Ultrasonic Cleaners

Captain Havoc

I saw this in Aldi today. I was wondering could you use it for cleaning bike parts, like chains and cassettes?

Raam

I use a rag and a brush with some degreaser.

ashleey

Is it good for hair removal?

CheGuedara

So long as it's not as strong as the sonicating waterbaths we have in the lab (which would take the plating off an object like a cassette) it'd probably do the job, I'm gonna have to go with Raam though - degreaser, rag and brush FTW

inkedpt

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrasonic_cleaning

el tel

Ultrasonic cleaners would make the parts too clean IMO. Like girls, you want them a wee bit dirty, there's more fun to be had that way.

The tax man

I picked one up earlier today. Haven't used it yet but it's cleaning duties would be purely cassettes and chains. The tank in it isn't really large enough for anything else. I'm fed up cleaning cassettes with a toothbrush.:)
IIRC PlanetX uses something similar.

Captain Havoc

I've hired out industrial ones in the past for cleaning cutlery etc... in the hotels and found them great but I was wondering before I bought one, if it'd do any damage to the parts?

The tax man

I won't know till I use it but if I get time tonight I'll throw a manky cassette into it and see what happens.

Chips Lovell

I'm no expert, but I'm guessing if its alright for cleaning jewellery, it should be OK for bike parts?

ROK ON

FWIW, I recommend Kaboom citrus degreaser with sponge water and rag. Followed by Fenwicks lube.

Recently on my commuter I started using Fenwicks foam degreaser. Its a spray on foam. Leave on for 5mins.
Bucket of water to remove.
Drydown and lube. Its working well on a bike that is getting much abuse from gritty roads and needs a quick wash every night. I like it fir simple reason that it turns groupset cleaning to a 10minute job.

The tax man

Taken with camera phone so poor quality.:o
Certainly did a good job on a cassette not cleaned for over two months with dried up lube and road grim.
It still left a few bits on the cogs but a quick wipe sorted that. I'd usually clean my chain and cassette every two weeks so they wouldn't be anywhere near as bad as above so they'd come out spotless I'd say.
Used water with a small amount of Fenwicks FS-1 degreaser.

kumate_champ07

biological washing powder, the cheapest you can find. no need for nice fresh scent or softness!

OldPeculier

ROK ON
Where did you but the Fenwicks foam degreaser? Looks pretty quick and easy to use and not as much clean up afterwards! Would like to give it a try

ROK ON

OldPeculier wrote: »

ROK ON
Where did you but the Fenwicks foam degreaser? Looks pretty quick and easy to use and not as much clean up afterwards! Would like to give it a try

Cycleogical. Saw it, and said I would give it a try.
As I said, if you simply need to give something a quick wash it is great. Ended up using it Mon, Tues & Wed this week. Reality is that if I had to wash the drivetrain properly each night I wouldnt have bothered.
So its good on my commuter/trainer.

michael196

CheGuedara wrote: »

So long as it's not as strong as the sonicating waterbaths we have in the lab (which would take the plating off an object like a cassette) it'd probably do the job, I'm gonna have to go with Raam though - degreaser, rag and brush FTW

yep, ex lab rat here also, ultrasonics are powerful cleaners: recommendation is not to touch them when in operation ( to feel the sonication vibration) due to tissue cell damage they will cause while feeling the sonication.