Ultrasound - Stylus Cleaning

[johnB]

Has anybody ever cleaned a stylus in a jewellers ultrasound machine? Safe? Results?

Cheers
John

[struth]

I believe its not safe. not tried it though:)

[walpurgis]

I believe its not safe. not tried it though:)

I'd think the same. No stylus of mine will be going near an ultrasound cleaner.

[trio leo]

The AT 637 is advertised as an ultrasonic cleaner, whether thats true or it just vibrates at a rapid rate I don't know, but it certainly works on my cartridges, with a stroke of Stylast my needles seem to be fine, as for putting it in a jewlers ultrasonic machine? SCARY!!!

cheers Al

[johnB]

Thanks all.....
I thought that would be the general consensus.

John

[YNWaN]

A jewellers ultrasound cleaner is a bath of water, usually with some cleaning additive, which is agitated with high frequency vibration (also sometimes heated) - it's not a good idea to immerse a cartridge in water (or any liquid) so, no, it's not a good idea to use a jewellers ultrasound cleaner on ones cartridge.

[struth]

Think he was talking about a stylus. Dont fancy it personally due to the glue holding your precious tip in place being affected. The at sonic platforms are a different thing and some folk liked them. Think its been said b4 that keepingvthe stylus clean by keeping your records clean is the answer.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Think he was talking about a stylus. Dont fancy it personally due to the glue holding your precious tip in place being affected. The at sonic platforms are a different thing and some folk liked them. Think its been said b4 that keepingvthe stylus clean by keeping your records clean is the answer.

Imeersing the diamond would be OK, it simply carbon. The cantilever may rust and the glue fixing the diamond to the cantilever may work loose via cavitation. Personally, I'd avoid it.

[YNWaN]

You would find it difficult to immerse just the diamond - I guess it could be done but would be fiddly to set up.

[daytona600]

http://snvinyl.co.uk/WebRoot/Daily/Shops/eshop943300/55B2/2343/6942/500E/A17A/0A0C/05E0/AD41/flux-sonic-ts1.jpg

http://www.analogplanet.com/content/flux-hi-fi-electronic-stylus-cleaner#ZOg3uzPa3gvXvFjC.97

[walpurgis]

Fluid cleaners are to be avoided. They penetrate tubular metal cantilevers and promote corrosion.

[rchinn]

I met someone who was using hospital ultrasound kit to clean record –*killed the labels but the return to sound he said was worth it. Wouldn't stick my stylus in there though.

[Barry]

The electronic stylus cleaners (the ones where you place the stylus down on a vibrating carbon fibre brush pad) are not ultrasonic. I use a Goldring stylus cleaner which vibrates at around 1 KHz. If you turn up the volume (slightly!) whilst the stylus is being cleaned, you can clearly hear the vibration frequency.

Jewellers' ultrasonic cleaners are indeed ultrasonic, consisting of a liquid bath whose contents are agitated by an ultrasonic (usually piezoelectric) transducer. The cleaning action is caused by cavitation, which ought not to be harmful to the diamond, but may well damage the adhesive used to attach the diamond to the cantilever. There is no need to use water, one could equally use IPA, but in general I would prefer to use a conventional electronic stylus cleaner, of the type shown above.