thunder58
2 posts
Dec 08, 2018
4:37 AM
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I was just wondering if anyone uses an Ultra Sonic ( sometimes known as Jewelry Cleaners ) Cleaner for there harps ? The type you plug in the wall , add water . and put your disassembeld harp into for a few minutes . Seems there are a number of these cleaners on the market . Do they work ? Which is the best / commonly used one . Thinking of picking one up .
Thanks
Rich
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florida-trader
1393 posts
Dec 08, 2018
9:14 AM
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I have been using ultrasonic cleaners for several years. I’m on my third one. (They do wear out after a while). They are handy little devices, but they are not a panacea. In other words, it would be nice if we could drop our harps, assembled or disassembled, into an ultrasonic cleaner and voila- out pops a pristine, perfectly cleaned harp. That’s what I was hoping for, but it doesn’t work that way. Your best bet for cleaning harps is to use some sort of detergent and a soft toothbrush to gently scrub away the dried-up mouth juices, etc. on your combs, reed plates and covers. If Dawn is good enough to clean our knives, forks, glasses and plates – other stuff we put into our mouths - it is good enough to clean a harmonica.
If I am restoring a vintage harp, like a pre-war Marine Band, I might use something a little stronger, like Barkeeper’s Friend, to remove some rust or tarnish. That’s when an ultrasonic cleaner comes in handy. The Barkeeper’s friend leaves a film or residue on the reed plates and reeds. I use an ultrasonic cleaner with a mixture of water and vinegar, like 10 to 1 ratio water to vinegar, to remove the residue.
The most recent ultrasonic cleaner I have purchased I got at Harbor Freight for about $75.00. You can find them cheaper, but the Harbor Freight model is pretty big compared to the others I have owned.
Hope this helps.
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Tom Halchak
Blue Moon Harmonicas
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Thievin' Heathen
1088 posts
Dec 08, 2018
9:38 AM
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I had a little Harbor Freight ultrasonic cleaner a couple of years ago. It did nothing for me. Very uncharacteristically for me, I tossed it in the trash.
It was taking up too much room on my bench. Your results may differ.
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nacoran
10011 posts
Dec 08, 2018
10:25 AM
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I got one from Turboharp. I can't comment on whether it's better or worse than others. James says on the site the reason he picked to sell that one was it was a good size for harps. It holds 4 nicely at a time. I've had good luck with it. No complaints.
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thunder58
3 posts
Dec 08, 2018
12:57 PM
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Thank you everyone .
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Sundancer
272 posts
Dec 08, 2018
1:08 PM
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Try using hydrogen peroxide in a sonic cleaner. Let’ the harps soak for 10 mins first. Clean as a whistle!
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thunder58
4 posts
Dec 08, 2018
1:12 PM
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Thanks Sundancer
BTW - how long do you keep the harps in a Ultra Sonic Cleaner . Is there a time limit ?
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SuperBee
5674 posts
Dec 08, 2018
2:51 PM
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I have a small ultrasonic bath. I find stuff on the bottom of the tub which convinces me it’s worth using, especially after tuning jobs, so I routinely run my clients’ harps through the cleaner once I’ve finished work on them. I also scrub with soap and water.
A fellow I know, who uses large u/s tubs in industrial application, told me to avoid adding detergent to the bath because the foam interferes with the process, rendering it less effective. I follow that advice.
Some people I know put entire, assembled harps in ultrasonic cleaners. I don’t believe that yields good results. I always disassemble the harps
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dchurch
206 posts
Dec 08, 2018
8:17 PM
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Another sonic user here.
I have had a large commercial unit in my shop for about 8 years: multi-transducers, controlled heat, timer... It's overkill for occasional harp cleaning but I do use it for running a batch of harps and some restoration work. Still I find it seldom replaces the need for some amount of hand cleaning.
For simply cleaning a single harp, no I generally prefer to just clean by hand, often with the help of a battery powered Oral B tooth brush and a variety of cleaning agents as needed.
If you are planning on buying a sonic cleaner I do recommend the programmable heat and timer feature. The heat really speeds up the effectiveness of solvents like vinegar, water... I have a few removable baskets that I really like for keeping small parts together. I believe I found them at an online jewelers shop.
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It's about time I got around to this.
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hvyj
3658 posts
Dec 09, 2018
5:46 AM
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Any inexpensive small one works fine. You can get one for less than $35 US. Mix Sterisol concentrate into warm water. Sterisol is a brass and woodwind mouthpiece cleaner available online and very inexpensive. It’s fine to put the harp in fully assembled unless it’s seriously fouled. Rinse the harp iwith warm water after you take it out of the ultrasonic cleaner.
How long you leave it in depends on how badly it needs to be cleaned, BUT do NOT leave it in to soak. Remove it when the cycle is done and rinse it.
If a harp needs cleaning you will see dirt billowing out from the holes like smoke when you turn on the ultrasound. It may clear stuck reeds, depending on what the problem is, and a clean harp plays more in tune (Assuming the harp is in tune to begin with).
Last Edited by hvyj on Dec 09, 2018 5:51 AM
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thunder58
5 posts
Dec 09, 2018
7:49 AM
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SuperBee , dchurch , hvyj , Thank you for all the advice
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jbone
2776 posts
Dec 09, 2018
11:00 AM
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I don't have one and never have. I use a warm water rinse for simple cleaning and shake out then wrap in a paper towel and this takes care of a lot for very little effort.
If I need to go deep I disassemble and soak all parts in a shallow dish of 91% alcohol. After a few minutes I use a soft toothbrush to take off anything the alcohol has not dissolved. Then let dry and reassemble. Not too hard.
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thunder58
7 posts
Dec 09, 2018
11:07 AM
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Thanks jbone
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BronzeWailer
2084 posts
Dec 10, 2018
1:34 AM
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I use one I got from Aldi in Australia for $16. I use 1/3 vinegar and 2/3 water. If you put harps in fully assembled the screws seem to loosen. The water turns gray after a few rounds (of different harps) so something is coming off! I rinse them out and shake out remaining water and dry in the sun (bit not for too long).
I have also used Steridents when terrible things have happened to my harps in the past. (Spam code for this post is GRTY WC)
BronzeWailer's YouTube
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Thievin' Heathen
1089 posts
Dec 11, 2018
6:45 AM
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Effident. Leaves a minty taste too.
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