Ultra sonic cleaners - Anyone have experience of them?

[JPB]

I'm sold on the concept now. Some of the folk I know from clock restoration circles are very anti when it comes to this process but having seen these results, I'm now convinced that these people must have been using the wrong chemicals and/or simply not using the devices correctly. The camera doesn't lie. Not unless it's selling a car on eBay.




(I own one clock that had been cleaned this way prior to my buying it, could the process have been responsible for reducing the residual magnetic field in the stator of that clock to the point where it has become a total sod to start. Once it starts, it's fine but even shaking it violently and/or trying to release its starter while I'm still turning the knob don't always get it running before I tire myself out in the attempt! Then there's the fact that it sometimes starts running backwards - not a massive issue with a device that has an AC motor and no form of mechanical regulation - which is also suggesting that the stator has been weakened somehow).

[kevin]

i Bought mine last week and tried it using washing up liquid. it was ok but by adding some soda crystals the thing is great..worth having on the workshop shelf?
The company I bought my small one off has some ex-demo, 2 litre ones for £100..may be the way to go? (had a built in heater too)

Kev

[arceye]

Kevin, The Heater can be handy if you have the tank in a cold enviroment but beyond that no real need in my opinion.

John, I think from a clock menders view any tool post about 1930 can be seen as the devils work.... a fair bit of experimentation has been done in certain circles and one potential issue I believe is cavitation or pitting of the metals over several cycles, but in reality it doesn't amount to anymore loss of material than traditional cleaning / polishing methods and wouldn't be a concern anyway due to the likely number of times a clock movement will be serviced as we are talking about many many cleaning cycles.

The main issue as far as I can tell in horological circles is the tendency to dip assembled movements all in one go in the manner I did that one (though that was just to show the capabilities and the movement was only being used for spares) is simply a little rough, and the mainsprings are difficult to rinse, prone to breakage afterwards, and it does nothing to address wear in the movement. As a tool to clean individual parts though I wouldn't be without one.

I will occasionally clean / degrease a complete movement in mine though, in much the same way jobbing clock menders have often done in a petrol bath just as part of a clean and oil process to keep an otherwise healthy clock in order, but only with either weight driven movements or those that the spring barrels can be removed so it doesn't go through the process. Followed by proper rinsing and drying in an oven it can be a fairly simple and succesful method.

One thing I wouldn't do for sure, is allow any electrical or magnetic type components in mine as I have no idea what damage that could cause... so yes, Mr JPB, that could be your problem.

[JPB]

Thanks for reinforcing my timepiece related worries, Mr Eye. I have two AC synchronous clocks with the same gearbox; one Smith Sectric the other a Genalex brand version and that Smith one which I stripped right down to its component level then cleaned in acetone - obviously not on the windings as that would remove the insulation lacquer - starts easily just by pressing and releasing the button where the one that came having had an ultrasound bath isn't quite as it should be.

Oh well, such is life, the decision is whether to unwind the motor of the affected one, treat the stator to a refresh, rewind it and reassemble - none of that affecting its habit of keeping perfect time as that's courtesy of the power station - or dismantle the good one and shove its stator in an ultrasound bath then see whether it retains any residual field after treatment.
Hmm, leaving well alone methinks, but if anyone has a Sectric or Sectric style clock that doesn't work and that they were thinking of throwing out, please send it my way, no case required. I feel an experiment coming on just as soon as I blag a shot of an ultrasound device at work. I'm sure the hair department will have one stashed away somewhere, they have everything else.

[Fatbloke]

I used to use them back in my "lab tech" days full of 1,1,3 trichloroethane! (oh those wonderful CFC days!)

My wife's jewelry was always remarkably clean and shiny but the boss drew the line at putting oily car parts in them.

[jimmyybob]

Ahhh yes 'Trich' in a 300ltr dunker tank was the way to clean,you could put a crankshaft in there and finish up with an earring after an hour or so.

[arceye]

I don't know quite how Trichloroethane compares but think its in the same group as Trichloroethylene? Its scary some of the stuff that was commonly used in industry with little thought to safety.

We used to use Trichloroethylene as a degreaser, poured straight from a five gallon tub onto a rag in our bare hands to degrease steel when I served my time in a fab shop. I bought some about ten years ago for degreasing hairsprings and the like, but after seeing the modern day warnings plastered all over the gallon can decided to just put it in a safe place, someone will have to figure out how to dispose of it when I'm gone as it will likely remain on its shelf until then.

Just goes to show we should really think about the products we use in the persuit of our work / hobbies.

John, I'll have a look in the next couple of days to see if I have any sectric movements about, I did, but had a fair clear out a while back but being a bit of a hoarder I might have thrown one or two into a dark corner. If I do you are welcome to them.

[JPB]

Excellent! No worries if you can't find anything but if you can, I'm always glad to help a fellow hoarder to offload their crap!

[SirTainleyBarking]

I don't know quite how Trichloroethane compares but think its in the same group as Trichloroethylene? Its scary some of the stuff that was commonly used in industry with little thought to safety.

We used to use Trichloroethylene as a degreaser, poured straight from a five gallon tub onto a rag in our bare hands to degrease steel when I served my time in a fab shop. I bought some about ten years ago for degreasing hairsprings and the like, but after seeing the modern day warnings plastered all over the gallon can decided to just put it in a safe place, someone will have to figure out how to dispose of it when I'm gone as it will likely remain on its shelf until then.

Just goes to show we should really think about the products we use in the persuit of our work / hobbies.

John, I'll have a look in the next couple of days to see if I have any sectric movements about, I did, but had a fair clear out a while back but being a bit of a hoarder I might have thrown one or two into a dark corner. If I do you are welcome to them.

Trike: Great for dissolving grease, kidneys livers. Nasty stuff.
I remember a case way back when. A squaddy fell in a trike tank. Died nastily several weeks later.

Treat with a great deal of respect