Ultrasonic atty cleaner user questions, how do you use it?

[SammyT]

I just ordered one, just wondering how you use it. Vodka? Vinegar? PGA? Warm tap water? what is best? What is worst? Drilled out one hole on my 306 and got a good draw for a couple days, but I was just hoping that the cleaner would help even more, not necesarily with the draw, but just preventative maintenance. if not, well at least my wife can clean her ring. lol. Thank ya much.

 

[Stownz]

Heat up water in microwave, poor in basket for ultrasonic cleaner. I do about3 or 4 5 minute cleaning cycles with one denture cleaning tablet disolved in. Then remove and rince with water, let air dry overnight.

 

[SammyT]

simple enough, and cheaper than vodka. thank you!

 

[Mvgratz]

Sammy, for really badly clogged attys I soak mine in pga or iso alcohol at least overnight before I used my ultrasonic cleaner. It helps make the carbon build-up soften and makes it easier for the sonic cleane and effordent/polydent to get as much off the coils as possible. If that fails, the bissel steam cleaner I got from fleabay works like a charm for ~$33 shipped.

 

[lordbyron77]

I use hot demineralized water and lemon-juice or white vinegar

 

[SammyT]

Sammy, for really badly clogged attys I soak mine in pga or iso alcohol at least overnight before I used my ultrasonic cleaner. It helps make the carbon build-up soften and makes it easier for the sonic cleane and effordent/polydent to get as much off the coils as possible. If that fails, the bissel steam cleaner I got from fleabay works like a charm for ~$33 shipped.

Thanks! I still need to get some denture tablets. Vodka is working well to get carbon loose. I have been cleaning my atties every night now lol. Overkill I know, but hey, I get the killer th and flavor I crave. BB can seriously gunk an atty!


A red dirt REOnaut!!

 

[Stownz]

Would like to add the things I have learned NOT to do:

1) Don't blow out attys with compressed air (at least not the 100psi shop air I use), Great way to dewick an atty, but nukes them sometimes as well.

2) Don't forget to rince out the atty after the denture cleaner ultra-sonic bath. A white residue is left behind from the tablets if you don't rince. Gunks up and kills the atty.

3) Be VERY VERY careful with any type of dry burn. This is a last resort I use if an atty is just gunked too bad. I have lost more attys because of dry burning then anything else. Ive even had a few that I dry burned and they worked great, then POW 3rd time they insta died. LR attys are even more sensative. 2.5 ohm and up attys will take quite a bit of power, but you can insta pop a 1.5 ohm with too much voltage.

 

[unsure]

Im using ISO 91% and 3 3 minute sets then a good rinse with water and dry.

 

[Addicted2Vap]

i just use hot distilled water

 

[ancient puffer]

Would like to add the things I have learned NOT to do:

1) Don't blow out attys with compressed air (at least not the 100psi shop air I use), Great way to dewick an atty, but nukes them sometimes as well....

I give mine a shot every night from a can of compressed air (Walmart @$4 a can). It's not TOO much worse/stronger than a human powered blow out, but seems to get way more juice out of the atty before bedtime. Plus, no numb lips

 

[ChrisNC]

I use hot water from my keurig machine, usually let them run for about 10 minutes then rinse them and out , blow out the excess water and let them dry over night. So far this has really worked great for me and I have only lost 1 Atty since Jan.

 

[emus]

Only thing I've found to remove some carbon build up is dry burn and needle picking.
Ultrasonic doesn't hurt but doesn't help much either.

 

[Skeeter T]

Denatured alcohol is 100% (200 proof) grain alcohol and it's cheap at Home Depot or Lowes. However, it comes with a little additive to make it taste and smell bad so no one will drink it ... may even make a person vomit. I've used it in an ultrasonic cleaner, but I'm not sure of the results. It evaporates extremely fast without leaving any residue or smell in an atty. I have a Vornado fan, and its plastic front grill is perfect for holding (wedging) atty's, which totally dry in half an hour or less.

Ted

 

[MrSmith99]

I use a regular ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. I fill it with water. Then I fill a shot glass with Everclear (straight up drinking alcohol). I put the shot glass in the tub with water and send it through a few 4 minute cycles. This way you don't waste good hooch! Once done blow them out. I let dry for a few hours also.
It really cleans everything great. You won't believe how much goo comes out of your attys. It turns the alcohol brown. It will fix some attys that quit working very good.

Ultrasonic cleaners are so cheap. And, they are so handy everyone should have one.