Hi All, I’ve never used an ultrasonic; just saw a sweet price for a
small one at Harbor Freight.
What makes an ultrasonic worth getting?
I am mainly a hobbyist, but do do some selling out of my studio. I
work mainly in silver, copper and brass; and many of my pieces
incorporate gemstones and various found objects.
What can the ultrasonic do?
What can it not do?
Is a small one usable? Or not worth the trouble?
Thanks for any input.
Tracy
@tracymunn2
The cheap ones don’t work worth a darn. As far as ultrasonics go,
you get what you pay for.
K. in Kansas
Tracy,
The beauty of an Ultrasonic is the time it saves in the cleaning
process. A good Ultrasonic machine will have a heater to heat up the
cleaning solution. Also an Ultrasonic works by sending up small
bubbles that implode when they hit the piece being cleaned. This
helps knock off the dirt or polishing compounds.
If you are just doing one or two pieces it may be just as quick to
clean by hand with a tooth brush but if you are cleaning multiple
pieces this is a time saver.
It is also useful to Clean a piece in the Ultrasonic after Pickling
and rinsing. This helps remove any left over oxidation on the
surface.
If you decide to use an Ultrasonic, make sure you familiarize
yourself with what materials should not be placed in the machine.
Some materials like Opal, Emerald,Coral, Amber and Pearls should not
be place in an Ultrasonic.
Good Luck
Greg DeMark
email: greg@demarkjewelry.com
Website: www.demarkjewelry.com
Website: www.outdrs.net/~demark