Using ultrasonic jewelry/glass cleaner for filters

[b_a10]

Hi

I was wondering if the ultra sonic cleaners they have for jewelery and glasses

are safe to use for lens filters. Has anyone tried using them? would anyone

recommend doing so?

 

thanks

[jcolwell]

Don't try it with a Polarizer, as it'll probably get fluid in between the layers of glass (maybe even for a sealed B+W KSM). It probably wouldn't hurt for single-layer filters (which covers most of them), but I've never had much difficulty cleaning filters with a good microfibre cloth and some breath or lens cleaning fluid.

[bobatkins]

I don't see the point. They are easy to clean using conventional methods. "Sandwich" type filters (such as polarisers as mentioned above, plus some Tiffen filters) might not like it.

[james_sigle]

BA,

 

The solution used in ultrasonic cleaners contains oil. I wouldn't use them, unless it has never been used for cleaning watches and jewelery. Then fill it with lens cleaner (might be expensive).

 

Jim

[daniel flather]

Also the ultasonics for the consumer market are very wimpy. Most are just run with a simple jar that "swishes" the solution around; I've seen those at trade shows. The shop grade models without heat run about $250+ for a decent unit. My unit cost $450. So it's not worth the investment for casual use.

[Barry Thomas]

I use mine to clean my glasses (specs) which probably don't have the highest quality coatings on the lenses and lacquer on the frames etc and they come up sparkling with no damage, even with several cleans a week for several years. The juice in the machine varies, mine has a lot of ammonia in it plus some kind of soap-like thing and it gets EVERYTHING off, even if the juice is a bit murky that day - it all rinses off under the tap anyway, so oil content or no, the soap in the solution deals with it.

 

Other than the multi-layer caveat above, go for it. (Usual limitations on the value of internet adice apply; ymmv etc).

[kelly_flanigan1]

If one owns ones own ultrasonic cleaner; one can use ANY liquid one wants. Here I often use plain 409 for camera and watch parts; or several other cleaners. 409 is not the best thing for aluminum; I use other cleaners that dont attack the aluminum with gusto. <BR><BR>There is really NO rule that one has to use ANY cleaner at all with an ultrasonic cleaner. Crap will come off without an cleaners too. *Microbubble* like scrubbing is radically increased with a cleaner. <BR><BR>With a real ultrasonic cleanera the rig will pinhole aluminum foil it the solution is just water after X seconds. Paint; decals, oils get removed; some surfaces get degraded too.<br><br>

[kelly_flanigan1]

Here my largest Ultrasonic holds a gallon; a small loaf of bread will fit inside. Smaller units are used for smaller stuff. Harbor Freight sells a couple of cheapie units too. Some *too cheap* ones for jewelry are abit fakes; they do have some ultrasonic energy; some have a resonant fork that moves to the 60 Hertz AC line; that excites dinky fingers on the fork that resonate in the ultrasonic region. The ultrasonic *power* of these units is there; but just wimpy. Often these are marketed to clean rings, and sell for 10 bucks! <BR><BR>Another weird old wimpy ultrasonic rig had this 60 Hertz AC transforner core in the bottom; and this 400 series stainless steel special disk with fingers that vibrated to the line frequency; which excited the tiny fingers on the disk in the ultrasonic region. This was a typical 1970's cheap ultrasonic rig that barely worked.<BR><BR>Most real ultrasonic rigs have a drawn stainless metal tub; with a ultrasonic transducer (tweater like:)) bonded inside on the bottom; driven by a transistorized power amp.

[kelly_flanigan1]

One can actual ruin and destroy small items with an ultrasonic cleaner too. They are great tools, just do some experiments with non critical items first.