Best Hobby Buys: Ultrasonic Cleaners

Dollar for dollar, I've been able to save more money using an ultrasonic cleaner, more than probably any hobby related item I own. I was using it to clean a Lamy fountain pen this morning and I thought I should share.

How does it work?

An ultrasonic cleaner works by sending tiny vibrations through a medium (I usually use water) and shaking the crap out of whatever you'd like to clean.

What can you use an ultrasonic cleaner to do?

Recently I have been using the ultrasonic cleaner around the house, but I have personally been able to accomplish quite a few things.

• Stripping paint and Remove Glue
  • From some minis I got from both /r/miniswap and older minis I have gotten from eBay. About 15 minutes in an ultrasonic cleaner (using 5 minute increments of scrubbing with a cheap toothbrush, I got them back to like-new condition, even CA glue will come off!
  • Erase bad priming/paint jobs, while related to the previous use case, this is a world of difference, when I can start fresh on a mini when I have made an honest mistake, or wanted to take another crack at it. This thing gives back dividends, and gives you unlimited practice minis
• Cleaning brushes, Sable, Airbrushes, cheap or expensive
  • Depending on the mix of stuff you get onto your brushes, a cleaner can be a lifesaver
  • I've been able to restore sable brushes using a little water and brush soap, clean out giant synthetic makeup brushes after building some dioramas and dry brushing tons, and I haven't had an issue with getting the dried up gunk out of my airbrush after making plenty of mistakes, or cleaning off the airbrush needle and reservoir after a long day of painting.
• Household uses
  • I cleaned out dried ink from some expensive fountain pens, after a few cycles, they were writing like new.
• Cleaning jewelry, rings, necklaces, or sunglasses
• Anything that isn't afraid of water can be cleaned using an ultrasonic cleaner, getting rust off of something with the right mix of water and another chemical, although your mileage may vary!

What's the price range of a decent ultrasonic cleaner?

Looking on Amazon this morning, you can pick up a decent ultrasonic cleaner for anywhere between $30 to $75. However, you can spend hundreds if you want to get obsessive about it. The cheaper the model, the less likely it is to last for extended periods.

Some of the more expensive models offer heating, extended run times, and different cycle settings, which can help strip paint faster, or more thoroughly, but honestly I haven't had the need. Adding a splash of LA's Totally Awesome or Simple Green to some water has always gotten me the desired result.

My first ultrasonic cleaner was a cheap iSonic model, and lasted a few months before things like the top cover got loose, and shook itself apart, but that's with near constant use a week at a time. Most of the cheaper models will have a sub 5-minute maximum timer (and recommended run time), so it wasn't made for usage like I was putting it through.

I got it from Amazon, and it's still available here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EFB6MGQ/

The ultrasonic cleaner I am currently using

After graduating from the entry-level model above, I found I needed something that would last a little longer and had more than a 90 second run time.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YD9QCLD/

I found this DK Sonic cleaner (specifically the 900ML option, I wanted more room for larger objects) in mid-2022, and has been working ever since. I usually use it once or so a month, depending on the need, however, when I first got it I was able to strip the paint of about thirty models over the course of a week. It made it's cost back .

Do you already have an ultrasonic cleaner? Do you use it for hobby stuff, or around the house? Please let us all know in the comments!