9 Feb
2007
9 Feb
'07
7:44 a.m.
On 9 Feb 2007 at 0:40, Doc Shipley wrote:
OK, I'm curious about the ultrasound idea. Have you done this
successfully with electronics?
The reason I ask is that ultrasound turns a lot of semiprecious
stones to mush. I would have been afraid that ceramic components (and
electrolytic capacitors, for that matter) wouldn't survive ultrasonic
cleaning.
No, not with electronics. Ultrasonic is very big in brass musical
instrument repair, however. Some shops (not mine) have tanks large
enough for a large sousaphone.
The problem with brass wind instruments is that calcium salts from
saliva eventually crystallize in the innards of an instrument and
then proceed to leach the zinc out of the brass, leading to the
dreaded "red rot"--essentially very porous copper that leaks air. At
that point, repairs become very expensive.
The tranditional way of handling deposits is called a "chem clean".
Usually a bath of muriatic or chromic acid that acts on the calcium
deposits faster than it acts on the brass.
Ultrasonic cleaning is being touted as an acid-free way to accomplish
the same thing. Many swear by it--but then, many swear by cryogenic
treatment of their instruments to improve response.
Snake oil exists in all fields.
Cheers,
Chuck