Parts cleaning solutions.

[offshore]

I have been using an Elma 3 bowl machine with L & R cleaning solutions, and have recently purchased a 70W Ultrasonic cleaner.

I find the L & R solutions to be expensive, so am doing some research on "home brewing" cleaning solutions, and associated rinsing products.

My question is- does anyone have a recipe for a solution for an agitator style cleaner?

Secondly, what solutions do people use in ultrasonics?

And do you use flammable solutions in the tank of the ultrasonics, or do you use water as the base, and put the parts in a beaker, which contains the flammable (Naptha?- lighter fluid style) cleaners? Do you then use isopropyl (99%) as a rinse?

The responses will make interesting reading, and I will post the "recipes" I have found thus far when I see what others are using.

Offshore

[RWG Technical]

I only use the L and R solutions...and rinse with the L and R.

Ultrasonic machine, filled with water, and the solution in lab beakers. One for the cleaner, and two rinse solutions.

RG

[freddy333]

I agree with Ziggy that L&R (clean & rinse) is probably about the best option.

But I also make my own 'brew' when I run out of L&R

Cleaning

2 drops of dishwashing liquid (not the stuff for your dishwashing machine)

2 tablespoon of pure ammonia

2 cups of warm tap water

Rinsing

1 tablespoon of pure ammonia

1 tablespoon denatured alcohol

2 cups of distilled water

One Dip (or store bought chlorinated spray brake cleaner) for anything held together with shellac like pallets or balance assemblies

Also, to dry small, delicate parts that I do not want to run through the ultrasonic's dryer, either a can of compressed air, hand blower or warm boxwood sawdust (works especially well for balances).

[801run]

I agree with The Zigmeister that L&R (clean & rinse) is probably about the best option.

But I also make my own 'brew' when I run out of L&R

Cleaning

2 drops of dishwashing liquid (not the stuff for your dishwashing machine)

2 tablespoon of pure ammonia

2 cups of warm tap water

Rinsing

1 tablespoon of pure ammonia

1 tablespoon denatured alcohol

2 cups of distilled water

One Dip (or store bought chlorinated spray brake cleaner) for anything held together with shellac like pallets or balance assemblies

Also, to dry small, delicate parts that I do not want to run through the ultrasonic's dryer, either a can of compressed air, hand blower or warm boxwood sawdust (works especially well for balances).

Great info freddy (The Zigmeister and offshore as well)! I'm into home made stuff all the way =)

If one were to clean movement parts without an ultrasonic machine, would this be an adequat solvent just to use in e.g. a jar and drop the movement pieces into it and stir a bit? I'm a n00b on this and have successfully performed couple of repairs on my watches, but have not been cleaning parts while doing these repairs yet, just wiped them of sort of. I don't want to fork out hundreds of dollars for the ultrasonic (i guess the price is in that ballpark?) just yet, I don't even know the principal of that machine, how it works .. but it would be really nice to be able to clean parts at least to some degree. I was thinking pure acetone at first, your solvent is perhaps more suitable for the machine, it must be water based? Maybe pure acetone in a jar can harm movement parts?

Very greatful for any tips about cleaning!

Sorry if I'm not using all the correct terms here, not native english speaking ..

Cheers!

801run

[offshore]

Today I visited my local chemical supplier, and purchased a large quantity of chemicals, to brew various cleaners and rinses.

To put this in perspective, I pay here +$100 for 5L of L & R #111 cleaning solution.

I arrived home with almost 30L of various chemicals, having spent $120.

I now have 5L of mechanical cleaner, 10L of mechanical rinse, 2L of ultrasonic cleaner and 2L of ultrasonic rinse.

Also 1L of "One Dip" for main springs/ hair springs and balances, 1L of Duo lube, and 1L of Solo lube.

As I have left over good quantities of the lesser used products, my next batch of #111 will cost me under $30, as I only now need the main ingredient (White Spirit, aka VM & P Naptha.)

Just finished a couple of cleaning jobs, and the results are at least as good as from the professionally brewed product.

If anyone would like the recipes, the MSDS sheets for the L & R products will give you a great start. Then cobble together info from the various forums, and you have your recipes.

And the excercise also identified just how volatile some of this stuff is, so it is a good lesson in maintaining good storage and useage habits.

Offshore

[freddy333]

If one were to clean movement parts without an ultrasonic machine, would this be an adequat solvent just to use in e.g. a jar and drop the movement pieces into it and stir a bit? I'm a n00b on this and have successfully performed couple of repairs on my watches, but have not been cleaning parts while doing these repairs yet, just wiped them of sort of. I don't want to fork out hundreds of dollars for the ultrasonic (i guess the price is in that ballpark?) just yet, I don't even know the principal of that machine, how it works .. but it would be really nice to be able to clean parts at least to some degree. I was thinking pure acetone at first, your solvent is perhaps more suitable for the machine, it must be water based? Maybe pure acetone in a jar can harm movement parts?

Because of the cavitation effects of ultrasonic cleaning, you can get away with slightly less powerful degreasing solvents. However, for hand or agitation machine cleaning, I think it is probably best to use a standard cleaning solution or, if mixing your own, higher strengths of the solvents since the solvents are forced to shoulder alot more of the actual cleaning than is the case with an ultrasonic. (By the way, you can get very acceptable results from 1 of the inexpensive ultrasonics designed for home use. That is what I started out with & still use for larger clock parts. Search for 1 of the Haier ultrasonics on ebay - about $40 or any of the other similar units. Highly recommended.)

[Drulee]

I know this is an old thread, but I was wondering about the LandR Ultrasonic washing and rinsing solutions mentioned by The Zigmeister. The local watch parts distributor has a sale on the stuff, so I'll picking up some jugs to use with my home (cheap one, but works great) cleaner.

What I'd like to know is whether I use the LandR full strength, or diluted in distilled water? Remember It's just for personal use, so maybe five or six movements worth of parts every few months ...

Thx

And if The Zigmeister is back and browsing the forum, check your email

[offshore]

Hi Dr,

I certainly don't dilute any of my cleaning fluids, and if you did, you would use X55 (White Spirit) or similar, definetly not water.

And as X55 is a major constituent anyway, you would only be altering the ratios.

What I have found is effective in the Ultrasonic, is to put the cleaner and parts into a small beaker, and then put the beaker into the Ultrasonic bath which is full of water. The pulses still travel through the water , through the beaker, and work equally well on the fluid in the beaker.

This way I am using much less cleaner on each wash.

Offshore