Cleaning up Headlight Buckets...

[1 Wild R/T]

I've seen a few posts about this subject & I've tried a few methods in the past.... Most suggest blasting from a distance with fine media.... I've done that, some suggest having them plated, well the original process was done before the buckets were formed & can't be duplicated.. So what ever you do the results aren't great.... 

Today I was cleaning up parts for my Coronet build & decided I wanted to try something.. I have a ultrasonic cleaning tank for doing carburetors..  I threw a headlight bucket in the tank, and a 50/50 mix of Simple Green & water....  Let the tank heat up & turned on the vibrations....  Here's a few photos... I'm pretty happy with the results.... I think I'll be using the ultrasonic tank for more tan just carbs...

Oh,BTW I'd already scrubbed the headlight buckets with soap & water & a brush..

[anlauto]

Wow, that has excellent results....The cars around my area, those are usually rusty as well....would be nice to find an original set like yours.

[1 Wild R/T]

These came off my 68 Coronet which spent it's first ten years being beaten relentlessly then it spent 22 years abandoned in a backyard....

[Chryco Psycho]

Ultrasonic works very well on many parts ! 

[dodj]

Looks nice Wild.    I've only used the the u.sonic for carbs and solenoid valve bodies.

[7E-Bodies]

Excellent results! Interested. Can you post a pic of the nameplate on your ultra sonic unit?

[1 Wild R/T]

Excellent results! Interested. Can you post a pic of the nameplate on your ultra sonic unit?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HRDLTRW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[dodj]

Wow. 40 amps. It's got some ooompha!
Is it a proprietary plug or std 40A?

[1 Wild R/T]

Actually the 40A is some kind of size code...
The technical specs show....

Technical Deatails
Ultrasonic Power : 240W
Heating Power 200W
Frequency: 40kHz
Voltage: AC110V60Hz
Tank Capacity: 10L
Time Setting: 1 - 30 minutes. DO NOT continuously heating it for over 30mins
Temperature Setting: 0-80 degrees Celsius
Tank Size:30*24*15cm (L x W x H)
Unit Size: 32.5*26.5*28.5 (L x W x H)
Tank Material:Stainless Steel SUS304

So 440 watts @ 120 volts is less than 4 amps...   40 amps this thing would melt parts... LOL.  It's really not that powerful but it does a really good job, it's taken some pretty nasty carbs & cleaned them better than most carb dip tanks I've ever used....  It does really good on all those nooks & crannies that you can barely see never mind about scrub... It also sonically cleans passages that a carb soak tank only gets wet....  I've been pretty impressed...

[7E-Bodies]

Thanks for the link! Wow...way less expensive that I had thought. Have you had it long enough to really run it through its paces? I'll buy one in a heartbeat if they last.

[1 Wild R/T]

I've only had it for about six months, but I've used it quite a bit & now that I've decided it's gonna do more than carbs it's gonna be busy....

[jimynick]

I've only had it for about six months, but I've used it quite a bit & now that I've decided it's gonna do more than carbs it's gonna be busy....

I've read about a bunch of guys who also use them for guns & parts and they all rave about them. It looks like a nice unit and it has a drain which was a sore point in the HF unit; that was, admittedly, half the price, but also looked it. I can see one in my future some time. 

[7E-Bodies]

I'm a gun collector as well, so good point. I can see this for jewelry, antiques, you name it.

[7E-Bodies]

I just put it in "my cart". It was $146 earlier, now it's $154! WTH? That was like 4 hours ago. I swear we get spied on.

[1 Wild R/T]

The one thing I've heard on gun forums is it pulls all the oil out of mechanisms as well as the steel in general so it can cause rust..... I know there are areas on a few of my guns that can't be accessed without driving out pins & such... Not sure I want to chance it.... But then I clean my stuff regularly anyway so I don't see a need..