Anyone used ultrasound cleaner for chains?

[2manyoranges]

I am getting fed up with spending hours cleaning the many chains on many bikes … that crunchy grit right in the rollers.

Regime of muc off, brush, rinse, GT85, brush rinse repeat is mucky and takes hours. And twisting the chain you can still feel that horrible gritty crunching.

I have thought about building an agitator tank - easy enough - but am also thinking one of the professional ultrasound cleaners - will it get to the grit in the rollers?

Any experience out there?
Thanks

 

[Gtpulse]

Old 1 litre water bottle (find it needs the wide neck of a cycling water bottle to be able to get the chain out again). 1/2 fill with white spirit, insert chain and shake for a while. Served me pretty well and other than white spirit or other solvent which you can filter the grit out of with an old t shirt and reuse is very low cost.

 

[marc two tone]

Similar to above, albeit a 2l milk bottle. When done, slash it open with a blade.
Insert chain (les the quick link) vigorous shake, leave overnight, fish it out.
You could repeat the process for a 'rinse'.

 

[JimK404]

I use a tupperware-type box with a bit of an old mesh cake-rack in the bottom so the grit & grime can fall away from the thing being cleaned.

 

[Graham_hkr]

I use an ultrasonic cleaner for all sorts of parts cleaning, using an alkaline solution in the tank with a Ph11.0/12.5 seems to be good for most parts, including aluminium.
I don't use aggressive cleaning solutions as I found it made painted parts dull & aluminium doesn't clean well either, kinda goes dark colour.
I usually clean off most of the outside gunk first then just use warm water & washing-up liquid!

 

[pw_pw_la]

When do we start talking about chain waxing tho?

I have a friend who is a recent convert and now swears by it...

 

[novocaine]

Same as above. Lucazade bottle I have a spoke that I bent in to a hook that goes through a hole in the lid.

 

[2manyoranges]

I use an ultrasonic cleaner for all sorts of parts cleaning, using an alkaline solution in the tank with a Ph11.0/12.5 seems to be good for most parts, including aluminium.
I don't use aggressive cleaning solutions as I found it made painted parts dull & aluminium doesn't clean well either, kinda goes dark colour.
I usually clean off most of the outside gunk first then just use warm water & washing-up liquid!

Many thanks How does it do on chains?

 

[sminchnz]

When do we start talking about chain waxing tho?

I have a friend who is a recent convert and now swears by it...

Yeah, if you want to clean chains less then waxing is definitely the way to go. I’ve been doing it for a couple of years and have zero wear on my road bike chains, plus they’re spotless. No filth on the cassette or chainrings, no muck buildup on derailleur pulleys, and grabbing a handful of chain leave nothing on my hand.

Minor initial faff the first time you wax them - they need to be cleaned to the point of utter spotlessness - but after that it’s super quick and easy.

 

[pw_pw_la]

Yeah, that's what my mate says, too.

I think I'm going to send him all mine to do for me!