Good ultrasonic cleaning machine
Moderator: robbosmans
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I am thinking of going full nerd to clean my chain/casettes. What ultrasonic cleaner would you advise? Or is it even needed?(i.e. is there an easier/better way fir someone lazy like me?)
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I bought a cheap one and it's pure crap despite having an industrial piezo element. Must be something with the electronics or bond, or head malfunction.
It doesn't have any power after a minute or two. The vibrations nearly subside and the chains come out almost as dirty.
The next one I buy will be high power with lots of watts. Seems to me the optimal size is the 6-6.5 liters where you can actually fit chainrings or a crank. (Assuming you don't want to waste too much space storing the machine.)
I can choose between 40kHz or 28kHz. I don't know what frequency cleans bike parts better. Can someone help? Thanks
It doesn't have any power after a minute or two. The vibrations nearly subside and the chains come out almost as dirty.
The next one I buy will be high power with lots of watts. Seems to me the optimal size is the 6-6.5 liters where you can actually fit chainrings or a crank. (Assuming you don't want to waste too much space storing the machine.)
I can choose between 40kHz or 28kHz. I don't know what frequency cleans bike parts better. Can someone help? Thanks
- wheelsONfire
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Citrus degreaser, try it and see if you get somewhere without the "ultrasonic boom"
Bikes:
Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)
Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.
Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)
Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.
There might be guidance in manual. I think it depends on the surface roughness / material. These are hazy half fragments from a video I once watched.alcatraz wrote:I bought a cheap one and it's pure crap despite having an industrial piezo element. Must be something with the electronics or bond, or head malfunction.
It doesn't have any power after a minute or two. The vibrations nearly subside and the chains come out almost as dirty.
The next one I buy will be high power with lots of watts. Seems to me the optimal size is the 6-6.5 liters where you can actually fit chainrings or a crank. (Assuming you don't want to waste too much space storing the machine.)
I can choose between 40kHz or 28kHz. I don't know what frequency cleans bike parts better. Can someone help? Thanks
There are as you might know important distinctions between something that's called a sonic cleaner and an an actual industrial sonic cleaner. Think real ones are pretty serious machines which create actual cavitation bubbles. The other ones are glorified minj jacuzzi baths it seems.
There are some threads on various forums and articles on the Velonews about how Simple Green can eat at the surface of metals and cause cracking of things like chain side plates. That is when the part is left sitting in simple green for a long period of time, so shorter term it's probably OK, but worth keeping in mind for immersion type cleaning. Simple Green makes some other versions of their cleaner which avoid the problem.
ZeroFrictionCycling has a chain cleaning guide for ultrasonic cleaners and recommends them only to be used for the last polishing step of the chain clean for RACE chains.RocketRacing wrote: ↑Sun May 19, 2019 2:23 amI am thinking of going full nerd to clean my chain/casettes. What ultrasonic cleaner would you advise? Or is it even needed?(i.e. is there an easier/better way fir someone lazy like me?)
1. remove chain from bike (otherwise just give up on the "clean" bit*)
2. turpentine bath (x-until visibly clean turps)
3. turpentine ultrasonic clean x2
4. methylated spirits ultrasonic clean x2 (get rid of any turps/contamination)
see the full nerd guide here
https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/wp-c ... verted.pdf
*anything that will degrease a chain on your bike will be a pretty strong solvent and will probably do more damage than good, e.g. strip your bearing grease too
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Good tips. The only issue i have with any process is that jockey wheels, casettes, and chainrings need to be clean also, or much of it is for nothing. All a bit of a losing battle. Especially with offroad.
“Soak in gasoline for 10 mins. Shake for two mins.
Use degreaser to remove oil residue. Wash degreaser off with water. Let completely dry.
Make a batch of 1/3 paraffin wax, 1/3 paraffin oil and 1/3 xylene and soak for 30 mins.
You will see the grimy sand and metal pieces come out from in between the pins. If you are sceptical get a magnet after the gasoline soak and see all the metal particulates attach to the magnet.”
Might do something like this, and wipe down the toothed parts of the drivetrain at the same time... and use wet lube to simplify further.
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Anyone have a reasonably priced unit that they reccomend?
- wheelsONfire
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Have you search info with regards to what effect (wattage) and heat you'd need? If the machine is handling oil, wax, grease and perhaps tar?thelorax121 wrote: ↑Mon May 20, 2019 5:09 pmAnyone have a reasonably priced unit that they reccomend?
Next possible hassle is to clean the machine and parts?
Bikes:
Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)
Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.
Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)
Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.
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"Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic"
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Fujee Espree (Maroon) - 11.02kg
I need one large enough for those MTB pie pan cassettes
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2018 BMC TImeMachine Road
2002 Moots Compact-SL- getting aero look makeover
2019 Parlee Z0XD - "classified"
2023 Pivot E-Vault - completed project, full Xplr package
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Look for one that gets the bath nice and hot. That helps loosen up/thin any greasy gunk on your parts.