Sonic cleaner care

[wscywabbit]

So I figured I would toss this out there for those of you that may have a sonic cleaner that you paid good money for. Last night I had a Lyman sonic cleaner. I say had because I don't anymore. I used it a couple days ago to clean a couple batches of brass, and forgot to dump the cleaning solution out. Last night, I went to clean another batch, and saw the cleaner was still full of fluid. The fluid was murky, but I figured it would be ok to clean a small batch, no sense in mixing up some new stuff....

Well long story short, the sediment from the last cleaning session had "clumped" together into a couple spots on the bottom of the reservoir. When I turned the cleaner on, it turned those piles into hot spots that sanded completely through the reservoir bottom in just a few minutes. The cleaner made a loud noise and quit suddenly, and I looked over to find my work bench covered in a pool of cleaning solvent and an empty reservoir.

So moral of the story is, be sure to clean your machine after every use, or you could be out of a machine and $$!

[Ranch Dog]

Yikes! Thanks for relating you experience wscywabbit!

[akuser47]

I didn't know it clumped together like that I always assumed it would slowly turn the solvent into a slushy not clump up and destroy wow. Learn somthing everyday. sorry to hear that your machine is toast.

[62chevy]

OUCH, that hurts!!!

[Fyodor]

Wow, I wouldn't expect that happen.

Thanks for sharing!

[mr surveyor]

I use nothing but a dash of Lemi-Shine, or my old stand by of 50-50 vinegar-hot water (both methods with a couple drops of liquid dish soap). Never seen anything like the OP described.

What was the "solvent" used? Was it mixed to proper proportions?

Got me curious.

JD

[wscywabbit]

The solution was vinegar water soap mix. What killed the machine was dirt and crud from brass picked up of the ground. The solution "settled" after a couple days of sitting, leaving crap in the bottom of the reservoir.

I do have a temporary solution though until I can replace the unit; put the strainer basket and solvent solution in a bowl or pot deep enough to cover your brass, and then put it on top of the clothes washer for a cycle. It takes longer, anddoesn't get quite as clean, but hey there's always clothes that need washed lol.

[Fyodor]

Quite a few people I know put the brass to clean in a zipper bag like the ones used in the kitchen. The cheaper the better, because cheap ones are made from thinner plastic foil.

That keeps the dirt inside the bag, and you also save on cleaning fluids, because all outside the bag is just plain water. It also contains the odors from the solvents, not everybody likes the smell of vinegar around.