Via Spirits is the vehicle for North Carolinian songwriter and artist, Shan… Read Full Bio ↴Via Spirits is the vehicle for North Carolinian songwriter and artist, Shan Doe. He writes, performs, records, and edits all of Via Spirits' songs. Via Spirits' sound can often be described as dark, creepy, personal, and somewhat indie in a sense. Influences that surface the most prominently are Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr., Radiohead, Sebadoh, Brain Jonestown Massacre, Sonic Youth, Nick Drake, Blind Boy Fuller, Deerhunter, Robert Johnson, Bob Dylan, Scratch Acid, Unwound, and Mark Lanegan.

Contact Via Spirits:

smg8053@gmail.com

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Sonic Toot
Via Spirits Lyrics

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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

4y↑37

✅Click here for an ultrasonic cleaner ➜ https://amzn.to/32oVRzu
For more videos like this, check out:
👉UPDATE: Ultimate Tips For Using An Ultrasonic Cleaner ➜ https://youtu.be/jeBB-J0fOp4
👉Best Way To Clean a Honda Style Carburetor ➜ https://youtu.be/uAHdhuDpeKw
👉Easiest Way To Clean A Metal Briggs Carburetor ➜ https://youtu.be/kJfpTX2Lx0g
👉Easiest Way To Clean a Plastic Briggs Carburetor ➜ https://youtu.be/eGF_ynkc3C0

You can connect with Steve here too:
✅Visit Steve’s WEBSITE ➜ http://www.stevessmallenginesaloon.com/
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abed itani

3y↑3

I use for many types of cleaning for many different items .
I use :
Water
acetone
95% or 70% sperto
Gasoline
Rust remover
Lenses laser cleaner
Glass window cleaner
Carburator cleaner
Flash cleaner ( hard rust remover)
Washer cleaner
Clothes cleaner
Oil remover cleaner

And my favorite cleaner ( lemon 🍋 )

All comments from YouTube:

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

4y↑37

Steve Turk

Many thanks again Steve. Are you doing you tube full time or do you have a shop/‘regular job’ that you do. Best of health and keep pumpin out those videos. 👍👍

SCI-FI Lover

Can I put my baby there?

Laura

2y↑1

Hey Steve! What would you suggest as a more affordable cleaner for jewellery? I don't want to pay thousands, it's just for my rings that have intricate designs with lots of nooks and crannies that even Interdental brushes can't get to - but I also don't want to damage the diamond settings or stones etc. Never used one before, so not sure if I need to buy a special solution for them too?
Thank you for your advice!

Anthony Nagy

2y↑1

@Laura Liquid dishwashing detergent and water works well.

Charles Roberts

49w

I hate to break glass too I always buy or recycle plastic also

Calvin Hobbes

4y↑338

Hello Steve ... I love your channel, thanks for all the great advice. I do have a small hint about this video. Your explanation for using an isolating container is spot-on. I've used ultrasonic cleaners for years to clean small parts in the pharmacy industry. When using a beaker or a jar to hold the cleaning solution and the part, it is better if you use a weighted but vented cover to hold the beaker upright and sunken against the basket bottom. If you allow the beaker to float, it might stay in the same orientation the entire cycle and not all parts of your part will be exposed to the cleaning action. Always use the basket and never set the beaker or jar on the floor of the cleaner. Always fill to the fill mark. Always make sure the part in the beaker is below the water line in the cleaner .... and if at all possible, use deionized (distilled) water to fill the cleaner tank. Also I know glass is a no-no in your shop, but glass is the container-of-choice, because a plastic container can flex enough to attenuate some of the ultrasonic signal, whereas glass will allow transit with minimum attenuation. You can tell we had shop SOPs that required this stuff, but I'm only offering here just to help out. :)

Michael Clean

4y↑6

You are right on the spot.

wrongfully accused

2y↑2

Calvin: Excellent suggestions, especially on the venting idea. I have a question; I have had great difficulty finding information on high quality plastic jars that are truly resistant to gasoline. I received an ultrasonic cleaner as a gift. I want to use this isolation method to clean metal parts. I have easy access to mason jars. My fear is that the metal parts vibrating inside the glass jar during cleaning might cause it to break which would cause a huge mess. Is that a baseless fear? Your input is appreciated.

Jeff Stone

@wrongfully accused I'm wondering the same thing, I'm also wondering how thick of a glass container he's using. Most glass jars are fairly thick, not sure if that would be too thick or if thickness even matters here.

wrongfully accused

2y↑1

@Jeff Stone ;I don't think the thickness would matter that much. I do suspect that if the part being cleaned is heavy enough and sharp enough it might be capable of breaking a glass jar. Fact is I just don't know and that bugs me.
My son got me an ultrasonic cleaner for a gift. I will just experiment and learn.

wrongfully accused

2y↑3

@Jeff Stone ; That seems logical. Perhaps you end up with a mess, but it can be cleaned up afterwards. Best of luck. Be blessed and stay safe.

4 More Replies...

Andrew Stambaugh

3y↑24

Also, be warned that you should check a list for what gemstones are ok to put in ultrasonic cleaners. Some are very susceptible to fracture due to frequency. (others are very safe)
Additionally, if your gemstone has any post processing cleanups like gap filler or polish, it may take that out.

Examples of very safe stones: Diamonds, zirconia
Examples of risky stones: Emeralds (gap fillers), Quartz (Huge variance in quality of stones but can be very frequency sensitive and usually have surface treatments)

CaptainXanax

2y↑41

As a watchmaker who works with ultrasonic cleaners regularly and also wears glasses, be careful because cleaning your glasses in the ultrasonic can remove coatings from your lenses. Don't ask how I know.

savoi elvis

Thank you!

JD

47w

Thank you!

Tools!Tools!Tools!

46w

It can definitely remove or damage the clear coat finish and other finishes from the frame/temple bars. Don't ask...same.

Bruce Boschek

41w

It can also loosen screws to the point that they fall out!

Tim Delaney

4y↑22

I'm considering an ultrasonic cleaner and went to your channel, knowing you probably had something on it. Your tips are brilliant! I wouldn't have thought about the peanut butter jars and I WOULD have been one of those guys that partially filled the machine and paid the price. Keep up the great work!

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

4y↑1

Awesome! Thank you!

Amanda Gardner

2y↑18

Hi Steve, awesome video and HUGE appreciation for the information.
last year i found an Ultra Sonic cleaner designed for window blinds, the tank is 2.6 metres long, 180mm wide and 400mm deep (102 x 7 x 15 inches), capacity of 180 litres (47 Gallons) it was being used for cleaning gearbox parts and the company were moving (or closing).
it has 2 power supplies, with adjustment for amplitude and frequency, and 3 massive transducers in the tank, and it has a separate tank for water and rinse aid, it also has two heating elements that operate on an external power supply.

i got it for AUD$150 and was told they paid $4K, the crate of chemicals they gave me were worth 3x what i paid.

with your great advice i can now use it for everything that will fit within the 7" wide constraint.

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

2y↑2

Excellent!

AN

2y↑2

Great score on that tank!

James Tongas

2y↑10

Awesome tip with the plastic containers. Keeps the unit clean and easier to deal with.
Thanks for this tip. I actually have a small one that picked up at a garage sale and we'll use your tips.

Hydrocarbon82

4y↑89

Great idea with the jars! I usually use zip-locks and cling-wrap along with baskets since you end up using much less cleaner to submerge the parts.

Only 2 things I'd add:
1 - use de-ionized or distilled water in the dawn solution, it works far better
2 - pre-heat the water bath on the stove and then let the part soak to reach temp, hot cleaners work waaaay better

Robert Dieder

2y↑16

great vid Steve. The idea to use containers with your choice of solution is excellent. I've been in the market for quite a while for a ultra sonic cleaner. Gasoline works great on tools, however very dangerous. I think mineral spirits should work equally as well.

dion wulff

2y↑1

I did read all directions, clearly states not to use any flammable liquids.....of course I will at some point. For now just coins.

dion wulff

2y↑2

I believe for liability reasons,.. what about mineral oil,? It's non conductive .

Riccardo Carbo

2y↑1

@dion wulff Worth a try, but I suspect that oil would abosb much of the sonic energy since it's quite viscous, slower to move or vibrate. It's why your engine is quieter with higher viscosity oils.

Damiendrops

3y↑40

My go-to ultrasonic solution is the pro-grade Simple Green (which, ironically is purple), it has additional surfactants (reduces surface tension) which makes the ultrasonic action more effective

Riccardo Carbo

Why would deionized water (distilled water) work better, do you know?

scottguyer

2y↑4

@Riccardo Carbo deionized and distilled water are 2 totally different kinds of water. For an ultrasound cleaner you'll want to use distilled water

ridiculous

2y↑3

@scottguyer They are basically the same thing, just different ways of production. Distilled is through distillation. Deionized is through filters. Both should result in pure H2O with no impurities. Only real difference might be the PH level. Deionized is "poor mans" distilled water. As its far less costly to produce than to actually distill.

Anand Vaddiraju

@scottguyer i presume the goal is to keep the tank clean and free from deposits. deionized/demineralized works just as well. why distilled?

executive

51w↑1

@ridiculous you have no idea what de-ionized means. if it was filtered , it would be called "filtered".

4 More Replies...

HolzMichel

1y↑5

Steve,
the ultra sonic cleaning action is actually cavitation. the object being cleaned creates a small amount of cavitation as it is being moved ever so slightly in the tank of solution thus creating the bubbles that blast the crud off. this is the same process you see at work on ships propellers that are pitted.

Gary Sterner

3y↑4

I've used distilled white vinegar and distilled water mixed 1 - 1 to clean parts and it works great by itself, but your tip about the plastic containers really knocks the process of cleanup out of the park. Thanks for sharing this great idea.

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

3y↑1

You're Welcome...

Jim Ciancio

2y↑8

We use the ultrasonic cleaners in laboratories for mixers of compounds inside vessels like test tubes for instance. So they make a great no touch mixer!

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

2y↑1

Cool!

Thomas Rasmussen

5y↑15

Great video! Personally I use mostly ziplock bags instead of cans. I've come to understand that thicker plastic jars, or baskets for that matter will absorb more of the energy and reduce efficiency of the cleaner. Stainless beakers also absorb less. A note on detergent and aluminium parts - strong alkaline solutions will dull and etch the surface

Lance Moreland

This is what I do.

Snapshot46

3y↑8

Very nice video Steve. I use my cleaner predominantly for cleaning my bicycle chain about once a month. First I rinse the heavy gummy lube off with paint thinner and then I use Orange Degreaser available at the Dollar Store. (I can not claim this idea as my own as I saw this elsewhere here on YT) But the idea works great for cleaning most dirty grimy greasy items. I could probably use the Orange Degreaser alone in a glass jar but maybe in two different applications to assure that I am removing all the grit present. Thanks again for the container idea Steve.

B Jack

3y↑7

Great idea Steve! I use Simple Green Pro HD (purple in colour) On the bottle it gives a mix ratio for Light, Medium or Heavy duty application. I used it on Motorcycle carbs that had grease caked on them for 38 years and they came out beautiful. It was recommended for aluminum.

ATR5150

That stuff is the best degreaser. I soaked an aluminum engine block in a large tote filled with this stuff and water. It’s non-corrosive and removes all of the burnt oil and makes the aluminum look like new.

john gardiner

1y↑5

Great vid. Steve, just bought one myself and found this very interesting and given me ideas of how to do things. As to the open topped containers you might try putting a couple of holes on opposite sides at the top and putting a stick or similar through said holes and across the tank top so you can run it longer without having to hold it yourself.

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

1y↑1

Great idea

Eli The King of Rock & Roll Harmonica

47w

You could use a magnet, huh? Just an idea.

Renaissance Man

3y↑4

Excellent idea using plastic jars with a screw top lid. Mine is large enough that half of a vinyl LP fits. I made a motorized shaft that the records slide on tightly and they are spun at about 2.5 RPM. I normally use Simple Green or Pine Sol.

Mike Sumner

3y↑4

I've just taken delivery of a new ultrasonic cleaner and this tip is bloody fantastic!! I restore old mountain bikes and there are always heaps of grimy rusty parts. I can just chuck them in a jar and pop it into the cleaner. Different jars with different solutions for different jobs. PERFECT!

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

3y↑1

Glad it helped!

Elios Electric

4y↑356

I will be completely honest. When I came across Steve's channel for the first time, I was thinking who is this goofball but after watching several videos, I am now hooked. Steve is very sincere in helping people and is a down to earth regular guy. Thanks for all the helpful tips, new favorite channel!

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

4y↑26

Thank You...

Steve Turk

4y↑3

Same here!...I thought this is gonna wreck the good name 😉😉 ..but truly he has some great tips and a huge wealth of knowledge in this industry. May I say very helpful personally as my business depends on his business. 👍👍 🍻 Cheers Steve!

Fonze10.4

4y↑9

Steve is the bomb 👌👌great info always. Ireland callin

Jonathan Klopman

4y↑10

Steve is sincere and helpful...but that doesn't mean he is not a goofball!

Ron Hall

Agreed!!

8 More Replies...

celli351

1y↑5

Just got an ultrasonic cleaner last week, used it for a couple hours filled at partial level, still works great, but I'm so glad I saw your tip about filling it all the way up to the max fill line before I did this too long and ruined my machine. Thank you!

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

1y↑1

You're Welcome...

CJ

2y↑1

Use the same idea from the fuel bowl on your lawnmower. Install a float around the jar’s neck to prevent it from tipping over and contaminating the clean tub water.
Just a thought. Great ideas Steve.

Clive Radvan

2y↑7

Thanks Steve, i have just started using my newly delivered 6L ultrasound cleaner and the tip you demonstrated is brilliant. I am surprised the owners manual doesn't suggest the same. And yes way down here in Sydney Australia we call it petrol :)

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

2y↑3

Right on mate! Thank You...

gerrygreen1

49w↑1

Hi Steve, just bought my first cleaner for motorbikebike parts. Love the tips and I think you’ve just saved me some money as well. Thanks very much.

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

49w↑2

You're Welcome...

Johnny Gilchrist

4y↑13

I just got my ultrasonic cleaner 2 weeks ago. I bought it specifically for cleaning carburetors. I haven't tried Gasoline yet but I will now after seeing how fast it cleaned that socket. I've been using Simple Green at a very mild 10% solution and it works very well to and smells much better lol.
Thanks Steve for your videos and sharing your wealth of knowledge.

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

4y↑3

You're Welcome...and Thank You...

Steffano Ducati

2y↑1

Does the simple green discolor the carb body ... cause it to go darker in color ??

notlohhcaz

2y↑5

@Steffano Ducati try simple green Pro HD. $14 a gallon. Not supposed to effect aluminum

Richard Weaver

1y↑2

I would hold off on flammable liquids, a flash fire could result.

Stuart Hossack

5y↑83

You're smarter than you like us to believe. Nice vid, with a good explanation of cavitation too. Enjoyable as always. Respect from UK. Edit: I suspect that the transducers blow, if you don't fill the cleaner, because there's not enough mass to absorb the ultrasonic energy, the transducer will vibrate more than it should and, un-dampened, will overheat and shake itself to a fault situation.The energy has to go into the water otherwise it has nowhere else to dissipate.

Dave Perry

5y↑9

Great reason why you fill it. Thanks

Polymath

1y↑7

Small safety tip. Don't put your hands into the cleaner when its on as the vibrations will badly effect your joints.

Richard Gosztyla

2y↑12

This is the first video that came up when I wanted to get some info for a cleaner and after watching it, I purchased one immediately. So glad I watched this as it has made cleaning of my airbrushes so much easier. Great video with great info

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

2y↑2

Thank You...

Gary Norton

I'm using it for airbrushes also, what solution are you using. Super Clean (Purple Container) does an OK job but I'm not sure how corrosive that is.

Richard Gosztyla

1y↑1

@Gary Norton, I just use standard acetone. Does the job perfectly

Mystery47

1y↑4

I bought a big cleaner like yours several years ago and haven't used it over the past couple years. So, I forgot how to use it. Thanks to your video it gets me up and running and with some new ideas to try. I've got some wheel bearings from my trailer that I want to clean and was considering filling the whole tub with kerosene. But, now, I only have to fill it with water and put the kerosene and bearings in a plastic jar and I'm good to go. Thank God people like you help your fellow man so much with these informative videos.

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

1y↑2

Right on buddy! Thank You...

Donz Milky

3y↑50

I love learning from a real person with no hidden agenda that actually has solid advise and experience. Thanks Steve. U are the mvp on YouTube right now.

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

3y↑3

I appreciate that!

Paul Weston

3y↑2

You have something brown on your nose.

Gary Saylor

I agree. I like your attitude.

tubeDude

3y↑4

I have a similar unit, but with 2 dials. 1 for heat, and 1 for time. I rebuild old tube test equipment & old tube radios.
It's great for cleaning parts of these devices. Thanks for the tip on using jars!

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

3y↑2

Very cool!

radioactivelarry

5y↑331

Had no idea it would work through jars like that. It brings it to another level.
Thanks for the great idea.

Knighthawk's Mowers

5y↑5

I agree.

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

5y↑16

You're Welcome...

MrHillfolk

5y↑7

Sound waves don't care bout containers 🤣

Autistic Doing and Thinking

4y↑6

I agree, but in retrospect, I feel like I should have realized that. Glass conducts sound quite well.

Eric Martindale

4y↑2

@MrHillfolk Like honey badgers?

9 More Replies...

Harold Swick

1y↑2

Very helpful ideas. I'm going to purchase one of these cleaners in the near future. You gave me a lot of great ideas to get better cleaning results. The plastic jars make common sense so your not always cleaning the cleaner.

Harold Neely

1y↑2

I’ve been following Steve for about a year and just found this. A lot of really good information. The guy that wrote about a vented weighted glass container. I wondering if maybe a smaller unit would work. Would it work as well? I’m going to do some digging and see if I can find a smaller one one and give these tips a try as I’m looking to clean small parts for now. Great job Steve and everyone else who joined the discussion, really a big help 👍

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

1y↑1

Good stuff!

LazyH-Online

4y↑1

One that I use quite often is Legacy of Clean multipurpose cleaner. I only have a small jewelry sized cleaner since I mostly only use small parts, use a tub with a sander patch glued to the bottom and hook up a vibrating sander for a "sub sonic" cleaner for larger stuff. Nowhere near as good as actual ultrasonic vibrations but works well enough for everything I've needed it for.

Ken Short

1y↑2

Hi Steve, nice video and tips. I have a small sonic cleaner that I bought around 20 years ago (from China). The instructions from mine says to INCREASE the ultrasonic cleaning capabilities, remove the basket. My basket is plastic. The unit does not have heat control; just time in 5 minute increments up to 30 minutes. Temperature does go up considerably after the 3rd session. It is still working today, I use it to clean my airbrush and related parts used for painting my models; works great.

James Arneson

2y↑2

Thanks for the great video I just got my first ultrasonic and the way your cleaning stuff sounds excellent and I’ll be doing the exact same thing. Definitely with gas and sealed containers wow perfect!

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

2y↑1

Right on Jimmy! Thank You...

Asmodai

5y↑17

Steve, I worked for Zama for almost ten years, and we used an ultrasonic cleaner nearly every day. We kept a mix of simple green and water, 50 / 50, in the tank all the time. Instead of plastic jars we used old coffee cups to put smaller parts in. Take off the gaskets, metering diaphragm, and fuel pump, and toss everything else in. If you can get the high low needles out, and have replacement Welch plugs, take those out as well and let 'er rip tater chip. The main nozzle and idle check valves won't be effected. When done, rinse with water, and then follow with denatured alcohol and GENTLY dry with compressed air.
We would also put raw aluminum bodies, brass parts, and stainless parts in the same way. We learned that placing a piece of card board over the top of the basin kept the parts and the cleaning solution warm, which improved the cleaning processes.
Never tried gasoline, OSHA might have frowned upon that, but I can see where it would work!

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

5y↑1

Right on Dan..

Henrik Jonsson

41w

Hi What do you mean with green? Is it dish wash? Best R Henrik

Asmodai

41w

@Henrik Jonsson Simple Green. It’s a cleaner / degreaser sold in the United States.

Hayden Blanton

4y↑25

Hey man. For years we have used off-road diesel and kerosene for metal parts. It acts as a solvent and a lubricant as well as protecting the parts from corrosion after cleaning.

D

3y↑2

Very nice trick with the plastic bottle! I have just purchased a small ultrasonic cleaner so because of small size, I don't have to clean that much, I will use the plastic bottle method only for greasy and heavy stuff like you showed.
Thanks Steve :)

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

3y↑1

You're Welcome...

Steve 127

4y↑2

Sure so many folk have already said this so apologies for repeating. This tip using small containers to clean parts without soiling the entire tank is stupidly simple, but ingenious at the same time. Kicking myself for not already thinking of this myself. Thank you for the tip and advice.

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

4y↑2

You're Welcome...

tubeDude

3y↑7

I use Simple Green for cleaning most of the items you mentioned, but I also clean electronic parts as well.

Andrew T

3y↑1

I was wondering about that. It works pretty good normally so I'd think in an ultrasonic cleaner it would work well. And it's pretty cheap. Have you found anything else better since?

tubeDude

3y↑1

@Andrew T - On Jewelry I use Woolite.

Tony Montana

2y↑3

The idea of using a container is Legendary. I have never seen or heard of anyone mention that idea and it totally makes sense.
You're The Man Steve !!
Greetings from Petrol land, here in Australia lol !

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

2y↑1

Thanks Mate!

Uncle Zeds

4y↑110

The reason you must fill the unit to the fill line is the resonant frequency is tuned to the volume of water at the fill line. If you use less liquid you will get poor cleaning or worse still, as you said already, you can blow up your ultrasonic transducer.

mediocre man

4y↑9

Yep, because the energy (of the vibrations) will not be used to move the cleaning solution, but will be thrown back at the sound generators, which will destroy them.

azul8811

4y↑6

Since, you seem pretty knowledgeable regarding the topic, I'd like to ask you a question. To your knowledge, are all the transducers used in these small ultrasonic cleaners basically the same quality? I ask, because there is a price differential between the American manufactured ultrasonic cleaners and those made in China. However, I've heard that all of the transducers are made in China. So, I was wondering how I can judge the quality between the various manufacturers. I'm looking to use a ultrasonic in motorcycle and automobile restoration as a hobbyist Many thanks.

sumporfuk

3y↑11

Liam McNieve Somehow I don’t think 🤔 that’s the answer he was looking for.

sumporfuk

3y↑16

@azul8811 Interestingly enough, I’d like to know the answer to your question as well. I also know a thing or two about parts that are made in China because I actually lived there for more than a decade. In short people complain about the cheap stuff that comes from China without stopping to consider how all of that cheap stuff got here in the first place. One of the ways cheap Chinese products come into the U.S./Canada, etc. is the same way that Steve acquired his Co-X machine, and that is direct import (so yes, they do make cheap products to sell. Why? Because most people are cheap bastards and would rather buy cheap products and complain about it later). The other way cheap Chinese products wined up on retailers shelves is because the U.S./Canadian buyers that source from China are only interested in buying cheap shit to be sold at Walmart/Canadian Tire and the like. What most people fail to realize or acknowledge is that China also has great factories too, and just one example of that is the your Apple products. I certainly don’t see anyone complaining about how shitty their IPHONE is made.

From what little I have been able to learn about these cheap Chinese units are that the failure points aren’t necessarily the transducers, but rather that push button circuit board that that operates the unit. That board is filled with really cheap chips, diodes, etc. The boards are what usually burns out or overheats because the heating elements gets taxed. They will likely last a bit longer if you filled them up with boiling water from the beginning instead of relying on the heating element to bring the water up to speed.

azul8811

3y↑9

Liam McNieve LOL. I try to when my budget can afford it. I bought two US made Wilton bench vises last year. One cost me $900, and the other about $600. I've been pricing out a US made Baldor 2 speed buffer with pedestal and it runs over $1200. So, do I buy a US made ultrasonic cleaner for over $1000, or a Chinese one for $169? It depends on how much use I am going to give it, and if the US ones are comprised of Chinese parts. One of the US made ultrasonic cleaners doesn't include the stainless steel basket even though it is a necessary accessory. They charge $250 for the basket alone.

The other thing is that some stuff is promoted as Made in USA but is actually just assembled here of foreign sourced parts. Or think about cars. Do I buy a Ford made in Canada or a VW made in Tennessee? It's a similar case with clothing. There are still sweatshops here in NYC. There are undocumented people sewing foreign sourced fabric into blouses, etc. I believe that the labels say made in USA. So yeah, buy American. I'm with you on that, but it gets complicated.

6 More Replies...

elektro3000

3y↑8

I've heard of doing this ("indirect" cleaning) but that was a great demonstration, and I'm amazed at how FAST the gasoline clean! Thanks so much for the video.

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

3y↑2

You're Welcome...

brad doyle

3y↑2

Steve, just wanted to thank you. You've saved me quite a bit of money and aggravation just this weekend with fixing my Echo string trimmer. Just a question about the ultrasonic cleaner, if you use a jar with dawn soap and water mixed, does it build up pressure, like if you filled it and shook it? Just wondering. I'm going to order one of these cleaners.
On a side note, I watched the ultra sonic cleaner video's out of order, and I thought you was joking around when it made that loud noise when you first turned it on. Thanks for sharing!!!

breeze787

1y↑2

I cleaned a whole bunch of bolts washers and nuts in a plastic quart jar filled with vinegar. When I finally got around to checking the rusty bolts out it had been about a whole year. It was messy and I had to dispose of all the rust. But the bolts nuts washers were all beautifully cleaned. I also have a Ultrasonic cleaner for small stuff and I stopped using it for the same reason you talked about having a greasy ultrasonic tub. I've been learning more about Ultrasonic cleaners and thanks to you I'm going to try vinegar in my ultrasonic cleaner. Thanks for all the valuable tips!

Kevin Hansen

1y↑1

Great video Steve, Love the tips peanut butter jars , Gasoline, degreaser, Dawn etc, just wondering have you tried cleaning copper tube in the u/s cleaner ? If so what solution did you find best? Thanks Kev

Tom Stitt

4y↑2

Another simple and really great tip that I will now use. The tip using gasoline to stop the carbs discoloring makes them look brand new and the way they should look. 👍

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

4y↑1

Glad to help!

Steven Bauer

5y↑229

It also accelerates the effects of rust removers like evaporust. I put evaporust in jar with the parts to be cleaned and then the jar in the ultrasonic with plain water. I've also used ziploc bags instead of jars.

Tomteluva

5y↑6

How long will the bag survive in the cleaner?

Steven Bauer

5y↑2

@Tomteluva It would depend on the actual bag, I would think. Temperature matters also,. I haven't done any testing to failure.

NorwayVFX

5y↑8

I see people in the 3d printing community use mylar bags as they last a lot longer than regular plastic.

Joseph Bishop

4y↑5

Ziplock bags was what I was thinking about

J Service

4y↑14

I had to clean a big ball bearing from an autoclave that had 20 years of baked in grease, hard as a rock. I put it in a ziplock bag with gasoline, with that inside another bag of plain water. That was because I was using the ultrasonic cleaner in surgery... late at night when nobody was there to say no. 20 minutes. Worked perfect. This was back in the 70's.

6 More Replies...

lambodp

3y↑1

I've used gasoline for bicycle parts for years and years. Tried water based degreasers and they are terrible on heavy grease. Always wanted to use an ultrasonic, but knew I couldn't put gas inside. This is genius! I'll pick one of these up and start eating those peanut butter jars so I have some containes!

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

3y↑1

Good luck!

Manuel Gallo

3y↑1

I think you should consider the fact that these machines are spreading even in the 3D resin printing world. Ultrasonic cleaning 3d resin printed parts, with ipa, nitro, acetone, mean green, mr clean are huge topics to deal with in relation to their efficiency-safety-cost. I was using 15 lt 99% alcool directly into the tank, always afraid of explosions and as you can imagine your tips are incredibly useful especially for solution's waste and safety. Big hug for you! Thanks!!!

executive

51w↑1

I used a puck of powder automatic dishwasher detergent, and it made my chainsaw chain look shiny and new. Removed the stubborn wood resins. One tip manufacturers all give: degassing. When you refill the tank (or use a new container of solution) then you should run the UC for about 5-10 mins first. This removes dissolved gasses which reduce cavitation. You only need to do it ONCE. Some machines have this built in. Tip #2 don't use bleach or other chemicals that produce bubbles (peroxide, Polident, etc.) It also reduces cavitation.

Kraz

2y↑2

Thank you for the tip on putting parts in a smaller container then putting the container into the ultrasonic filled with water. Works like a champ. I fill the machine with hot water to reduce cooking time, and I use generic Tupperware for the containers...

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

2y↑2

Glad it was helpful!

ejonesee

1y↑3

Brilliant! It occurred to me too that you could put a plastic liner in the tank to clean dirty objects and then just pull the plastic liner out. I'm definitely going to try the jar method.

dlkline27

4y↑11

What a great video. I never would have thought of using containers like that. This is one I won't forget the next time I use my ultrasonic cleaner. Thanks Steve!

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

4y↑1

You are so welcome!

mtn silviu

2y↑1

As a solvent I use a special one , not gasoline or nitro type solvent (sorry I don't know if I'm spelling correctly) , but it's one that does not smell so much and evaporates very slowly. Still dissolves oils and grease, not so aggressive as gasoline but gets the job done. Also to mention that I fill the tub of the ultrasonic cleaner. This solvent is not that flammable. Edit :grammar, thanks Riccardo

Riccardo Carbo

2y↑1

A diluent is something that dilutes the concentration of another, usually water. I think the choice word here, is solvent. It's to dissolve the crap off. But then again, gases can work as solvents too.

Anon Usr

3y↑4

Awesome tip, I'll use it for everything from standard garage type stuff to cleaning brass for reloading (if primers ever become available again).

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

3y↑1

Right on

Steve Poythress

1y↑1

We stumbled on similar solutions - I used a zip-lock baggie, I put a motorcycle carb in the baggie filled with carb cleaner, worked outstanding.

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

1y↑1

Right on

Brad Junes

2y↑1

You might consider just holding the basket up in the water to depth desired some how. Perhaps with rods through each end of basket. Use plywood frame on the sides so as not to ground the rods to cleaner. thanks for the video.

double K

4y↑2

Tested my new sonic cleaner ,using your method of plastic containers, i used kerosene versus gasoline , cleaned up parts from a 1945 pistol. In about 3 minutes the parts came out looking wonderful, another good idea from steves small engine salon, keep up the good work

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

4y↑2

Right on

stxrynn

4y↑3

Great tips. I'm getting one soon. I have zero experience so this is quite timely.

My guess on the burned out one, it's designed to have the weight of the water to work against. Without that much weight, the transducers moved too much and "blew out". Replacement transducers (think high frequency speakers) might bring it back to life, or it could have been the driver (amplifier). That system is basically a high frequency stereo system.

Evil Sharkey

If you have an explosion proof ultrasonic cleaner, you can use acetone (I recommend glass containers since acetone eats a lot of plastics. Acetone works well on a lot of adhesive residues. It’s highly flammable, though, so either pony up for the explosion proof model or get an extension cord and do it outside, away from your house.

Also, what we hear is pretty annoying, but if you have pets, you might want to run it outside so they don’t have to hear the high frequencies.

v10squirrel

1y↑1

My go to cleaner Water and pine soil. Depending on what I’m cleaning on the ratio. Carbs about half, half. Smells good, safe, thanks for the tip

Uncle Bob

3y↑2

Is there a danger of the machine being "over filled" with the water?
My thinking is that the smaller containers with small parts (i.e.: the demonstration of the socket cleaning) will have a very small displacement of the the water already in the machine. However, if you put the larger container with a sizable part inside of it, the displacement will be greater and the water level will rise higher than it did during your demonstration.
Have you ever run into this situation and had to remove water to keep it from being over full?

Henry Hewit

3y↑2

Good tip . you explain things well without oversimplifying

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

3y↑1

Thank You...

James Krivitsky

5y↑11

Steve, I appreciate the plastic jar tip. One warning to buyers....the instructions warn against using petroleum products ( gas, acetone, turpentine , etc. ) due to flammable results. It would likely be wise to keep the lid on the jar as well as the cover of the cleaner to minimize any vapor issues. I bought one and enjoy the results for carbs and other devices with small ports and crevices. Thanks J K

Tom Jones

5y↑1

Haven't seen the electronics but they would need to be very spark risk free.

PyroShim

5y↑1

Just have a fan running.

MrHillfolk

My harbor freight one heats the solution if you want , and if I use the jar of solvent trick I keep the lid off.
It works alot better and there's minimal issue,but I'm not using gasoline for solvent either.

Nigel W

2y↑2

Gday Steve,
Thanks mate, great tips. I’ve been wanting to buy a U/cleaner of this size for years for carbies, parts etc. Held back as wondered what solutions to use etc. Hadn’t really had any practical time with one but had seen the results after others had used them and charged me. After this excellent tutorial, I’m ordering one now. Oh, and some bulk Peanut Paste 😁.
No more excuses here.
Thanks for taking the time.
Have liked and subscribed.
Cheers 👍👍🍻

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

2y↑2

Right on Nigel! Thank You...

Tom Edgar

3y↑10

Bought the two liter unit on your recommendation, ziplock bag works great for the cleaning solution and keeps the tank clean. I never thought that fresh gasoline would clean carb jets but it works great. I was surprised that gasoline doesn’t eat the ziplock bag

Bob Mathews

2y↑1

Great tip, never thought of that. I use 91% rubbing alcohol for a lot of stuff and will have to compare that, much safer to dispose of than petrol.

Robin R. Koykka

3y↑3

Specific application- for sprocket driven drive chains I use kerosene. It's not as strong as other cleaners but it doesnt destroy the factory lubrication behind the o-ring on the chan, and it leaves the chain clean. Use compressed air then proper chain lube. 👍

Miden King

Just update - Chain manufacturers advise against Kerosene now as no longer deemed sage

UseiTwise

3y↑22

Nice video! I liked the "Welcome guys AND girls" part.
Just a little heads up to everyone - be SUPER careful with gasoline in your shop and also think about the vapors (extremely flammable). Gas in containers other than for a motor is a very delicate thing.

/Guy speaking from - several plastic surgerys, weeks in the hospital and years of recovery - experience

crapshootah

4y↑9

You are correct, great way to keep the cleaner clean and reduce the cost of solvents. I've worked in several material labs where we needed to use solvents to etch materials, which would harm the stainless tub. We used pyrex beakers, so you only use the amount of solvent you need and you do not damage the cleaner tub. The peanut butter jar concept is great as long as it stays sealed and you aren't using a cleaner that will eat through it. Also some solvents will gas just from the heat of the ultrasonic action and could build up pressure on a sealed container.

Riccardo Carbo

Aside from heat, the gas can't build up significant pressure because it's not adding gas to itself--it's sealed, right? No? I can see a tad of build up but not more than space the bubbles would occupy. As long as you aren't adding heat!

Eddie Bates

3y↑1

Hey Steve, you probably blew a transducer because the level of fluid is critical as it acts as a coolant as well as a cleaning solution. That's why you shouldn't run the cleaner for longer periods as recommended by the manufacturer. Having too little fluid will cause overheating and wreck your machine. Regards. Ps:- great tip on using seperate containers by the way 🖖

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

3y↑1

Right on

Trevor Cooper

3y↑3

Hi Steve I've been told by an engineer that has used industrial size ultrasonic cleaners that you should not hold the basket or touch the cleaner when using as it is unhealthy for you joints so take care Cheers

Michael Moran

2y↑2

I absolutely gave this a like! Great information! Not only great information but explained expertly. Massively appreciated. Thank you very much! New subscriber 👍

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

2y↑1

Awesome, thank you!

Reid Nunn

3y↑1

Thanks Steve. A lot of great knowledge in your post. Does anybody use ultrasonic to clean chain saw chains? If so, what chemical do you use?

Boz the Screw Up

1y↑1

Just got my sonic in and this is exactly what I was thinking. Using it to clean resin 3D prints and don’t want to fill the whole vat with alcohol. Great video!

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

1y↑1

Thank You...

Biggie

4y↑7

Simple Green works well, I've used 50 50 water mix on carburetors that had aluminum bases and did not get that grey coating you mentioned. They cleaned up well. The only negative was a little powder residue left over, in some spots (not a a lot of areas, tiny amounts) I think that de-greaser your're using is a phosphate based cleaner and that can leave the grey deposits, especially if you use the heater. I use heat for a better clean ( 35 C / 95 F ), and can walk away from it, I would not walk away from gasoline, in that cleaner hot or cold, way too volatile for my comfort.

Riccardo Carbo

Solvents in a container seems workably safe, as long as the seal is good and the glass is strong (plastic not cracked or seeping through the lid).

carl potgeter

2y↑2

I used to work in a shop where we would rebuild dollar bill validators and coin changers. We had several smaller ones and the big 5 gallon one. We used murphy's oil soap, and it left an oily film which was great for metal and plastic parts.

Doug Grace

3y↑1

My instruction manual says Not to fill past the full line but always insure that there is a minimum of 7cm. It's a Rovsun. Great tips. Great video.

Chris Perry

1y↑1

gonna have to try this. I first used an ultrasonic cleaner at a motorcycle shop and was never impressed (mostly carbs).
Got one to do guns and got the 'right' chemicals...not impressed really - BUT your way looks like a way to expand it's capablitis and reduce the mess/waste of chems. LOVE IT!

I never ran it for 10, 15, 20 minutes...mine has 3 times settings and 3 min is longest.

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

1y↑1

Right on

M Lasch

Steve, I am pretty sure many viewers will agree with me that you not only provide invaluable how to's, but have a great sense of humor too. When I heard you say you wouldn't clean dentures in Gasoline, my first thought was to ask you, what about cleaning them in BEER?

HIFIDJJACK

4y↑1

Simple green works great in the Ultrasonic cleaner. I use 10:1 mix and heat it up to 40C. Cleans carb parts in 15 min!

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

4y↑1

Great tip!

fw1421

4y↑7

I use my ultrasonic cleaner to clean my airbrushes. I put my parts in a small container (I use a stainless steel dentists containers filled with thinner) and the sonic action transfers . Been using my Heathkit ultrasonic that I built from a kit back in the late 70’s. I’ll have to check out these newer ones.

Richard F

2y↑1

Excellent idea.... an enhancement could be a smaller lid that can go inside each jar to serve as a basket with a stem or string to pull it back up... Just drill some holes at the bottom of the basket to drain the liquid...

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

2y↑1

That's a great idea!

Layback209 FixOrSmash

3y↑2

Cool great video, I actually do the same thing with my cheepo ultrasonic. Some times I use kerosene / gasoline / methanol with a few drops of oil in. It does such a good job of cleaning that steel components actually flash rusts as soon as it evaporates. The few drops of oil seem to help with that in the mix. I never thought of putting my sockets in there, dang smart man! Thanks

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

3y↑1

Right on buddy! You're Welcome...

Fanta

Have you tried using diesel? it's already oily. worth a shot.

Paul Saunders

2y↑1

Informative and entertaining as usual, and with your trophy shelf of beer bottles you are well on the way to being greatly admired in Australia!

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

2y↑1

Thanks mate!

abed itani

3y↑3

Justin Schuhmann

3y↑9

If you use ZipLock Freezer bags you can do a dirty vacuum seal by pushing the liquid and object under the water slowly and then zipping the top this will keep the object from floating or having to be held.

JU57US

Just like home sous vide cooking, brilliant.

David Post

4y↑7

Hey Stevo ... I have watched both of these videos on the ultra-sonic cleaners. In the first one you talked about filling to the fill line with water ... and using smaller containers in order to not dirty your cleaner. Well it is my suggestion, if you have something large you are wanting to clean, instead of using the water, you need to fill with vinegar or whatever, use one of mama's kitchen garbage can liners that will fit inside of the cleaner as a liner for it! It will keep the cleaner "cleaner" and you will be able to use the full capacity of the cleaner tank. Simply insert the garbage liner then fill with whatever cleaning solution you are wanting to use. WARNING WARNING WARNING WILL ROGERS! Be sure to test the bag to be assured it is leak proof prior to using!

Manuel Lopez Jr

Uh that warning warning will ROBINSON....avid lost in space fan.

krazed0451

2y↑2

Thanks for the video!

The only thing of note with petrol/gasoline is that it will flash off more freely with ultrasonic stimulation... Fume extraction, or an outdoor setup are a good idea if you do do something with an open container ;-)

ENDERTON2000

3y↑1

For small engine carbs, a jar with seafoam or berryman b-12 is best I've used, a little expensive, but does an awesome job

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

3y↑1

Right on

Ken Spaceman

Great advice! I have a little ultrasonic cleaner at home. Never thought of using jars dipped into water. Thanks!

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

You are so welcome!

Robert Walsh

3y↑1

Great idea to make a he bulk of the fluid water and have the specific cleaner in a glass or plastic jar... I would think it would be better to make the jar sink to the bottom or doesn’t it matter?

Rambo Ollie

4y↑8

I use my old guitar strings for cleaning my jets works great and never use the air nozzle to clean carbs the pressure from the b12 can is plenty. I’ve done literally hundreds of carbs and this looks like a keeper wish I know about this years ago thanks man my sonic machine will be much cleaner

George

Right on! I also use guitar strings

Roger Hupp

4y↑3

ultrasonics create low pressure zones in the liquid, creating cavitation bubbles. The cleaning action comes from the collapse of the cavitation bubble.
These things do work awesome.
Great demonstration video! Keep the the good work.

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

4y↑1

Thank You...

Riccardo Carbo

I don't understand why the bubble would do the cleaning. Isn't it the sound wave that's doing it and the bubbles are a by-product of that? (cavitation). Mine wasn't bubbling any at all and stuff came out clean. I have a 2L.

Tom Jonas

3y↑8

I never would’ve thought of doing it that way you have such great information I appreciate it

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

3y↑2

Any time!

Uncle Chris

2y↑2

I use my ultrasonic for firearm parts mostly. I use a 1:5 solution of Simple Green Pro HD and distilled water. I put my parts and solution in zipock bags instead of jars. This system works great for me.

Steve's Small Engine Saloon

2y↑1

Awesome!

drew rinker

39w↑1

I'm sure you probably already know this, but be careful which plastic you use for gasoline, I accidentally used a Dixie cup one day which is made from poly ethelene, and the entire cup was like wax and melted right in my hand. I think regular gas cans use #2 plastic which is HDPE, the same thing milk jugs are made from. I believe what you used was a water bottle which is PET which is also safe. But this should always be considered for ANY solvent/plastic mixture. Always research weather or not it will react.

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