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How use Ultra-sonic cleaner with pens?


kudzu

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I want to clean my pens a little better. I have only used my U-S cleaner once and did that by just standing an Esterbrook pen nib-down in the plastic basket while it operated. (Wow - lots more PR Black Cherry ink came out!) Now I want to clean an aerometric Parker 45. I could just stand it up in the basket, too, but wonder if I'm not getting the full benefit of the ultra-sonic function.

 

Can I lay my non-casein and non-hard rubber pens in the water so that the pens are fulled covered during treatment? Do I have to worry about rust getting in the levers or inner j-bars, aerometric or vacuum fillers, blind caps, and piston mechanisms? Seems like if I could submerge the whole pen, I'm more likely to remove additional ink from the inside of the pen, and not just what is stuck to the feed and nib. I have Esterbrooks, Parkers, Sheaffers (mostly vintage), Mont Blanc, Pelikan and Watermans plus the assorted Chinese and 2nd and 3rd tier pens. And can you use U-S cleaners on vintage gold ringtop pens?

 

How do YOU use an ultra-sonic device to clean your pens?

 

Kudzu

 

"I am a galley slave to pen and ink." ~Honore de Balzac

 

Happy Pan Pacific Pen Club Member!
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You can, and may put the cap in the ultrasonic, and most certainly the section and nib assembly. I do not, and would recommend that you do not, put the barrel in the water. It will be difficult to dry out the barrel completely, and I see no reason to introduce moisture into the barrel where it will be trapped, and will provide a wonderful environment to encourage the J bar to rust. :( :sick:

 

One or two three minute cycles should be enough to knock the crud loose. Make sure the water stays cool.....

 

Maybe I need to write a short note to post to pin on how to use an ultrasonic cleaner and what to use in it.....

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That would be great, Ron - I'd love to see a consolidated post of how-to (and how *not* to), and if you don't mind broadening the scope a bit, maybe go into how you clean HR and other things that shouldn't go into the cleaner... I for one would be grateful for your efforts.

I can't wait to get the one I ordered months ago thats apparently still on back order. So many dirty pens, so little time!

 

Lewis

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Hi:

 

What do you do when you have already submerged the barrel of a Sheaffer Crest (lever filler) in the ultrasonic cleaner?

 

Do I try to evaporate the water by using a cool air hair dryer? Blowing air around the lever filler?

 

Have it repaired/cleaned before you develop problems?

 

Thanks for any info.

 

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Ron, very helpful answer. And I, too, think pinning a thread about ultra-sonic cleaners would be good. Does your answer also apply to gold ringtops? (I'm assuming it does unless you say otherwise.) And just to make it clear, I'm planning on using the U-S on pens that I have NOT taken apart - I'm not there quite yet. So, just put the pen in (nib down, keeping the water below the lever) along with the cap and go at it. Ok, I hadn't even thought about putting the cap in! Thank you.

Kudzu

 

"I am a galley slave to pen and ink." ~Honore de Balzac

 

Happy Pan Pacific Pen Club Member!
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General principle should be to NOT put anything in the ultrasonic unless you are certain no harm will result.

As a rule, there will be no reason to submerge the barrel of any pen that does not hold ink directly in that barrel. So no submerging of lever-fillers, button-fillers, etc. And though 45 caps are safe enough, the general rule should be not to submerge caps. Some are safe to immerse, but lots aren't -- especially celluloid caps, where moisture can easily get trapped behind the inner cap. Cotton swabs should do all you need on such pens.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've been wondering about an US cleaner too. I mean, can you even use one if you don't pull nibs out? I am just not competant enough to take a nib out of a barrel, yet I soak and soak my nibs and flush them and still, some pens I have sent out to be tweaked were all gunked up (which probably explained some of their flow problems) but I honestly worked on cleaning them out for several days. I use the little bulb flusher and everything. I've used a slight ammonia mixture. I was wondering if I would have more luck with an ultrasound, but if you can only put the nib itself in, I am too worried to even try that.

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Considering that the nib and feed are both designed to be wet for long periods of time, dropping the section in isn't a problem. (on most pens)

 

I personally have decided against 'soaking' parts for more than an hour or so at a time; however, I've found that running a cycle in the US cleaner, then letting the section sit for an hour, then running another cycle gets amazing amounts of (bleep) out.

 

I have one sheaffer (possibly DOA - it looks like the prior owner cracked the section right where the feed and triumph nib meet) that's now spent about six hours over several days in the cleaner. It's _still_ producing (bleep). From the colour, it had red, blue, and black ink in it - at different times. They're dissolving out in layers, making the water interesting colours.

 

 

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Not as much a comment on using an ultra sonic cleaner as much as on drying things. When I get things that need to be really dry I place them in my vacuum chamber and reduce pressure to about 29" Mercury. I leave this for an hour or two. All moisture is gone.

 

Ron

"Adventure is just bad planning." -- Roald Amundsen

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Not as much a comment on using an ultra sonic cleaner as much as on drying things. When I get things that need to be really dry I place them in my vacuum chamber and reduce pressure to about 29" Mercury. I leave this for an hour or two. All moisture is gone.

 

Ron

 

Cool. I can pick up a handy desktop vacuum chamber at Harbor Freight, right?

 

:-)

 

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Not as much a comment on using an ultra sonic cleaner as much as on drying things. When I get things that need to be really dry I place them in my vacuum chamber and reduce pressure to about 29" Mercury. I leave this for an hour or two. All moisture is gone.

 

Ron

 

Cool. I can pick up a handy desktop vacuum chamber at Harbor Freight, right?

 

:-)

 

Actually, I use a 1/2 gallon "Mason Jar" as a vacuum chamber for many objects. I have a lid with an automotive mag wheel valve stem that adapts it to the vacuum hose. A word of cation his due here. I always throw a blanket over the vacuum chamber the first time a pull a particular jar down to a new low. An imploding jar usually throws stuff around. I was lucky when I discovered this not to be injured.

 

One probably could find a decent vacuum pump at harbor freight. However, I have several vacuum pumps about so I don't look to harbor freight for new ones.

 

I am looking for a large one for a project. I need about 100 CFM and 20" of mercury pull. It will not be cheap even used.

 

Ron

"Adventure is just bad planning." -- Roald Amundsen

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  • 1 month later...
I want to clean my pens a little better. I have only used my U-S cleaner once and did that by just standing an Esterbrook pen nib-down in the plastic basket while it operated. (Wow - lots more PR Black Cherry ink came out!) Now I want to clean an aerometric Parker 45. I could just stand it up in the basket, too, but wonder if I'm not getting the full benefit of the ultra-sonic function.

 

Can I lay my non-casein and non-hard rubber pens in the water so that the pens are fulled covered during treatment? Do I have to worry about rust getting in the levers or inner j-bars, aerometric or vacuum fillers, blind caps, and piston mechanisms? Seems like if I could submerge the whole pen, I'm more likely to remove additional ink from the inside of the pen, and not just what is stuck to the feed and nib. I have Esterbrooks, Parkers, Sheaffers (mostly vintage), Mont Blanc, Pelikan and Watermans plus the assorted Chinese and 2nd and 3rd tier pens. And can you use U-S cleaners on vintage gold ringtop pens?

 

How do YOU use an ultra-sonic device to clean your pens?

HI

I USED ULTRASONIC CLEANERS A LOT IN MY DAYS AS WATCH AND CLOCK MAKER AND WAS ALWAYS TAUGHT THAT THE CLEANING LIQUD IS PUT INTO A SEPERATE CONTAINER AND THAT IS WHAT IS PLACED INTO THE ULTRASONIC TANK DONT KNOW IF IT MAKES ANY DIFFERENCE IF THE CLEANER IS PUT DIRECT INTO THE TANK

REGARDS

LES

 

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Maybe I need to write a short note to post to pin on how to use an ultrasonic cleaner and what to use in it.....

That would be awesome! ^___^

Laura Fox ~

civil libertarian socialist, puppyshipper, seeker of the legendary Waterman Flex-Nib

www.shininghalf.com

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  • 5 months later...

I'm bumping this thread again hoping Ron Zorn sees it and remembers his idea to pin a thread about proper use of an ultrasonic cleaner. Yes, Ron - we'd really really like that. Thanks.

Kudzu

 

"I am a galley slave to pen and ink." ~Honore de Balzac

 

Happy Pan Pacific Pen Club Member!
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  • 4 weeks later...

Would be glad to find some advise on how to use an ultrasonic cleaner safely, too.

 

Have ordered one and will clean some pens as soon as it arrives ....

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Maybe I need to write a short note to post to pin on how to use an ultrasonic cleaner and what to use in it.....

 

Ron, such a post would be greatly appreciated! I've been hoping for such.

 

Paul

"You accomplish the great task by a series of small acts." -- Lao Tzu

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In the meanwhile, I'll list a few things I've learned:

 

1. As a first pass, it's a good idea to use just plain lukewarm water. Run it for about 30-60 seconds. Remove the clogged part and run it under water. If you have a squeeze ball flusher, use that to force out any crud that came loose.

2. Run through step 1 again. Repeat once more if you still see ink streams coming from your part.

3. If steps 1-2 didn't clean enough, it's time to repeat with a cleaner. I won't recommend anything in particular, as it depends a lot on the pen--some solvents work great, others destroy.

4. If you don't have any solvent, you can use hot water instead for certain parts like nib feeds that can tolerate it. Exercise good judgment, though.

 

Of course, anything made of casein should never have a long bath in water or else it will distort.

[MYU's Pen Review Corner] | "The Common Ground" -- Jeffrey Small

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Maybe I need to write a short note to post to pin on how to use an ultrasonic cleaner and what to use in it.....

 

Ron, such a post would be greatly appreciated! I've been hoping for such.

 

Paul

Ditto! I have an ultrasonic cleaner ordered and would really appreciate some expert instruction on using it with pens.

Edited by Possum Hill
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  • 1 month later...

I am another US cleaner user who would like to know what the experts say about them

 

Instruction would be much appreciated

 

Solitaire

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I work a couple days a week repairing pens for one of the "famous pen repair/Nibmeisters" and we use an US all day long.

my incomplete list would be as follows;

 

1) NO'S- no sheaffer inlaid nibs, no parker 61 nib end(61 capilllary end, ok), no barrels with lever/pressure bars, button fillers, caesin, many caps(depends on construction).

 

2) Vac's -only empty barrels with the plunger mechanism removed first, the spring can rust.

 

A Good rule of thumb is " if the part has glued-on decoration, or an inlaid nib, or metal (that can rust) keep it away from the "cooker".

Sensitive Pen Restoration doesn't cost extra.

 

Find me on Facebook at MONOMOY VINTAGE PEN

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