Cleaning Coins/Finds in a Proper Ultrasonic

Howdy All,

Here is a post I put together on Friendly's talking about Industrial ultrasonic cleaners. Not sure how many people hang out over there also so thought I'd share. Cut and paste:

Spending today going through toasted coins and buttons in a proper industrial ultrasonic cleaner. What do I mean by industrial? One that has stronger inducers, a frequency sweep function, and a good heater.

I have a $1,000 Crest Ultrasonic leftover from my now closed electronics repair business, but all of the following results are with a $99 budget unit I picked up on Ebay that checks all the boxes. Wanted to test one out before I recommended one to my brother for his finds. Will be posting these throughout the day as I clean them up. All were done with the following unit, I have nothing to do with the company and this is my first time using. Much smaller, so won't handle lots of gun parts which I also clean alot, but will do fine for MD'ing.: [www.ebay.com]

So this first coin is a wheat that was toasted. First had at it with an Olive Oil soak and toothpick, and it was just too toasty. Off to the ultrasonic. Could have kept going and pulled all the toast out, but those remaining spots are on the deep side and burrow into the coin.

[photos.app.goo.gl]

Here is a basic checklist of what I look for in an industrial/commercial cleaner:

1. Frequency. 45kHz works great, but if you ever plan on getting into some really fine numismatic type cleaning possibly go with a 132 kHz. I've never used a 132, even doing micro-circuit cleaning of rusted out phones, 45 was fine, so this is just theory on my part.

2. Degas function. The Trusonik I linked to doesn't have this, and it is a con that it doesn't, but for less than a $100 I guess it did have to leave something out.

3. Sweep function. This is the most important of all. It sweeps the frequency in +/- 3kHz increments, gets rid of dead spots, and overall provides the magic that shakes off what you don't want on your parts.

4. Sonic Power - You want at least 100W, with at least a 100W heater.

5. Size - As big as the parts you think you'll clean. My main unit is a Crest Powersonic P1200H-45, which is a 2.5 gallon unit. It's pricy, but with the size I have a lot of leeway with big parts such as engine parts, bolt groups, etc.

Until a year ago, they didn't really have anything in the budget category, but now it seems like they are all over. The Trusonik I linked to above is the first budget I've tried that checks all the boxes. It also comes in a 2.5 gallon at a mind blowing $179. The true test will be how long it holds up, but I'll keep reporting back on the one I have. Here is a link to the 10L: [www.amazon.com]

I can say I'm already super impressed with the Trusonik. I ran a rusted over crescent wrench that I found magnet fishing and it popped out almost like new, so for less than a $100 bucks.

One brand in the budget category that checks all the boxes is the X-Tronic brand. Reviews seem good, with some people getting a lemon here and there. Ebay and Amazon carry them. [www.ebay.com]

Search "ultrasonic sweep" on Ebay and it brings up quite a few. For a higher end unit like the Crest, Get Med Online is a good shop with outstanding customer service. [www.getmedonline.com]

Here are two different types of results.

The US 17th Artillery collar disk was run for 5 minutes with distilled water. Normally I don't run relics long enough to take off the aging/patina, but this is a collar disk I've dug more than one of, and I want to try re-gilt'ing it and seeing how close to original I can restore it for a showcase I'm making. This was run with distilled water, with a little white vinegar and a tablespoon of salt.

The eagle button was just run with distilled water and a little bit of dish soap for about a minute and a half. I wanted to just blast off all the dirt, toast, and grime, but left it in too long because I got a phone call and you can see some of the brass poking through.

I have some rusted knives I found magnet fishing that I'll be running through today or tomorrow, and will post before and after pics of those. Including other MD related clean ups, and I'll do a load of clad.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 09/13/2018 07:33PM by ChrisMD.

Very good, and interesting post. I may have to look into one of these...

Except, your two ebay links don't work. Can you re-post them?

Steve

Thanks for the heads up Steve, I just fixed the links in the post.


steveg Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Very good, and interesting post. I may have to lo
> ok into one of these...
>
> Except, your two ebay links don't work. Can you r
> e-post them?
>
> Steve

Cool beans!

Numismatically speaking, and as far as key date coins, is this a proper way of cleaning them without lowering the value?? Chime in go-rebles.. if you are around.

Interesting post.

My experience with ultrasonic cleaners, is that they do utterly no good on the type objects we find. Eg.: Silver or copper coins that have been "kissed", etc...... I was unaware that there was a distinction between over-the-counter types, verses industrial types, etc....

I've gotten coins appraised where they didn't pick up that it was cleaned. You have to clean the coin alone in a zip lock bag, with the bag clipped to the side of the ultrasonic, that way the coin is only touching the plastic and solution inside the bag, not metal.

ozzie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Cool beans!
>
> Numismatically speaking, and as far as key date co
> ins, is this a proper way of cleaning them without
> lowering the value?? Chime in go-rebles.. if you a
> re around.

That's most people's experience in the hobby Tom. The only reason I know different is because of my cell phone repair side hustle getting water damaged phones back to life for data recovery. Especially a phone that has been in a while and completely rusted out.

Auto shops use them to refurbish fouled/dirty parts. Gun ranges/clubs are starting to pick up on them for weapons cleaning.

Only recently you could get these at these prices. 3-5 years ago, something like the Trusonik or X-tronic I linked would have cost well over 1k. So most if not all in the hobby are only familiar with the useless Walmart/Amazon consumer ultrasonics that literally does close to nothing.

Tom_in_CA Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Interesting post.
>
> My experience with ultrasonic cleaners, is that th
> ey do utterly no good on the type objects we find.
> Eg.: Silver or copper coins that have been "kissed
> ", etc...... I was unaware that there was a dist
> inction between over-the-counter types, verses ind
> ustrial types, etc....

Can you describe this, in more detail? So you put solution in the "pan," and then put solution in the plastic bag as well, and put the coin in the bag?

Steve

ChrisMD Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've gotten coins appraised where they didn't pick
> up that it was cleaned. You have to clean the coi
> n alone in a zip lock bag, with the bag clipped to
> the side of the ultrasonic, that way the coin is o
> nly touching the plastic and solution inside the b
> ag, not metal.
>
> ozzie Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Cool beans!
> >
> > Numismatically speaking, and as far as key date
> co
> > ins, is this a proper way of cleaning them witho
> ut
> > lowering the value?? Chime in go-rebles.. if you
> a
> > re around.

Inside the pan of the ultrasonic would just go plain old water. Inside the plastic baggie would go whatever cleaning solution your cleaning with and the coin. Then clipped with a clothespin or something to the side. I’ll take a pic next time I do it.

steveg Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Can you describe this, in more detail? So you put
> solution in the "pan," and then put solution in th
> e plastic bag as well, and put the coin in the bag
> ?
>
> Steve
>
> ChrisMD Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I've gotten coins appraised where they didn't pi
> ck
> > up that it was cleaned. You have to clean the c
> oi
> > n alone in a zip lock bag, with the bag clipped
> to
> > the side of the ultrasonic, that way the coin is
> o
> > nly touching the plastic and solution inside the
> b
> > ag, not metal.
> >
> > ozzie Wrote:
> > ------------------------------------------------
> --
> > -----
> > > Cool beans!
> > >
> > > Numismatically speaking, and as far as key dat
> e
> > co
> > > ins, is this a proper way of cleaning them wit
> ho
> > ut
> > > lowering the value?? Chime in go-rebles.. if y
> ou
> > a
> > > re around.

Sounds great, Chris.

So, for cleaning solution -- I saw you mention distilled water and soap, also saw you mention distilled water, salt, and vinegar. Are these typically what you use, or are there other solutions you use in certain circumstances?

Steve

Appraisal is far different than having a coin graded. They now have coin sniffers to check for chemical as well as micro scopes. Used to be when i grew up you could get a nice coin collections and sell um like it is.... now days its big business so they make it difficult for anyone just going thru change. Most coins dug wont grade highly if at all...... unless they are rare... they may sell IF someone needs to complete a set.

Will it remove rust off of iron relics?

Rick

I've never tried and I usually toss all the rusted iron. I will try on the next one I dig though.

Rick, N. MI Wrote:
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> Will it remove rust off of iron relics?
>
> Rick

Key date coin...let cleaning to experts...

So here goes my personal experience with ultrasonics.I work as a jeweler and have been using a ultrasonic for several years. The first thing is that many cleaning chemicals will dissolve copper, vinegar being one of them. Some other chemicals can oxidize silver. None of this really matters if the piece is toasted anyways, but if the coin has some value to it then I would only use water. Different chemicals are used to do different types of cleaning. As far as iron objets go, I would still recommend electrolysis. Most ultrasonics will degas if left to run for a few minutes before you put anything in them. The plastic baggie trick is a good one, but you can also put a little water in a plastic cup with whatever you're cleaning and just let it float around in the ultrasonic. To me it's just easier to deal with. One more word of caution is that ultrasonics may damage multi piece objects like two or three piece military buttons.

Excellent thread, Chris!

Thanks to the new (to me) knowledge you shared...a 10L Trusonic is on the way.

Yep, good old distilled water is what I use for my good finds. Simple green works really well at removing rough patina withouit kissing the coin like vinegar and salt does. You are more than right about the buttons, I tore a CW R button up because I left it in too long, it was laying in the bottom of the baggie in pieces, lol.

Shakydigger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So here goes my personal experience with ultrasoni
> cs.I work as a jeweler and have been using a ultra
> sonic for several years. The first thing is that m
> any cleaning chemicals will dissolve copper, vineg
> ar being one of them. Some other chemicals can oxi
> dize silver. None of this really matters if the pi
> ece is toasted anyways, but if the coin has some v
> alue to it then I would only use water. Different
> chemicals are used to do different types of cleani
> ng. As far as iron objets go, I would still recomm
> end electrolysis. Most ultrasonics will degas if l
> eft to run for a few minutes before you put anythi
> ng in them. The plastic baggie trick is a good one
> , but you can also put a little water in a plastic
> cup with whatever you're cleaning and just let it
> float around in the ultrasonic. To me it's just ea
> sier to deal with. One more word of caution is tha
> t ultrasonics may damage multi piece objects like
> two or three piece military buttons.

marcomo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Excellent thread, Chris!
>
> Thanks to the new (to me) knowledge you shared...a
> 10L Trusonic is on the way.

Nice, that size will come in handy for cleaning lots of stuff, more than metal Detecting finds. Sometimes things I should have thought to clean in it suddenly pop into mind and I kick myself. Like my airbrush, I’ve been hand cleaning it forever, then last week it just came to me to drop the whole thing into the tank. 5 minutes later it comes out spotless, what used to take me z20-30 minutes by hand because the whole thing has to be disassembled then cleaned. In the ultrasonic it got inside everything without disassembly.

I bought it for MD purposes, but I can definitely envision other uses.

I'll second what Ozzie said, cool beans!

Thanks again for enlightening me, Chris. Also thanks to shakydigger for sharing his experience.