Anyone else not too satisfied with their ultrasonic cleaner results?
- Thread starter Tikka223
- Start date
I decided to try the Lemi-shine before adopting a whole new cleaning method. The results were better than before. I also took out the plastic basket from the ultra sonic cleaner in case it dampened the ultrasonic waves somehow. I’d still prefer cleaner results but it’ll have to do. Hopefully the soot left over has a no measurable impact on neck tension or case volume.
Here are some pics before (using the original recipe) and after (using only dish soap, lemi-shine and water)
Here are some pics before (using the original recipe) and after (using only dish soap, lemi-shine and water)
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Once you go with wet tumbling using stainless steel pins you will never go back
I watched a video of a guy using a Frankford Arsenal tumbler with the pins and it seems like quite the process to be honest. Not the mention the 300ish$ to buy all the kit. I’ll have to see how it goes. Knowing myself, I might just get frustrated and go for the better method.
Tikka223,
I'm thinking the Harbour Fright unit might be a large part of your problem. There are different degrees of power, obviously. Wattage may be pretty low.
I'm using the Hornady 2L cleaner with 1.5 litres of fresh water, 3-4 ml (short teaspoon) of Lemishine detergent booster, and a tiny squirt of Dawn dish liquid. Hornady says not to use the cleaner without the plastic basket.
I use the heat cycle on the cleaner for probably 15 minutes, enough to warm the liquid. Hot tap water would be the same effect probably. I'm using softened water from a reverse osmosis system, so it's pretty clean.
4 or 5 times fired brass (not cleaned internally at all in it's life) is coming fairly clean internally in 30-40 minutes. Once fired brass is really clean internally. I clean the primer pockets with a brush first, that's stubborn stuff.
As to how much effect it has on velocity, my reloads in a 6.5 Creedmoor went from 2865 fps average with non-cleaned 4x and 5x fired brass, to 2850 fps average with cleaned brass. Over that number of firings, it's a minimal difference in my case. Carbon buildup does have an effect on case volume.
I'm thinking the Harbour Fright unit might be a large part of your problem. There are different degrees of power, obviously. Wattage may be pretty low.
I'm using the Hornady 2L cleaner with 1.5 litres of fresh water, 3-4 ml (short teaspoon) of Lemishine detergent booster, and a tiny squirt of Dawn dish liquid. Hornady says not to use the cleaner without the plastic basket.
I use the heat cycle on the cleaner for probably 15 minutes, enough to warm the liquid. Hot tap water would be the same effect probably. I'm using softened water from a reverse osmosis system, so it's pretty clean.
4 or 5 times fired brass (not cleaned internally at all in it's life) is coming fairly clean internally in 30-40 minutes. Once fired brass is really clean internally. I clean the primer pockets with a brush first, that's stubborn stuff.
As to how much effect it has on velocity, my reloads in a 6.5 Creedmoor went from 2865 fps average with non-cleaned 4x and 5x fired brass, to 2850 fps average with cleaned brass. Over that number of firings, it's a minimal difference in my case. Carbon buildup does have an effect on case volume.
Stainless pins. Old used leaking RCBS Sidewinder bought for 120.00 at gun show, Rubber seal fixed leaked.
Room temp water, dish soap and Lemishine.
Nice looking results, there really is no replacement for mechanical cleaning. At least not without spending a fortune.
+1 on the FA Rotary Tumbler! Very happy with mine. I use warm water, SS pins, a good dollop of car wash and wax liquid (Armour All, Simoniz, etc) and abut a .45 ACP case of Lemishine. I actually use a Lee powder dipper for the Lemishine but that’s all I can think to compare it to.
I used to use dish liquid but since switching to wash and wax liquid, the brass seems to go in and out of the dies a bit easier and doesn’t tarnish from handling. Brass tumbled more than a year ago still looks brand new!
I used to use dish liquid but since switching to wash and wax liquid, the brass seems to go in and out of the dies a bit easier and doesn’t tarnish from handling. Brass tumbled more than a year ago still looks brand new!
I would also suggest some factory made cleaning solution. I've used Hornady's with good results. Also, and I will probably get some flack for this, your brass does not need to be all shiny and spotless (check what some F Class shooters are doing when reloading directly from the shooting bench and still get same accuracy).
