Is it worth buying a cheap ultrasonic cleaner

[Mike DeMicco]

Is it worth buying a cheap ultrasonic cleaner to clean bicycle chains
and cassettes? I can't seem to get my chain as clean as I would like by
the old scrub, soak and shake routine in Simple Green. It also takes
longer than I would like. www.harborfreight.com has two units, one is
$40 and the other is $150.

--
Mike DeMicco <[email protected]>

 

[landotter]

Mike DeMicco wrote:
> Is it worth buying a cheap ultrasonic cleaner to clean bicycle chains
> and cassettes? I can't seem to get my chain as clean as I would like by
> the old scrub, soak and shake routine in Simple Green. It also takes
> longer than I would like. www.harborfreight.com has two units, one is
> $40 and the other is $150.
>
> --
> Mike DeMicco <[email protected]>

I used to use Simple Green, and it's still a loved member of my
household, but not for chain cleaning, it just wasnt' a match for the
gookiest of gook. I switched to a solution of half paint thinner and
half gear oil, and clean it on bike using a toothbrush in a ventilated
area. The dirt just drips off. Would be even easier with a chain
cleaner. After evaporation you get a nice thin film of oil left. Wipe
dry and ride.

A little off subject, but what I'm getting at is that there's a
solution between Simple Green and investing in an US cleaner. They are
nice devices tho, especially if people in your family are fond of
jewelry.

 

[[email protected]]

how gritty is your chain?
if placed in thinner - a gallon jug top cut off - and shaken back and
forth say 3-4 minutes
are the rollers and sideplates interfaces still crunchy with grit?
is this the problem?

 

[Mike Krueger]

Mike DeMicco wrote:
> Is it worth buying a cheap ultrasonic cleaner to clean bicycle chains
> and cassettes? I can't seem to get my chain as clean as I would like by
> the old scrub, soak and shake routine in Simple Green. It also takes
> longer than I would like. www.harborfreight.com has two units, one is
> $40 and the other is $150.

Try shaking the chain vigorously in a discarded 1-liter soda bottle
half-filled with lacquer thinner or paint thinner. That should get it
pretty clean, plus no rinsing needed afterwards. The solvent can be
saved, decanted, and reused a number of times.

 

[Mike DeMicco]

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] wrote:

> how gritty is your chain?
> if placed in thinner - a gallon jug top cut off - and shaken back and
> forth say 3-4 minutes
> are the rollers and sideplates interfaces still crunchy with grit?
> is this the problem?

It's not the outside of the chain that I'm concerned with, it's the
inside. I also don't want to use petroleum based solvents, because they
present disposal problems.

--
Mike DeMicco <[email protected]>

 

[davet]

Mike DeMicco wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] wrote:
>
> > how gritty is your chain?
> > if placed in thinner - a gallon jug top cut off - and shaken back and
> > forth say 3-4 minutes
> > are the rollers and sideplates interfaces still crunchy with grit?
> > is this the problem?
>
> It's not the outside of the chain that I'm concerned with, it's the
> inside. I also don't want to use petroleum based solvents, because they
> present disposal problems.
>
> --
> Mike DeMicco <[email protected]>
I've got a medium sized ultrasonic cleaner I bought used from a jeweler
when he upgraded his. I use a mix of Simple Green, water, dishsoap and
a wee bit of ammonia. It really gets everything *very* clean!

 

[Blue Gator]

Mike DeMicco wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] wrote:
>
>
>>how gritty is your chain?
>>if placed in thinner - a gallon jug top cut off - and shaken back and
>>forth say 3-4 minutes
>>are the rollers and sideplates interfaces still crunchy with grit?
>>is this the problem?
>
>
> It's not the outside of the chain that I'm concerned with, it's the
> inside. I also don't want to use petroleum based solvents, because they
> present disposal problems.
>
I received samples of some commercial/industrial Simple Green products
while a buyer for my previous employer. My favorite is Crystal Simple
Green, a concentrated degreaser. It works 100 times better than regular
Simple Green and is still environmentally safe. You should be able to
find it at industrial or even janitorial supply houses.

www.industrial.simplegreen.com/ind_prod_cry.php

 

[Richard B]

Mike DeMicco <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> Is it worth buying a cheap ultrasonic cleaner to clean bicycle chains
> and cassettes? I can't seem to get my chain as clean as I would like
> by the old scrub, soak and shake routine in Simple Green. It also
> takes longer than I would like. www.harborfreight.com has two units,
> one is $40 and the other is $150.
>

I use a small ultrasonic cleaner (not quite big enough for to fit a
cassette ). I use ZEP Orange Cleaner (available from Home Depot in
gallon bottles). I put the chain in the ultrasonic unit with straight
cleaner and then clean the rest of my bike. By the time I am done
cleaning the bike the chain is ready for final cleaning. I rinse the
chain in a large mouth drink bottle with cleaner and then again with
fresh cleaner, just to make sure all the loose crud is washed off. I
rinse the chain in water to remove the orange cleaner and blow it dry
with the compressor and then I let it air dry. After the chain is
completely dry and sparkling clean, I install it on the bike and
lubricate the rollers individually.

I figure I changed my first chain after about 2K miles when I was still
using petroleum based solvent and no ultrasonic cleaner; my replacement
chain has lasted 4k miles so far. After 6K total miles my cassette is
just beginning to show some wear on my favorite cogs.

PS. I also use straight ZEP cleaner on my hands to remove grease and
oil, it works just fine.

Rich

 

[Werehatrack]

On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 15:10:47 -0700, Mike DeMicco
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Is it worth buying a cheap ultrasonic cleaner to clean bicycle chains
>and cassettes?

Not to me, and I have one. The small ones aren't big enough to take a
cassette anyway.

>I can't seem to get my chain as clean as I would like by
>the old scrub, soak and shake routine in Simple Green. It also takes
>longer than I would like. www.harborfreight.com has two units, one is
>$40 and the other is $150.

The $150 unit would probably be big enough to take a cassette, but
frankly, unless you have a serious cleanliness fetish, ordinary
methods will get a cassette as clean as is reasonably needed. Trying
to get all of the grit out of the works in a chain is, in my
experience, a task best accomplished by a quart of solvent in a
two-liter soda bottle. Tie a string to one end of the chain, drop the
chain into the solvent inside the bottle (with the string hanging
out), cap it, and shake. Pull out the clean chain, allow to dry; cap
the bottle, let the crud settle out, pour the clear solvent off into
the next empty two-liter bottle, and toss the crud and old bottle in
the trash.

You would not extend the life of the cassettes by enough to justify
the $150 price of the ultrasonic cleaner, IMO. (In fact, I doubt that
you'd extend it at all.)
--
Typoes are a feature, not a bug.
Some gardening required to reply via email.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

 

[Peter Cole]

Mike DeMicco wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] wrote:
>
>> how gritty is your chain?
>> if placed in thinner - a gallon jug top cut off - and shaken back and
>> forth say 3-4 minutes
>> are the rollers and sideplates interfaces still crunchy with grit?
>> is this the problem?
>
> It's not the outside of the chain that I'm concerned with, it's the
> inside. I also don't want to use petroleum based solvents, because they
> present disposal problems.
>

Use paint thinner. You don't have disposal problems because you never
have to throw it away. Just settle it between cleanings in a coffee can
or something similar. It will last forever.

A NG member did an experiment a while back comparing chain wear between
cleaned and uncleaned chain sections (he split the chain). He found no
difference. I haven't bothered to clean any chains since then, and don't
notice much difference. I buy the cheapest chains I can find and just
wipe them occasionally with an old rag.

 

[Wayne Pein]

You could put the chain in a solvent (I use kerosene) in a closed
container and put it on the washing machine when washing clothes. The
subtle vibrations shake it around.

Wayne

 

[Tom The Great]

On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 15:10:47 -0700, Mike DeMicco
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Is it worth buying a cheap ultrasonic cleaner to clean bicycle chains
>and cassettes? I can't seem to get my chain as clean as I would like by
>the old scrub, soak and shake routine in Simple Green. It also takes
>longer than I would like. www.harborfreight.com has two units, one is
>$40 and the other is $150.


I guess if you have the money, but I get good results with the bowl
and cleaning solution placed on a dryer. For tough cleaning, I guess
I could put sneakers in the dryer.

later,

tom @ www.NoCostAds.com

 

[[email protected]]

wikipedia -
Ultrasonic cleaning
Ultrasonic cleaners, sometimes mistakenly called supersonic cleaners,
are used at frequencies from 20-40 kHz for jewellery, lenses and other
optical parts, watches, dental instruments, surgical instruments and
industrial parts. The main mechanism for cleaning action in an
ultrasonic cleaner is the energy released from the collapse of millions
of microscopic cavitation events occurring near the dirty surface. The
bubbles formed by cavitation collapse through themselves forming tiny
jets directed at the surface. Home cleaners are available and costs
range from approximately US $60.

occurring near the dirty surface?

is there a sideplate-roller penetration issue here?

 

[Matt O'Toole]

On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 15:10:47 -0700, Mike DeMicco wrote:

> Is it worth buying a cheap ultrasonic cleaner to clean bicycle chains
> and cassettes? I can't seem to get my chain as clean as I would like by
> the old scrub, soak and shake routine in Simple Green. It also takes
> longer than I would like. www.harborfreight.com has two units, one is
> $40 and the other is $150.

I had one I bought at a garage sale and it was great. Just let the chain
soak in there awhile, pull it out, install it, and lube it. Nothing could
be easier. Mine was larger so I could use it for other stuff too. But a
small one just for the chain would be useful, if the convenience is worth
$40 to you.

Matt O.

 

[Michael Press]

In article
<[email protected]>,
[email protected] wrote:

> wikipedia -
> Ultrasonic cleaning
> Ultrasonic cleaners, sometimes mistakenly called supersonic cleaners,
> are used at frequencies from 20-40 kHz for jewellery, lenses and other
> optical parts, watches, dental instruments, surgical instruments and
> industrial parts. The main mechanism for cleaning action in an
> ultrasonic cleaner is the energy released from the collapse of millions
> of microscopic cavitation events occurring near the dirty surface. The
> bubbles formed by cavitation collapse through themselves forming tiny
> jets directed at the surface. Home cleaners are available and costs
> range from approximately US $60.
>
> occurring near the dirty surface?
>
> is there a sideplate-roller penetration issue here?

I do not understand the question. The cavitation occurs on
inner surfaces as well as outer surfaces. The sound is
transmitted through the fluid, so if the fluid is in
contact with any surface, that surface is cleaned. Is this
what you mean?

--
Michael Press

 

[[email protected]]

The sound is transmitted through the fluid, so if the fluid is in
>contact with any surface, that surface is cleaned. Is this
> what you mean?
sound waves flow thru the fluid. when the sound waves hit the surface,
bounce back, then intererence from incoming and outgoing waves cause
cavitation roiling grit off the outer surface?
i dunno fersure - i thought i'd ask

 

[John Henderson]

Mike Krueger wrote:

> Try shaking the chain vigorously in a discarded 1-liter soda
> bottle half-filled with lacquer thinner or paint thinner. That
> should get it pretty clean, plus no rinsing needed afterwards.
> The solvent can be saved, decanted, and reused a number of
> times.

I do this treatment. But after that the chain goes into the
ultrasonic cleaner. And a _lot_ more gunk comes out then.

John

 

[Donald Gillies]

Mike DeMicco <[email protected]> writes:

>Is it worth buying a cheap ultrasonic cleaner to clean bicycle chains
>and cassettes? I can't seem to get my chain as clean as I would like by
>the old scrub, soak and shake routine in Simple Green. It also takes
>longer than I would like. www.harborfreight.com has two units, one is
>$40 and the other is $150.

I'd like to recommend the PARK chain-cleaning hand-tool, including the
fluid from PARK. I bought one more as a curiousity than anything
else, but in about 5 minutes it cleaned 2 "they look gone" chains on a
used tandem, saving me $45+ and I decided the $29 investment was well
spent. I do not think that the imitations of this tool are half as
good.

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA

 

[Michael Press]

In article
<[email protected]>,
[email protected] wrote:

> The sound is transmitted through the fluid, so if the fluid is in
> >contact with any surface, that surface is cleaned. Is this
> > what you mean?
> sound waves flow thru the fluid. when the sound waves hit the surface,
> bounce back, then intererence from incoming and outgoing waves cause
> cavitation roiling grit off the outer surface?
> i dunno fersure - i thought i'd ask

Sound travels through matter thanks to inter molecular
forces. In an ultrasonic cleaner the sound waves are so
strong that the IMF's sometimes at some points cannot
transmit them. Then the molecules are pulled away from one
another. A bubble forms in the liquid; these bubbles are
called cavitation bubbles. The larger the bubble, the less
concentrated force required to make the bubble grow
larger. This latter effect is really geometry; the smaller
the radius of curvature, the greater the collapsing force
induced by IMFs. Therefore once a small bubble is formed,
it takes less power to grow than to form. When the bubble
collapses it does so with a little, concentrated shock
wave that disturbs the gunk on the surface to be cleaned.

Another effect that favors the cleaning is that it is
easier to form the original bubble on a pointy piece of
matter like crud on a surface.

Cavitation occurs on all surfaces in the bath, even the
interstices of the chain, since the liquid transmits the
sound every where in the liquid.

--
Michael Press

 

[Eric]

On Thu, 01 Jun 2006 15:10:47 -0700, Mike DeMicco
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Is it worth buying a cheap ultrasonic cleaner to clean bicycle chains
>and cassettes? I can't seem to get my chain as clean as I would like by
>the old scrub, soak and shake routine in Simple Green. It also takes
>longer than I would like. www.harborfreight.com has two units, one is
>$40 and the other is $150.

I splurged and got the $150 version, although it was on sale (I don't
recall the sale price). It works well, although it only runs for ~8
minutes (480 seconds?), so you have to cycle it several times to get a
good cleaning. It comes with a basket that will hold a chain, rear
cluster and pulleys. I've been using simple green diluted with water,
about 40/60%. The results are about the same as using mineral spirits.
The big reason I bought it was because I don't have an easy way to
dispose of/store mineral spirits (I live in an apartment), and dispite
what I've read here, decanting and filtering didn't seem to do a good
job (and I usually managed to spill stuff all over the place). Simple
green works well enough for me, and using a Parifin based lube keeps
the dust from collecting on the chain as much to begin with.

Another nice thing about it is that I can use it to clean lots of
other stuff.