What do you recommend to use in my new ultrasonic cleaner for gun parts? It is the type that also heats, if wanted. I do not have access to air compressor to blow dry.

Joe,

Last time I used a friend's ultrasonic we used tap water w/a squirt of Dawn dishwashing liquid. It was very effective in removing the crud from a trigger mechanism & some other gunked up parts. After removing them, we washed them off in hot tap water which actually warmed them up enough to dry almost instantly. We were fairly quick to re-oil the pieces so no rust could occur. If you do not have compressed air, I suggest you could use an inexpensive hair drier to good effect ... or at the moment just set the parts outside in the ambient temps for about a minute [hahaha] after washing them off in hot water. Too, there are the aerosol cans of dry air sold for blowing off dust on computer parts and key boards.

Best, tw

After the hot water I would blast with WD40 as it displaces water.

Years ago, Ron Peterson wrote an article on how to use a ultrasonic. His direction was to use granulated Spic and Span. Then loosen anything that sticks after the ultrasonic with a toothbrush, rinse under hot water well, then blow off water with compressed air [clears out water from inside recesses, too. Then spray well with WD 40. Wipe off excess WD 40 before reassembling. You should have at least a small shop air compressor from Harbor Freight or similar.

I have read in the distant past that simple green works well as the cleanining agent.
There are clock work ultra sonic cleaners and lubricants that also should work very well.

Simple green will rust, pit and etch metal and do a great job at degreasing. :-(. I suggest not going the simple green route. The suggestion of using dawn dish soap is a good one, it'll cut grease and grime and leave the metal alone.

Regular ATF, cut with a touch of mineral spirits avoids any possibility of rust. If I need a bit of polish, I add some ceramic pointy things I got out of an industrial deburring unit that was going to the scrap heap years ago, but, I'm told steel shot works well, also.
I rinse in mineral spirits or kerosene, and let it dry on a rag.
Compressed air, along with a good vise, is the foundation of a workshop.

Best,
Ted

Okay, what is ATF?

Automatic Transmission Fluid, you get in in automotive.

I have used Eezox in the past three years. In independent tests, nothing beats it and it does have a unique smell.
http://www.6mmbr.com/corrosiontest.html


The only time I use ATF is in the making of Ed's Red. It's a good primary bore cleaner. Equal parts of ATF, kero, min. spts and acetone.

I use water with a little simple green and non-sudsing ammonia followed by rinsing in very hot water, almost boiling, blow out with compressed air and then oiled.

2holer, you use straight Eezox in the ultrasonic?

Vises is another of my vices...

Very interesting guys, I'm impressed with the application of various fluids for this purpose.

I have a small ultrasonic leaner and generally use a household detergent in it but will try some of your ideas.

I have been warned by one or two people not to put springs in it as there are anecdotal reports of them unexpectedly breaking afterwards. Not sure if there is causality or observed co-incidence with regard to this. Anyone else have any ideas?

Just as an after touch.

A couple of additions: I use ATF for all of my bore cleaning and wipe downs. NEVER have a speck of rust appear. MY BPCR shooters put me on it as that is what they seem to use most of the time for cleaning and preservation.
Also, my trigger mechanic told me to never use WD 40 on my O/U triggers as it dries with a film and residue, but to use REM OIL.

On WD-40, I'll relate two things you might wish to be aware of:

1) I personally had a S&W .357 stainless steel revolver that refused to work [would not fire nor turn the cylinder] that had been cleaned/lubricated with WD-40 & essentially put up/stored for some extended time. I'd heard of this sort of thing before, but discounted its happening, until I experienced it.

2) A gunsmith friend refers to it as, "The gunsmith's best friend."
See #1 above.

FWIW, I use WD-40 for many things still, but using it on firearms is no longer one of them. Also, it has apparently been reformulated so that it can no longer be used as a 'starter fluid'; used to be that it could. I do not have any way of determining if what I used on my revolver was early or late fomulation. Among other handy uses, it remains an effective attractant when used on fishing lures.

I'm have used simple cleaning soulutions that we use for jewelery that will remove rouge which has some wax on locks but if I have a piece of jewelry that is caked with junk dirt and oil my new soultion is drano.I don't know if I would leave steel in it over night but gold and platinum are real safe and it works very well especially if heated.
It does give off a little smell that I am sure is not healthy.