what do you use to clean nuts/bolts etc? vibratory cleaner?

[firstgear]

I am looking to clean some parts and was wondering if anyone was using a vibratory cleaner that had some kind of media in it for getting nuts/bolts washers/ etc cleaned up.

I have an application at work as well that has some very small pieces, the size of a thimble that are made out of stainless steel and they are put in an induction coil and have a carbide piece brazed in them.

The stainless steel piece turns blue from the high heat that is generated in the induction coil as well as cooking the flux and turning it black. Right now we sand blast them clean, but I am looking for a more automatic way of doing it and thought that a vibratory cleaner that would clean rust off of bolts etc might work....anyone got any experience in cleaning parts with a vibratory cleaner or other method?

Also thought that this would be a good way on my bench at home to clean parts.

comments??????

 

[js1999]

I work on jet engine parts and run a tool and die shop,we use a vibratory with ceramic beads,water and liquid soap to polish parts.You might try to find a place that has wet glass bead machine this works pretty well also grit blast just leaves a mat finish,wet glass it the way to go.Hope this helps.

 

[Bill75]

A barrel tumbler might be the best solution if the part is small enough. There is a variety of media available for different materials and different tasks. As js1999 said, ceramic media in solution with water and soap might just do the trick. I've also used a material made of Baking Soda for polishing. Walnut shells also do a good polishing job if it's not too tough a job, I suspect it would not do a good job on brazing flux. There is a good media used in vibratory deburring machines that looks like tiny needles about .250 long with a point on both ends. It does an excellent job deburring machined parts and might be perfect for what you have.
You can get a barrel tumbler at a sporting goods place just to try out the therory, used to clean shell casings, or at a hobby shop used for rock polishing.

Bill

 

[vetteman64]

vibratory tumbler

Eastwood ( eastwoodco.com ) carries a nice selection depending on your wallet. I bought the economy size (which included variety of media) and it works fine on bolts and other small parts.

 

[ChuckG]

I use my glass beader. For bolts, get a piece of cardboard. Punch holes in the cardboard using a Phillips head screwdriver. Push the bolts through these holes. Glass bead away on the heads and sides.

Run a die over the threads when you're done.

For nuts, washers, etc., I string them on a piece of wire. I glass bead them this way. Run a tap through the nuts when you're done.

Spray them with Krylon clear lacquer. Chuck