Thread: Ultrasonic cleaner tips please

Hi team...picked up a Hornady one and keen on tips.

Also picked up a Lee universal deprimer.

I'm thinking steps:

1. Deprime
2. Sonic cleaner (what works best, dishwasher and car wash combo...capfull each?
3. Annealing
4. FL size
5. Lyman tumbler (have seen some add this step)
6. Prime etc

Any one got a different or better approach to get great looking brass with an ultrasonic cleaner as part of the process?

This is my process
1. Anneal
2. Size/deprime
3. Sonic clean
4. Dry
5. Tumble (i like shiney brass)
6. Load em up.

I found a mix on an old post on here,
1/2 teaspoon citric acid
Couple drops dishwash liquid
Tap water

My thinking with the Lee deprimer is can run clean cases through FL die...then tumble to clean lube off. Either way works.

How are you drying? I'm not keen on oven. Got an air compressor and gun... or look for a cheap food dehydrator on TM?

I just lay them on a tea towel, cover with other half and roll them. Then grab the missus hair dryer n give each one a blast on the inside then finish them off in the tumbler

Originally Posted by Tikka7mm08

My thinking with the Lee deprimer is can run clean cases through FL die...then tumble to clean lube off. Either way works.

How are you drying? I'm not keen on oven. Got an air compressor and gun... or look for a cheap food dehydrator on TM?

I follow the steps you identified, I found simple green was better than citric acid and dishwash, also tried lemoshine I think it’s called which is on a lot of the US forums but the simple green was still better. Not sure if the hornady machine has a heating cycle? My machine does and it makes a big difference. Small batches tends to be quicker in the ultrasonic but if I can’t be bothered tending the machine I fill it up and just run it as long as is necessary. I just put them in the oven on lowest setting around 80degrees I think it is.

Yes...but a fixed heat I think. Has degas which is meant to help too.

Mines just an el cheapo off TM, no degas or heater, can do 15-20 depending on case size and runs for 8mins. I do 3 cycles per batch of brass so 24mins n the water is pretty hot at the end.

I've got the Lyman one and have been using the hornady cleaner that I got given with it. With the Lyman one the basket sits on the bottom of the cleaner basin and seems to stop the high frequency sound you can hear before putting the basket in which imo is reducing it effectiveness. So I use a couple of clothes pegs to stop the basket sitting so low. Not to sure what the hornady one is like. I run it till I'm happy the cases are clean enough.

Couple of teaspoons of citric acid, with a little liquid soap. I then dip them in baking soda to neutralise the acids.
Then I have to oven door open on a low heat.
Theh I trim/size etc, and then put them in with walnut media for a couple of hours to completely remove any lube eyc on the case that might still be there.
Works for me and the brass is perfect. All I do after that is check the primer pockets are ok

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

The steps I folllow

Deprime
inspect cases
Anneal - every 5th use
Full length size
Ultrasonic clean
oven dry at low heat (120 C), air cool on clean towel
inspect cases
prime, load with powder and projectile,
store
shoot
repeat process.

I have a large ultrasonic cleaner (can hold over 200 cases in the basket)
I use 2 x teaspoons of citric acid (cheapest from supermarket) & 2 x teaspoon of dishwashing liquid
Fill with boiling water, add cases and clean.
The longest cycle my cleaner does is 8 minutes. I cycle is enough initially, after a few loads 2 cycles.
Arrange clean wet cases on an over tray, fan bake at 120 C for ten minutes, cool on clean dry towel.

I have a question, would putting them in boiling hot water crack them? I put hot water on some winchester cases and the necks cracked on some so I threw the whole lot away as I thought I had weakened them all with the hot water.

The propriety stuff sold as ultrasonic cleaner fluid in the US is basically just showerpower bam. Spray bottle at the supermarket... It's a citric acid and natural plant based stuff that's pretty much the upgraded version of simple green citrus just cheaper. Goes good on the shower too.

There's a heap of stuff online about tuning an ultrasonic cleaner - a properly set up US cleaner will work at much higher efficiency and you'll hear the difference (unless your hearing isn't the best).

One of the things about the cases after US cleaning is the brass is 'pickled' so will tarnish quite readily and will take fingerprints and stain up like nothing else. Not much of an issue if you are turning it over quickly, but if you plan on storing it for a long period of time it might be an issue. Running it through a quick tumble cycle with some tarnish preventer of some sort in there will stop that.

One other point, the US cleaning will knock the carbon off the inside of the case neck so might end up with a noticeable change in feel when seating the pill - I've really not been able to confirm this as sometimes I think it's noticeable other times I think I'm dreaming. Other people have mentioned something similar though.

I wouldn't worry about chucking brass in boiling water, as that's 100degC. Annealing temp is above 300degC.

Thank you @No.3

I'd add step 4.5 to the original list- dip the necks into a some ~No.8 shot which has graphite mixed into it, then wipe off the outside of the neck to stop any mess. This step with help markedly with getting a smoother, more uniform seating tension. Cases that have had US cleaning are squeaky clean inside the neck and you end up with a lot of almost gritty seating tension.

Real Lazy these days, and most of my shooting is at paper, still getting good results.
Always give the inside necks a clean wire bore brush & battery drill, dirty outside necks get a quick polish with ulta fine 00 grade steal wool, quick blast out with the compressor, job done.