[Pnut]

Does anyone own the Lyman? I bought the Harbor Freight ultrasonic cleaner for around $50 using a 20% off coupon. The Lyman sells for $100-$150. They look exactly the same and have the same features. The HF unit came it’s a parts tray, but I bought a replacement Lyman basket and it fit perfectly.

The HF unit works. I’ve used it to clean ar bolt carriers, pistol barrels, brass, and even my wife’s jewelry! I’m curious if they are the same “Made in a China” product, with just different labels.

 

[Cop_Out]

I investigated the same thing a year or so ago. After reading a lot of forum posts, and watching YouTube reviews until my eyes bled, I gathered the machines were the same. Having said that, its likely that someone here has actually owned both machines, and will be able to speak definitively about it.

 

[JET55]

They don't have/follow copyright laws in China, so anything they can copy is game. And they have are very loose with the law over there.

Had a friend that was having parts manufactured there for his business, he would go there periodically to check up. One visit he was driving by the manufacturer facility late at night and noticed they were running, they were supposed to be shut down. He popped in and found they were making his parts but without the logo. So your HF machine could very well be a knockoff of the Lyman or it could be an unbranded Lyman.

 

[Jhp147]

Got any favorite mix for the cleaner so far? I'm hearing Simple Green and water and Mpro7-either one filtered and reused. Guess there are the commercial premixes that are are gun safe. Plan to make it a way to do AR bolts and maybe field stripped 1911s.

 

[Pnut]

Only thing I’ve tried is HORNADY sonic cleaning solution. I haven’t tried anything else so I can’t make any comparisons, but the Hornady stuff works well.

 

[unclebuck5]

I use about 2\3 teaspoon of Lemishine with a few ounces of Dawn dishwashing soap on brass. Works great. Not sure about using on gun parts though. Be careful with Lemishine. Too much actually oxidizes the brass. I'll try an old piece of steel in my next barch before doing gun parts.

 

[Pnut]

I was always worried about using soapy products in a sonic cleaner because I thought that the vibrations would turn my tank into a bubble bath?

 

[swampgas]

Ask a jeweler what they use

 

[SAultrasolo]

I've had good luck with the HF model for about a year and a half. Cleans everything from brass to gun parts.

 

[BHP9]

I have an early metal model of the Hornady.

I tried the Hornady solution but prefer the Lyman solution. It cleaned better and a wee bit faster.

YMMV.

 

[Mike A]

I'm hearing Simple Green and water

My hands remember Varsol do U? Simple Green is my go to 4 everything gritty & greasy it is so safe on humans. If I were in the shop today, we would be using Simple Green & Varsol is obsolete .

 

[Genes 1911]

Make sure an aluminum safe cleaner is used.....simple green(common green bottle) is corrosive to aluminum ( heat+time)....they do make an Aircraft \ aluminum safe(purple).