Ultrasonic cleaner anyone?

[Mr Mark]

Just curious if anyone uses one of these to any great effect.

Currently I am soaking devalved reeds in kerosene for days (I'm guessing overnight would be fine but so far this is how things have worked out) to remove any old wax and glue I missed by scraping when removing reed plates from blocks - the issue is quite a bit of time is spent still scraping off the old stuff (it comes off easy enough but is very time consuming in my meticulousness). I ask because I have many rebuilds ahead of me and time is precious.

If not that is fine, I will also switch to ISO once the kerosene is used up, that stuff is hard on everything

 

[Dingo40]

I've no experience regarding ultrasonic cleaners other than they're not cheap.
However, if it's wax, it should come off with boiling water.
How about trying to boil the reeds in an old preserved fruit tin??

 

[losthobos]

I have an ultrasonic for work.... Great cleaner... Seems to shift anything no matter how burnt on..... Not used for reeds though as im medical worker not engineer.... Doesn't damage metals... Hope helpful.... Isopropyl doesn't seem that great to me..... ?

 

[Glug]

They're a lot cheaper than they used to be - around £30, and apparently great for "surging Guinness" whatever that is.

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I did look at getting one, but I'm still using an old tooth brush and naphtha.

 

[JIM D.]

You can remove reed wax without petroleum products.

Warm the reed with a hairdryer on medium heat and wipe off the wax with a rag. Then make a mixture of 1 part distilled Vinegar
& 3 parts water and use it to remove remaining wax. Wipe clean & tune if needed and reinstall.


In some cases increasing the amount of Vinegar in the solution will be necessary.

 

[oldbayan]

Nothing replaces elbow grease

 

[Mr Mark]

Thanks for the responses. Glad I'm not the cat trying to keep his skin with so many ways to lose it out there.

I would think the hairdryer method best for spot repairs, no?

 

[boxplayer4000]

The adhesives used to attach the valves can be quite tenacious as well. Is there a favoured solvent for those glues?

 

[knobby]

Ultrasonic cleaners are good for removing rust & dirt from reeds, but be careful which fluid you use as the wrong one can turn your reeds black (go on, ask me how I know! )

 

[Waldo]

Try warmed up (on an electric heater or in an appropriately sized slow cooker, never on an open flame) naphtha (outdoors or with good vent). The temp need not be very hot (120-140 F). This approach will eliminate the possibility of water seeping in-between the reed and the plate (around the rivet) and rusting over time. Depending on the glue used, it may remove the valve residue as well.

Press on,
Waldo