Sale on Ultrasonic Cleaners

[orvet]

The topic of ultrasonic cleaners arises from time to time among the knife mechanics.

I have been interested for some time in finding a larger capacity ultrasonic cleaner that has longer timed cycles than either of the ultrasonic cleaners I currently have.
It just so happens Grizzly Industries is having a sale on them.

https://www.grizzly.com/products/Bald-E ... ter/BE1163

The sale price is enough to offset the shipping price so it essentially amounts to free shipping for a .75 Liter ultrasonic cleaner. It gives you a basket which appears to be large enough to accommodate several folding hunters and the same time.

Just thought I would share that with y'all.

[Doc B]

That's a pretty good price and appears to have a decent size basket. I use mine quite a bit...jewelry, knives, etc

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

I noticed that one doesn't have a heater element - does that matter for cleaning knives, jewelry and other small items? Do you use just water as the media, or something else?

[tongueriver]

I had no idea that I needed one, but I bought one anyway just now.

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

Looking at the specs, The Grizzly appears to have the exact same guts as this one, just in a slightly different case and a bit more (750 ml vs 600 ml) capacity:
https://www.amazon.com/Magnasonic-Profe ... B007Q2M17K

[Doc B]

By-the-way...welcome back TFL ! Good to see you back.
I don't think the heating component is that critical. Mine has one. I usually run items for 30-35 minutes, with tap water and a little liquid dish soap. If you want to use warm water...you can heat a cup or two, in the microwave.

[TwoFlowersLuggage]

By-the-way...welcome back TFL ! Good to see you back.
I don't think the heating component is that critical. Mine has one. I usually run items for 30-35 minutes, with tap water and a little liquid dish soap. If you want to use warm water...you can heat a cup or two, in the microwave.

[orvet]

I haven't got my new one yet, but I don't believe either of my other units have a heating element. They do get hot just from being running but I don't know that they actually have a heating element in them.

The first one I got only runs for like 25 or 30 seconds and then it shuts off. If I want to run it longer I have to keep turning it back on. If I run it five or six Cycles consecutively it does get warm. But I don't believe it has a heating element, but I never disassemble that to see.

[orvet]

Here's an inside shot of the basket in my new ultrasonic cleaner. The knives are Western Folding Hunters and I actually ran the cleaner with three Western folding hunters in the basket.
There is no mention nor control for a heating element on this cleaner but likely others when you run it more than about five minutes the water gets more, sometimes the water will even be steaming.
I'm quite pleased with the new ultrasonic cleaner and works great and saves me a lot of time.

[Jeffinn]

I have an ultrasonic cleaner from my jewelry days with a built in heater. The heater really gets the fluid hot. But I’ve noticed that water with some Dawn dishwashing soap when super heated in the ultrasonic cleaner tends to cleate some blackening of any of the raw carbon steel parts. I’m not sure why the heated liquid behaves in that way but after a couple of knives going south on me I’ve shied away from the ultrasonic cleaner.
They are indispensable for removing compound, dirt and grime but my past few experiences have made me go back to hand cleaning with a small brush and some dishwashing detergent.
Has anyone else experienced this or is it just me? Maybe Im leaving them in too long?
Thanks.
Jeff

[Doc B]

The only knife I ever saw it affect, was a celluloid imperial with black stripes. The black stripes were seemingly superficial (painted?) and after the ultrasonic...were pretty much gone...leaving the base layer of celluloid.

[orvet]

I have an ultrasonic cleaner from my jewelry days with a built in heater. The heater really gets the fluid hot. But I’ve noticed that water with some Dawn dishwashing soap when super heated in the ultrasonic cleaner tends to cleate some blackening of any of the raw carbon steel parts. I’m not sure why the heated liquid behaves in that way but after a couple of knives going south on me I’ve shied away from the ultrasonic cleaner.
They are indispensable for removing compound, dirt and grime but my past few experiences have made me go back to hand cleaning with a small brush and some dishwashing detergent.
Has anyone else experienced this or is it just me? Maybe Im leaving them in too long?
Thanks.
Jeff

My small sonic cleaner gets hot fast and I have noticed the darkening on some of the brass, but not the steel. The darkening of the brass will buff off but if it's affecting the carbon steel I would probably reduce the time, so the vibrations themselves don't need the water and darken the steel.