I didn't know this. Is this true of all types of plastic? I always use a plastic basket instead of a metal basket to avoid metal-against-metal in the ultrasonic. If plastic and metal baskets are out, what else is there? Also, I use a glass beaker sometimes. Is this OK?
Try a fish net for aquariums, although I have used a plastic basket
for yrs with no problems.
My cleaner isn't a big professional model by any means, but it came equipped with a plastic basket. Seems to work OK.
I have heard put a 3" sq aluminum foil in the solution, let it go
for a few minutes. if it makes holes in the foil, works fine. If no
holes, ultrasonic is going bad. Also found don’t put the basket on the
BOTTOM of the machine, should suspend the basket, works better.
David Geller
Happy New Year: Just a hint for ultrasonic baskets. Go to the local
beer barn and get a stack of beer cups. You know the ones you
generally get with a keg for a party. They are very thin and do not
mask the ultrasonic action to a great degree. You can use less
cleaning solution. Just cover the items to be cleaned and as an
added bonus you only have to make one solution for the main tank.
Keep it within 1 to 1.5 inches from the tanks edge. You should never
have to drain and clean the main tank as nothing dirty is placed in
it. You will probably have to go to a sign shop and scrounge a piece
of plexi or lexan and create a tank cover with holes to fit the beer
cups.
Advantage: You can always find the loose sparkler and have the
recoverable polishing material with the GOLD for refining. You can
use a clean solution for each job. No mess on the tank from
"drag-out". Disadvantage: large pieces will probably have to into
the main tank solutions but I am sure you can live with that (GRIN)
Try it, you be amazed how much money went down the drain before you
went to the “beer cup solution”.
Best wishes for a fantastic 2010
Mike & Dale.
Lone Star Technical Service.
PS We can repair Vibrograf Mark V watch cleaners and are going to
Switzerland to train at Witschi to support ( repair ) their watch
timers and water “proofing” instruments.
Hi Angela,
I should have been more clear… I was speaking about finished
goods: after finishing and polish.
Cavitation, the myriad bubbles generated by the ultrasonic (which
break against the surface of the object and does the cleaning and
scrubbing of the piece) seem to concentrate on areas of porosity,
especially in silver, leaving a milky haze or veil. Even after
burnishing or “pit pounding” shut the porosity.
But this is noticable after polish. A rough casting would be no
worse, I think.
The ultrasonic is one of those tools that I treat with respect in my
studio. It seems to have a knack for finding any flaw in casting,
fabricating, stone setting and material quality.
Happy New Year,
Andy
We always had 2 ultrasonic, one for cleaning out the polishing stuff
and after that into a cleaner ultrasonic fluid.
David Geller
Jamie - The sonic works with the vibrations from the transducers
under the tub. If you use something other than metal, you will
dampen the vibrations to the workpiece. Metal transmits better, soft
plastics worse. If you want to use plastic, at least use a hard
plastic. Metal to metal shouldn’t matter if your sonic basket or
rack is well polished.
Judy Hoch
You can always suspend a metal basket so it doesn’t touch the bottom
or sides of an ultrasonic. It works for me.
KPK
Jamie,
I have always used a mesh strainer (you can buy them very cheaply)
in the ultrasonic and haven’t run into any problems with cleaning
away flux, polishing & buffing compounds or anything else for that
manner. If you still aren’t sure about using a “net” you can also
consider suspending a make shift hook into the cleaner, but this only
works if what you are cleaning had a hole in it.
Cassandra
www.cbjewelrydesigns.com
Wow, in all the years we’ve been using our ultrasonic with plastic
containers floating in it we have NEVER had any problems cleaning
anything. If there is a loss of sonic vibration, we sure can’t
detect it. But really, we can’t see a problem here.
It sure is wonderful to be able to find those half pointers that
inevitably fall out of the more ornate settings that are so popular
today.
Also, now that cold dry weather is setting in, we seem to be able to
avoid the dry cracked finger syndrome that we used to suffer with
ammonia based products, thanks to the Zep orange degreaser, which
does not seem to irritate the skin nearly as much as other cleaners.
The ultrasonic itself can trash a sterling item-- especially a casting that might have small porosities or shrink spot porosity.
Angela, an ultra sonic will trash any metal high polish with any
porosity if used too long. Soap (and gawd forbid ammonia) works quick
wonders on polishing compounds. For investment I use a generic high
pressure deck washer from the local hardware store, a heavy rubber
glove and a trash barrel with clear top cover to contain the mess.
Investment doesn’t stand a chance, I’ll even blast machined waxes.
jeffD
Demand Designs
Analog/Digital Modelling & Goldsmithing
http://www.gmavt.net/~jdemand