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Geoff T

Ultrasound

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A friend of mine who's a doctor is just starting to take an interest in collecting. I was giving him all the usual advice about not cleaning coins in any way when he asked "what about ultrasound?"

For my enlightenment he explained that ultrasound cleaning involves putting an object into water, pure and simple, and using ultrasound waves to agitate the water molecules to a point where the action of the water alone acts as a cleaning agent.

Apparently it works a treat for oboe reeds - but what about coins? It appears there's no other tangible agent present except the water - and who hasn't used a drop of that to remove surface dirt? Has anyone else had experience of ultrasound in this context or any advice as to how safe it may or not be?

Any responses I'll forward to him.

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I know watch makers, especially those of pocket watches, use ultrasound to clean and dislodge dirt caught in flywheels etc. but I've never thought of using it for coins.

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Since he is a doctor, I am sure he has at his disposal some distilled, or otherwise purified water that will not contain any harsh chemicals that may react with the metals of the coins. Otherwise, I am interested in hearing the results. Makes me wonder about my wife's untrasonic jewelry cleaner. Might have to convince her to let me give it a try. hmmmm.

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Thanks for that. I know he's going to try it out on some modern cupro-nickel, so that if it all goes pear-shaped he won't have ruined anything of value. I think he uses it on his wife's jewellry as well.

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Thanks for that. I know he's going to try it out on some modern cupro-nickel, so that if it all goes pear-shaped he won't have ruined anything of value. I think he uses it on his wife's jewellry as well.

I had my gold watch cleaned like that... it still doesn't seem to have solved the problem of it not working... I think it needs to go to the breakers for spares. Pity cos it was a nice Victorian one.

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Does your knackered watch have hands which fit on a square pivot rather than a round one? If so, save them before you bury it. Lack of a pair is holding up the restoration of my 1899 pocket watch.

Thanks - G

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Does your knackered watch have hands which fit on a square pivot rather than a round one? If so, save them before you bury it. Lack of a pair is holding up the restoration of my 1899 pocket watch.

Thanks - G

nope round i'm afraid. :lol:

But the ones on my 1882 key wound silver one are on a square pivot, unfortunately for you that one works and i wear it with my suit vice wrist watch which then has the day off! :D

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Ultrasounding hoveres ay...never tried :)

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^^ Can you explain that - I'm probably being dense but I don't understand it

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you're not alone... :huh:

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just trying to be funny...ultrasound hoovers...hoovers clean...the topics about using ultrasound to clean..and ive never tried :)

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I got confused by the "hoveres" bit and I've never heard of ultrasound cleaners.

Edit: Ultrasound hoovers I meant to say

Edited by Emperor Oli

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Neither had I!

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Guest PreZer12

My cousin is also a doctor. I will ask him this maybe he knows something. This is the best way I can help you. I will contact as soon as possible, and also I will make a research too. Ultrasound Repair Training

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Just posting.

Seen some report in the past that a japanese inventor discovered that a certain sound wave have an effect on clothes in removing dirt in washing machine.

Maybe it is either that a dirt react in certain soundwave and vibrate or detached to the clothes,since the minute or little the dirt the harder it will be remove.

I dont know about coins if the dirt is a mixture of different metal and dirt.

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Just posting.

Seen some report in the past that a japanese inventor discovered that a certain sound wave have an effect on clothes in removing dirt in washing machine.

Maybe it is either that a dirt react in certain soundwave and vibrate or detached to the clothes,since the minute or little the dirt the harder it will be remove.

I dont know about coins if the dirt is a mixture of different metal and dirt.

You often see blast white silver on ebay, haven't thay been ultrasound cleared. Isn't that where the term "whizzed" comes from?

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Just posting.

Seen some report in the past that a japanese inventor discovered that a certain sound wave have an effect on clothes in removing dirt in washing machine.

Maybe it is either that a dirt react in certain soundwave and vibrate or detached to the clothes,since the minute or little the dirt the harder it will be remove.

I dont know about coins if the dirt is a mixture of different metal and dirt.

You often see blast white silver on ebay, haven't thay been ultrasound cleared. Isn't that where the term "whizzed" comes from?

Gary,

Whizzed means that something has been cleaned by buffing (hand) or electronic (small cottonwheel buffer). This type of cleaning always leaves fine lines, and thus devalues the coin.

As ultrasonic cleaners go, they aren't much help. I had one, and never did get satisfactory results. The ultrasonic unit will not harm a coin however, as long as you only use water. Some people also use a light acidic cleaner as well, which is another matter.

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OMG, do people really go through forums, looking at 6-year-old posts? I must say it would never occur to me, but I suppose if I had a free evening ...

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I didn't realise it was a 6 year old post until you said that !!

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Just posting for future reference.

http://www.designnews.com/article/911-Ultr...ultraclean_.php

Also seen in the past that a silver cup or silver colored cup was dent and restored to near its original shape,cant remember what they used just seen liquid or water and it ripples and it takes times to get to near original shape.

Edited by josie

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On 1/11/2010 at 10:46 PM, Peckris said:

OMG, do people really go through forums, looking at 6-year-old posts? I must say it would never occur to me, but I suppose if I had a free evening ...

I've pretty much read the whole site now. All the info was thought relevent at the time and still relevant and thought provoking now. 

Plenty of humour and some sadness. Emporer Oli, Halfpenny Jon, where are they now? And Peter. I do miss Peter. Would anyone know if he's ok?

 

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Oh yes. Peter. And Scott.

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16 hours ago, Zo Arms said:

I've pretty much read the whole site now. All the info was thought relevent at the time and still relevant and thought provoking now. 

Plenty of humour and some sadness. Emporer Oli, Halfpenny Jon, where are they now? And Peter. I do miss Peter. Would anyone know if he's ok?

 

 

13 hours ago, Peckris 2 said:

Oh yes. Peter. And Scott.

Yes, it's odd when long standing members abruptly stop posting. Is it sudden loss of interest or has something happened to them? 

Hopefully the former. 

 

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Some of the earliest members like Emperor Oli and Halfpenny Jon were kids when they first joined. Now in their thirties and have probably given up coin collecting long ago. I guess the hobby was a little more popular with children when the internet was not so big. I don't think there are any regular members younger than 25 (or even 35) now. 

I have been thinking about Peter too. Hopefully he is OK and is just taking a break from here.

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@Rob might know about scott as they're both Mancunians?

Edited by Peckris 2
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