9 replies to this topic

[LolaGT]

I was wondering if anyone here has tried ultrasonic cleaning of magnesium?

 

If you did, how well did it work?

 

I've got a pile of Cox parts here that need a cleaning badly, and a beadblasting rig is a lot more spendy than the ultrasonic cleaner I already have.

 

Thank you,

 

Ken

[Zippity]

As you already have the equipment, why not give it a try and report back your findings? 

[LolaGT]

Actually, I'm giving it a lot of thought. There are advantages to the method that tumbling or beadblasting doesn't offer. Since you are using liquids for cleaning there is no way to 'miss a spot,' if youre not abrading the surface of your parts you're not wearing away the edges of fine details, and also the ability to see what is happening in real time to your parts, so you don't overdo it.

 

The only problem is exactly what cleaning solution to use - a nonoxygenated acid of some kind for cleaning probably followed by a base rinse to neutralize the acid.

Like I said, I was just wondering if anyone tried it.

Ken

[Cheater]

Ken,

 

Since you mentioned bead blasting, I assume you've seen the mag cleaning process at this THREAD.

 

Have you see the process detailed HERE?

[swodem]

What are you trying to clean off them?

[Phil Hackett]

Sonic has a 2KW ultrasonic cleaning machine and magnesium is cleaned in it. If the part is tarnished going in it won't be miraculously shiny coming out. Degreased, degunked, dechipped and otherwise not slimy, yes, but not shiny.

 

I suppose you could load the cleaning machine with some sand or flour and try it but you may burn the machine out...

[Mach9]

After reading the second thread that Greg provided, I'm wondering if soda blasting instead of glass beads or sand would be a good way to go.

 

I have done some motorcycle carbs and other small parts and it works pretty good. Leaves more of a factory finish, not that textured surface that sand or glass beads leaves.

 

There are some YouTubes on how to make a simple blaster with just a cheap air blower and a length of vinyl tubing, which is what I did. Of course you have to have a compressed air source.

 

Another good thing with soda is that you can soak the part in hot water after blasting, and any remaining soda will dissolve. 

[Joe Mig]

All you need to do for cleaning is lime juce and a toothbrush. Rinse off with water and follow up with some dish soap.

[LolaGT]

I have some Cox chassis and wheels here with varying amounts of white corrosion products on them, and I wanted to restore them with as little damage to parts as possible, and hopefully as little cost to me as possible too. I also wanted to keep from losing fine details like sharp edges or 'texturing' or pitting their surfaces with blasting media.
 
The Web was its usual self... a million websites and a million points of view, all of them contradicting each other. Two mag wheel restorers who did Ferrari wheels used chemical cleaners (acids?) to keep from pitting surfaces or weakening the metal, another one said never use acids, but beadblasted them instead and put on thick coats of paint for shiny smooth wheels, and over at HAMB a 1/1 Funny Car racer used Black Magic mag wheel cleaner from Autozone on his wheels because he wanted them to be as clean and as dark colored as possible.
 
Then, I went to VSRN and read their thread on different acids they used and their effects on the wheels, which led me to think about putting them in my ultrasonic cleaner.
 
After thinking about it, I realized that 1) a quick wash in an ultrasonic cleaner with a mild liquid acid may work to remove oxidation reasonably quickly, followed by a mild base rinse (like DI water and baking soda solution) in the cleaner to neutralize the acid, and finally washing with DI water to remove the base and heat drying would get rid of the 'white ugly' on my wheels.
 

Sonic has a 2KW ultrasonic cleaning machine and magnesium is cleaned in it. If the part is tarnished going in it won't be miraculously shiny coming out. Degreased, degunked, dechipped and otherwise not slimy, yes, but not shiny. I suppose you could load the cleaning machine with some sand or flour and try it but you may burn the machine out...

 
I wasn't expecting perfectly mirror shiny, just getting rid of the oxidation with as little damage as possible so I can seal them up. Polishing them shiny is optional.
 
The funny thing is I live in Central Wisconsin, and there are two things within easy driving distance in summer that probably woud have made my cleaner search easy...
 
1) Road America is about two hours S of me (with the famous major vintage/antique sportscar races they have every year!)
 
2) The Iola Old Car Show and Swap Meet is reasonably near here too... a mile square packed with over a quarter of a million visitors a year from around the world all buying old car parts and tools (aka 'the worlds's biggest rummage sale'). 1/1 scale Halibrands and other mag parts are everywhere here.
 
Thank you,
Ken

[Ecurie Martini]

A thought - if you have an ultrasonic cleaner, you might try Coca Cola (phosphoric acid).

 

EM