Poor Man’s Ultrasonic Cleaner

Heavythumb

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Poor Man's Ultrasonic Cleaner

I bought an ultrasonic cleaner to clean my .45 acp pistol brass. I was disappointed with it; multiple cleaning cycles and the primer pockets were not that clean.

As an experiment I took the (used) cleaning solution, poured it into a plastic container with a screw lid, then dumped about 300 pieces of 45 acp brass in, screwed the cover on the container and taped the container lid for insurance. I then put the container in the trunk of my car.

I took the brass out of the container after a week or riding back and forth to work on crappy New England roads. I put them through the rinse cycles in the ultrasonic cleaner (I suppose I could have used the poor man's ultrasonic cleaner to rinse also) and compared them the brass I cleaned in the ultrasonic cleaner. They looked the same. Being vibrated in my trunk for a week loosened all the dirt in the primer pockets.

The next time I have to clean brass I'm going to use the poor man's ultrasonic cleaner for the cleaning and rinsing cycles. To speed up the drying I'm going to put the wet brass in a mesh laundry bag and spin it around my head to remove some of the excess moisture.

YMMV

Heavythumb
 
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I believe in being frugal and think you have got a terrific idea.
 
Moe:
I'm not frugal, I'm cheap. The difference between frugal and cheap is: Frugal - you like to save money. Cheap - you take pride in not spending money.

Heavythumb
 
I'm cheap and lazy. I don't care about shiny brass (clean is good but not required for pistol ammo) or primer pockets. I tumble brass to remove the dirt, sand and trash -- but there ain't no shine. The last time I cleaned primer pockets was in 1975 and the group size didn't get smaller.
 
Tongue firmly planted in cheek.

Engineer 1911:
"The last time I cleaned primer pockets was in 1975 and the group size didn't get smaller."

Interesting that your group size hasn't gotten smaller since 1975! :)

Maybe you should try something different to reduce your group size; like a red dot scope.

Heavythumb
 
Cleaning your brass with Stainless Steel Media will get your primer pockets super clean!!!
 
Like they say on the PBS "Red/Green" show.. if the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy".

To dry the brass... when you get to your destination, maybe you should take it out of the trunk, but it in the mesh bag, hang it on the front of the car, and then on your return trip home it will be nice and dry, and ready to use, sans any bug hitchhickers :D:D:D
 
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Like they say on the PBS "Red/Green" show.. if the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy".

To dry the brass... when you get to your destination, maybe you should take it out of the trunk, but it in the mesh bag, hang it on the front of the car, and then on your return trip home it will be nice and dry, and ready to use, sans any bug hitchhickers :D:D:D

"Quando omni flunkus moritati":D
 
Conrad:
" ... when you get to your destination, maybe you should take it out of the trunk, but it in the mesh bag, hang it on the front of the car, and then on your return trip home it will be nice and dry, and ready to use... "

When I used to white water kayak, I put my dry suit, gloves, and other accouterments in a mesh handbag and hang it off the end of the kayak for the ride home. The gear would be dry if the outside temperature was below freezing. Unfortunately with the brass, as opposed it kayaking gear, it has to have the solution rinsed a couple of times before drying.

YMMV

Heavythumb
 
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