"Intrigued by the little ultrasonic bath - has anyone used one of these for cleaning small parts? just curious"-
I have used ultrasonic cleaners in two occupations. After college I was an Optician. They clean eyeglasses well- not just the lens but also the corrosion in the hinges, that tight area at the junction of the frame and lens edge, and most of the tight spaces around the nose pads. Complete in a very few minutes.Some like to add soap but rinse it off well if you do. They are great for plastic or metal frames. I've seen some old ones come out with an amazing difference.There is bubbling in the liquid, it's a pretty vigorous mechanical agitation, controlled by a rheostat in most models i think.. I am certain they would work well for some small bike parts but honestly never tried it.
Later as a lab microbiologist we used them as sonicators to dislodge bacterial cells and spores collected, but still attached to a substrate in samples. At high intensity sonicators rupture bacterial cell walls if I remember right. So i guess there is some sanitizing action (sanitizing is reduction not complete elimination of pathogens)At the time I thought about buying one for home use-anything.Maybe I still should.For a deep down clean it's hard to beat. I hope they don't remove delicate annonized areas!
My mentor said when you get your Washington job they take your toys away.Think it was true.But I didn't have the bike bug as strong then to replace my lab toys.And I never had great mechanical ability anyway like most of you probably do.
BTW never clean the frame of a bike with box stripes using 70-100% alcohol. Clean, sanitary, but.. the pinstripes of some paints used for pinstripes dissolve!
Mark (once happy optician, then happy lab food safety microbiologist then happy regulatory food safety microbilogist, now finally workin from home and happy owner of a very sanitary bike)Cutrufelli Happy happy in Laurel,MD
-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-admin@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-admin@bikelist.org]On Behalf Of Paul Williams Sent: Friday, November 29, 2002 7:45 PM To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: Re. [CR]Was: 0000 Bronze Wool: Now: what a resource!
Pete Geurds has directed our attention to:
McMaster-Carr at:http://www.mcmaster.com/
All I can say is thank you, what a resource. 390,000 products:- Everything from light-bulbs to urinals, o-rings to platform trucks!!! I have spent a couple of hours looking at all the different forms of polishing materials and buffing devices. I will definitely try them out. Intrigued by the little ultrasonic bath - has anyone used one of these for cleaning small parts? just curious!
Paul "had one of those looks from my SO when i showed her the site" Williams, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada _______________________________________________
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