

I am about to make public (to this forum at least) my new Cheap and Shiny method of cleaning (A combination of the Cheap and Clean + my recently discovered neutralizer / brightener). It does not require the solvent or Birchwood Casey cleaner and costs about twenty cents (Yes I said $0.20). I will post the details after I do one more round of cleaning (this weekend). This procedure is so simple and effective you won't believe it!

As for the Birchwood Casey cleaner --> http://www.birchwoodcasey.com/sport/index.html

Look in the "Maintenance" section.

Silverfox · Post by **Silverfox** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 10:26 pm

janneuf--I thought I ordered it from Midway USA or Midsouth, but I can't find it listed on either of their Web sites. I might have ordered it directly from Birchwood Casey.

I have a brand new, unopened 16 oz. container of it sitting in my basement that I probably won't get around to using for a looong time. If you are interested in it, I would be willing to let you have it for $5.00 plus shipping. I think Birchwood sells it for around $9.50 per 16 oz. container, plus shipping. I'm guessing, depending upon where you live, the shipping via plain old parcel post would cost somewhere in the $5.00 to $6.00 range. Let me know by sending an e-mail to me at:

A product that some of the folks over at the 6mmbr.com board are now using to clean casings in their ultrasonic cleaners is Citranox. Here's a couple links to some of the posts over there listing how it was used, etc.:

http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post ... t=citranox

http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post ... t=citranox

http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/post ... t=citranox

I haven't needed to clean any casings lately, so I haven't tried my sample of Citranox, but I will do so one of these days.

Hawkeye Joe · Post by **Hawkeye Joe** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 4:57 am

I use a product at work made by SPI called Liqui-nox.It's used in a ultrasonic cleaner to clean stainless steel Mine sensor bodys we make. It also works VERY well on brass.

Very good stuff

jo191145 · Post by **jo191145** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 6:45 am

Have any of you ultrasonic guys done any side to side accuracy comparisons with your squeaky clean brass vs carbon still in the neck brass?
I have polished the neck interiors and found an improvement in accuracy but its not an easy procedure. With a normal vibratory tumbler I would need to repolish after every firing. Not something I'm willing to do. I've tried the Birchwood Casey cleaners by itself and it will not get the necks squeaky clean.

WrzWaldo · Post by **WrzWaldo** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 10:39 pm

Yep, one of those little packets of unsweetened KoolAid in a quart of water. I suggest the lemon-aid flavor because it won't stain your hands.

Here is my new procedure.

24 minutes in the vinegar / water / soap (no warmer than room temperature).

A quick rinse under the tap.

3 minutes hot tap water.

3 minutes in the KoolAid solution.

Another quick rinse under the tap.

And 3 more minutes in hot tap water (probably don't need this step).

Done.

The case on the left is cleaned and the right is new unfired brass.

Here are a some cases I picked up that were at the range (before).

And here they are after.

Hawkeye Joe · Post by **Hawkeye Joe** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 5:38 am

Any chance you could cut a case in half the long way so we can see the inside.The inside is the hardest to clean.

WrzWaldo · Post by **WrzWaldo** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 9:48 am

The insides look like the pictures at.

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

Photo courtesy of Jason Baney