High Quality Chainsaw Bars Husqvarna Toys Hockfire Saws

Ultrasonic cleaners? What can I clean

Xr650jkallen

Pinnacle OPE Member
GoldMember
Local time
4:28 PM
User ID
10192
Joined
Aug 14, 2019
Messages
423
Reaction score
1,830
Location
Tennessee
Country flag
I currently have a Honda Foreman carb in mine. I need a bigger one, but I just flip the carb every 15 minutes. I normally use LA Awesome, but Lowes has been sold out, so I am using a mixture of Dawn and Simple Green.
20210905_155744.jpg
 

Wood Duck

Well-Known OPE Member
Local time
4:28 PM
User ID
9279
Joined
Apr 20, 2019
Messages
31
Reaction score
215
Location
Southern Illinois
I also use my USC for cleaning chains before taking them to my Oregon 520 to sharpen. I use old "2-stroke solvent" that's been in the can too long to risk putting in the saws. Put the chains in a mason jar with the "solvent" and drop it in whatever regular cleaning solution happens to be in the USC at the time. I've never had a problem, but I carry the thing far out into the driveway and plug it in with a long extension cord, in case anything ever decided to go "pyrotechnic" on me. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PRACTICE TO ANYONE! FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT CAME WITH YOUR USC! I AM AN FULL-BLOWN IDIOT, AND WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYONE NOT FOLLOWING THE MANUFACTURER'S MANUAL THEY RECEIVED WITH THEIR ULTRASONIC CLEANER! In 10 minutes or so they look like new; this strips the tree sap and bar oil crud off the chains that will clog and glaze a grinding wheel in a heartbeat. I then hang them on a nail and blow them off with compressed air before grinding them. After sharpening, I mist them with whatever penetrating oil I've got handy for rust prevention, and drop then in a zipper bag for storage until they go back onto my saw, or back to the owner.

I know most people exclusively hand file their chains, and certainly I respect that. It's easily the fastest way to touch up a lightly dulled chain, but it's a lot of work on a heavily damaged chain that needs some serious material removed to be anything close to right again. I'll often give a tooth a quick lick with a hand file to knock the burr off after grinding anyway, and make sure that point catches my fingertip like a cat's claw while it's still locked in the tooth vice of the grinder.

I would love to try square-filed chain someday, but I probably never will. I've got steel pins, plates, and screws in both wrists, and all the vertebrae between my shoulder blades previously broken and repaired, so I'm not very interested in hand filing ANYTHING. I'll make do with what I can do, just don't flame me too much about grinding chains before you've walked a mile in my shoes is all I ask............
 

farminkarman

I like the red & black ones
Local time
4:28 PM
User ID
13535
Joined
Aug 17, 2020
Messages
4,676
Reaction score
27,115
Location
Neenah Wisconsin
Country flag
Can anyone recommend a USC for me? I would like to add one to the Arsenal, but there are so many to pick from.
 

av8or3

So many saw ... so little time...
GoldMember
Local time
5:28 PM
User ID
9318
Joined
Apr 24, 2019
Messages
2,105
Reaction score
8,997
Location
Waleska,Ga.
Country flag
I have a large one I use with mineral spirits for carbs and such. And a little one (soap & water) I use for screws and smalls.
 

av8or3

So many saw ... so little time...
GoldMember
Local time
5:28 PM
User ID
9318
Joined
Apr 24, 2019
Messages
2,105
Reaction score
8,997
Location
Waleska,Ga.
Country flag
Check out 10 liter or bigger on ebay. The one with two knobs instead of digital crap.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^*
Like he said. You want one with a mechanical timer. It won’t fail if it gets liquid on it. The digital ones I’ve heard are unreliable. One knob fir heat and the other as a timer.
 

nbbt

Mastermind Approved!
GoldMember
Local time
4:28 PM
User ID
12238
Joined
Apr 13, 2020
Messages
3,879
Reaction score
26,015
Location
5543X, 5644X
Read through the entire thread again, this morning.
Would it be worth getting a smaller one (thinking 2 liter) for dedicated carb cleaning? Thinking to keep fresh solution being used for carbs.
 

Mastermind

Chief Cat Herder
Staff member
Yearly GoldMember
Local time
4:28 PM
User ID
4
Joined
Dec 3, 2015
Messages
52,536
Reaction score
349,921
Location
Banner Springs Tennessee
Country flag
Read through the entire thread again, this morning.
Would it be worth getting a smaller one (thinking 2 liter) for dedicated carb cleaning? Thinking to keep fresh solution being used for carbs.
Yes. Great idea. I actually use a larger model for carbs, but I put the carb and parts in a jar and set it in the tank rather than just putting the carb into dirty solution.
 

mrxlh

I stayed late and finished!
Local time
4:28 PM
User ID
14780
Joined
Dec 2, 2020
Messages
884
Reaction score
3,905
Location
Dat Boot
Country flag
Other than Randy’s suggestion of analog dials instead of digital board/displays, what’s everyone still using for cleaner solutions?
 

huskihl

Muh fingers look really big
GoldMember
Local time
5:28 PM
User ID
360
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Messages
23,110
Reaction score
147,640
Location
East Jordan, MI
Country flag
Mean green and Totally Awesome (not TA Orange) seem to work identically for me
 

EFSM

Super OPE Member
Local time
4:28 PM
User ID
29079
Joined
Apr 30, 2024
Messages
508
Reaction score
1,160
Location
Extreme southern IL
Country flag
We have used Simple Green for years at low dosage. But there's still varnish that won't get. Sometimes out comes the CRC Carb cleaner.
 

mrxlh

I stayed late and finished!
Local time
4:28 PM
User ID
14780
Joined
Dec 2, 2020
Messages
884
Reaction score
3,905
Location
Dat Boot
Country flag
Ordered this one…7.9 gallons
81lxF5h8oRL._SL1500_.jpg
 
Top