Is it worth buying a cheap ultrasonic cleaner

[Alex Rodriguez]

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
>
>
>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.

Get on the harbor freight mail list and you will eventually get the catalog
with the unit on sale for $30 + shipping.
--------------
Alex

 

[Alex Rodriguez]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
>
>
>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.

What solvent do you use in your ultrasonic cleaner?
--------------
Alex

 

[Alex Rodriguez]

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...

>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.

One experiment on one chain is really not the best way to come to a valid
conclusion. I've managed over 15K miles on a chain I regularly cleaned.
I've never heard of anyone getting anywhere near that much use out of a
chain they never cleaned.
----------------
Alex

 

[John Henderson]

Alex Rodriguez wrote:

> What solvent do you use in your ultrasonic cleaner?

After experimenting with several liquids including water-based
solutions containing detergents, I settled on the heavier
petroleum-based paint thinner we call "mineral turpentine" (or
"turps") here in Australia.

It seems to support the proper cavitation process in the
cleaner. And I decant it for initial cleanings of a filthy
chain (shaken in a bottle). I then give it one rinse in fresh
clean turps before ultrasonic treatment (again with fresh
turps). Despite that last rinse coming out nearly clean, the
turps in the ultrasonic cleaner gets quite dirty.

John

 

[Peter Cole]

Alex Rodriguez wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] says...
>
>> 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.
>
> One experiment on one chain is really not the best way to come to a valid
> conclusion.

Sure, but it's food for thought. More experiments would be better, but I
can't think of a reason to invalidate this one.

> I've managed over 15K miles on a chain I regularly cleaned.
> I've never heard of anyone getting anywhere near that much use out of a
> chain they never cleaned.

Sure, but you don't know how long it would have lasted if you hadn't
cleaned it.