Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[5030]

Have to go to HF this week and get an ultrasonic jewelery cleaner. My wife put nail polish in her's and melted the plastic bowl. Sealed the lid shut too. Had to take a hammer to it to get her wedding ring out....:laughing:

 

[dragoneggs]

Have to go to HF this week and get an ultrasonic jewelery cleaner. My wife put nail polish in her's and melted the plastic bowl. Sealed the lid shut too. Had to take a hammer to it to get her wedding ring out....:laughing:

Do like my HF ultrasonic cleaner for small stuff. I heat up 100% vinegar ahead of time and use as the medium.

 

[Alan W.]

Yes on the HF ultrasonic cleaner. Lyman has the same one HF has at a lot higher price. Have been using ours to clean dirty brass before reloading.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Do like my HF ultrasonic cleaner for small stuff. I heat up 100% vinegar ahead of time and use as the medium.

What do you clean ... with the vinegar?

 

[dragoneggs]

What do you clean ... with the vinegar?

jewelry... small bolts, brackets, nuts, and other crusty metal things.

 

[lostcreekranch]

jewelry... small bolts, brackets, nuts, and other crusty metal things.

Have you tried Simple Green Pro ... the purple stuff? It's been my go to degreaser for years.



We've got a small $25 unit for jewelry, etc but, I've looked at bigger ones like this one with 6 liter capacity.

https://www.amazon.com/Mophorn-Ultrasonic-Professional-HeaterTimer-Instrument/dp/B083TLL9D9

The noted HF cleaner is 2.5 liters.

 

[John_Mc]

Relax, I was just giving him a friendly hard time.

Sometimes I can be pretty dense about humor/ribbing when it's in text form.

I've also been highly sensitized to people getting attacked online lately, since a few in our community seem determined to blow up our community Facebook page with complaints about our road crew. I'm not sure where some people got the expectation that they should be able to drive anywhere, anytime, 24/7, even in the middle of a blizzard or after an ice storm when the temps are down around 0˚F (and salt is not effective). The real nuts are trying to do it on their worn out "all season" tires. This is rural Vermont, you dummies. Use some judgement, get some real snow tires, and learn to drive in winter conditions (or stay home until things clear up). We've got a good road crew who knows their stuff and works long hours. Surrounding towns are regularly trying to hire them away. The unfounded, ill-informed attacks aren't helping us hold on to them. (We had one guy quit after the online BS spilled over into the real world and a resident confronted him and threatened to punch him in the face. We were able to convince him to come back after taking a few days off.)

 

[5030]

I take it that an 'ultrasonic' cleaner is nothing more than a vibrating tub? Is that correct?

 

[5030]

Sometimes I can be pretty dense about humor/ribbing when it's in text form.

I've also been highly sensitized to people getting attacked online lately, since a few in our community seem determined to blow up our community Facebook page with complaints about our road crew. I'm not sure where some people got the expectation that they should be able to drive anywhere, anytime, 24/7, even in the middle of a blizzard or after an ice storm when the temps are down around 0˚F (and salt is not effective). The real nuts are trying to do it on their worn out "all season" tires. This is rural Vermont, you dummies. Use some judgement, get some real snow tires, and learn to drive in winter conditions (or stay home until things clear up). We've got a good road crew who knows their stuff and works long hours. Surrounding towns are regularly trying to hire them away. The unfounded, ill-informed attacks aren't helping us hold on to them. (We had one guy quit after the online BS spilled over into the real world and a resident confronted him and threatened to punch him in the face. We were able to convince him to come back after taking a few days off.)

I took no offense with the comment at all. One, I'm not 'thin skinned' and two, I don't ever take things personally. This is an Internet forum and not my wife..... If my wife chatises me, that is an entirely different matter.

One issue on this site (and others) is, no one can poke at someone else without that other person getting offended. Don't bother me at all.

 

[MoArk Willy]

I take it that an 'ultrasonic' cleaner is nothing more than a vibrating tub? Is that correct?

But it's a "super-dooper" vibrating tub.
Actually it is more than that.
Sound waves create bubbles that contains a great amount of energy. That energy is contained in the tiny bubble so when it bursts it creates a scrubbing action.
Add a cleaning solution and you have a micro-power washer of sorts.
I am sure none of my description is technically accurate but that is my interpretation of what happens.

 

[reb]

I would be careful about using an acid (vinegar) in the HF ultrasonic cleaner I have. The tub is aluminum. It works well, but I find it doesn't clean brass as well as I would like.

 

[hunt4570]

I would be careful about using an acid (vinegar) in the HF ultrasonic cleaner I have. The tub is aluminum. It works well, but I find it doesn't clean brass as well as I would like.

I'll keep my tumbler with corncob media for brass and small metal parts..

 

[dragoneggs]

But it's a "super-dooper" vibrating tub.
Actually it is more than that.
Sound waves create bubbles that contains a great amount of energy. That energy is contained in the tiny bubble so when it bursts it creates a scrubbing action.
Add a cleaning solution and you have a micro-power washer of sorts.
I am sure none of my description is technically accurate but that is my interpretation of what happens.

Yeah the frequency is relatively high such that you really can't tell it is vibrating.

I would be careful about using an acid (vinegar) in the HF ultrasonic cleaner I have. The tub is aluminum. It works well, but I find it doesn't clean brass as well as I would like.

Not sure if mine is a polished aluminum or stainless steel liner. It is very thin wall. I do clean and dry it out thoroughly each time I use it.

 

[Fallon]

But it's a "super-dooper" vibrating tub.
Actually it is more than that.
Sound waves create bubbles that contains a great amount of energy. That energy is contained in the tiny bubble so when it bursts it creates a scrubbing action.
Add a cleaning solution and you have a micro-power washer of sorts.
I am sure none of my description is technically accurate but that is my interpretation of what happens.

That may sound sarcastic, but it's actually the truth. Basically it's a smaller controlled form of cavitation that eats up poorly designed or maintained cooling & hydraulic systems. It disperses soft material (dirt & grime) while leaving metal & hard materials like metal alone. Uncontrolled cavitation can eat holes in the metal.

 

[Jim Nelson]

I have both the 2 liter ? and pint models. The larger one is used for typical parts cleaning but all I use in it is Simple Green or similar cleaners. The smaller one I use to clean my dentures nightly. I fill it with hot water and add a Polident tablet. It works very well. I also use it to clean the cutting head of my Norelco razor by covering the head with hot water and putting just a squirt of liquid hand soap in it.

I clean it after each use and store it up side down so no water runs down to the electric parts.

 

[5030]

One thing about this site, you ask a question you get a good answer (most times), I had no idea how an ultrasonic cleaner worked. Now, I do.

 

[PJSprog]

One thing about this site, you ask a question you get a good answer (most times), I had no idea how an ultrasonic cleaner worked. Now, I do.

The amount of experience and knowledge in this group is sometimes staggering.

 

[5030]

The amount of experience and knowledge in this group is sometimes staggering.

95% good advice, 5% very BAD advice. One has to know the difference.......

There are some very frequent posters on here (will remain nameless) that are entirely FOS to the very top and keep right on giving bad information like it's a game with them. I actually have them on ignore, a nice feature of this forum.

 

[crazyal]

I was a little disappointed that HF only has a 20% coupon for president's day weekend. On top of that they act like it's a special coupon since it's only good for 4 days. It has the same restrictions on what you can't buy and it's only good for one item. I'm thinking of getting a 2 ton engine lift. The current coupon for the lift is slightly better than 20% off but less than 25% so I've been holding off until this weekend. It's only about $10 so no big deal but I'm wondering if HF is going to phase out the 25% off?

 

[sodamo]

95% good advice, 5% very BAD advice. One has to know the difference.......

There are some very frequent posters on here (will remain nameless) that are entirely FOS to the very top and keep right on giving bad information like it's a game with them. I actually have them on ignore, a nice feature of this forum.

I’m thankful for the 95%, the rest sometimes has me shaking my head hoping those asking can tell the difference and avoid the potential perils. Sad that some people get their kicks knowingly put out BS. Wife has a brother like that, thankfully he’s gotten a bit better with age. He thinks it’s humorous - NOT.