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Thread: Ultrasonic cleaning

  1. #1

    Default Ultrasonic cleaning

    Why do I get grey areas on sterling and on 999 when cleaning using the sonic bath? I use distilled water and amonia as cleaning agent. The photo is an attempt to show this but it is very difficult to get it to show on a photo. (not sure if photo will show)



    Any help will be greatly appreciated.

    Frans

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
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    668

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    Quote Originally Posted by FineJewelleryandArt View Post
    Why do I get grey areas on sterling and on 999 when cleaning using the sonic bath? I use distilled water and amonia as cleaning agent. The photo is an attempt to show this but it is very difficult to get it to show on a photo. (not sure if photo will show)



    Any help will be greatly appreciated.

    Frans
    Does this only happen when cleaning with the sonic bath - or could it be firestain that you would get whichever way you chose to finish the piece?

  3. #3
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    Mar 2013
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    I'd suggest it's fire scale but it's only visible when the piece is super cleaned ie. Ultransonic.

    Nick

  4. #4

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    Not firestain. I can wipe it off by rubbing with a cloth or by polishing with a green rotary brushj. I have seen this before where a solder joint had a small pit in it. In this case, however, it is occuring in various places across the metal and not on any joint. I did not roll the metal but used it as procured from Cookson. I go through all the trouble to buff it and then the removal of the buff medium with the sonic does this.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Devon
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    Hi Nick
    I'm watching this thread with interest as I too get a few problems with ultrasonics on highly polished items. The image resolution on your photo isn't sufficient for me to see your problem but I sometimes get a sort of clouding on the surface. The only thing I can put it down to is dirt and metal particles in the liquid vibrating against the surface. It is worse with long periods in the bath and improves if I change the liquid frequently
    Obviously contact with other items should be avoided. I also suspend vulnerable items on a piece of 'shaped' strimmer line so that there is no contact with the sides or bottom of the bath.....even contact with the plastic strainer has caused me problems.
    will be interested in other opinions.
    Tim

  6. #6
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    Sep 2013
    Location
    Shropshire
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    I was having problems with mysterious white markings from the ultrasonic on my silver last year. I left the ultrasonic to gather dust but then re-tried on a whim about a month ago and suddenly it works fine! What did I change? Well, I get less compound left on the silver these days (practice making perfect-ish perhaps?), so things only need a quick dunk to blast the compound out of the nooks and crannies - about 20-30 seconds, whereas previously they were in for about 3 minutes... Plus I now dangle things in one by one on a wire and swoosh them about a bit - I read somewhere that leaving the piece static can contribute towards these white markings, not sure if it helps but sure can't hurt?

  7. #7

    Default

    Thanks Melanie. I buffed the piece again and only placed it in the sonic bath for about 40s and it came out clean without the white markings. I will see how it goes and I now have a few things I can trial based on your and Tim's feedback.

    Frans

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Bishops Stortford
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    10

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    What's in your sonic solution?

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Edward Fleming View Post
    What's in your sonic solution?
    50/50 household amonia and distilled water.

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