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New addition, a Cheap Cleaning Machine

Arancio601
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My father is 80 and has been playing around with getting old pocket watches working again. he was building his own parts cleaner when this one showed up locally and I was able to get it for a good price for him as it had been listed for a while. Looks like an Indian copy of the L&R type.
I think I’ll put a seal around the edges of the holes where the jars sit so they are more snug and some seals inside the lids before I drop it off to dad.

I’ve got a bunch of parts that would be good to clean so I guess I have another reason to be visiting my father (3 hours away) more often!

B91341D2-5691-4984-9AF5-967D328020E4.jpeg 3C8A41FB-F4BB-426F-8E55-F89691003B86.jpeg F9D5B074-2B71-4FD2-B18C-EB859424B8DC.jpeg 233EAD76-7782-4140-8807-1B5A1AFA350D.jpeg
 
JimInOz
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Actually it's a copy of the early Elma machines.
I had a similar version and it did a great job. The only drawback is the manual operation (can't see a timer).

My new machine is an Elmasolvex SE which is still manual operation and probably does the same job as the Janta.
 
Arancio601
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Ah cool, thanks Jim. Yeah it’s manual operation. Dad has plenty of time to watch it work these days! Next will be reading all the past threads to see what solutions and rinses are pensioner budget worthy.
 
JimInOz
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I guess from your door lock, your light switches and the vegetation in the window that you're not in the US.
Let's know where you are and maybe we can find suitable clean and rinse solutions.
 
Arancio601
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JimInOz JimInOz
I guess from your door lock, your light switches and the vegetation in the window that you're not in the US.
Let's know where you are and maybe we can find suitable clean and rinse solutions.


Love your observational powers! Surprised you didn’t pick the Fler table under the table cloth and Parker chairs. Ha!
You can call me DerekinOz if you want, more specifically Queensland, the birthplace of OmegaForums 😀
Edited:
 
Rudy73
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Good pick Arancio ! These machines do a great job. I have an old and similar Elma Record machine that I still use every day.
For some jobs, manual machine allow you a better control somehow.

Depends on the type of parts your Dad will clean but on my end I usually got the best results with :
* 1st Jar with Elma Red 1:9
* 2nd and 3rd Jar with IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol 99,9%)
* Drying (basket in upper position)

Alternative with Elma Suprol rinsing solution in the 3rd bath. Stinky product but making a good job on fine watch parts...
Timing between 5 to 9 min in each Jar.

I can highly recommend few upgrades like finding some additionnal mini-baskets (Ø20x13mm). It will help you to secure your parts integrity during the process. I got better results by installing wave-breakers in my jars too.
Also, improving the tightness on those Jar lids. IPA or Suprol solutions are very versatile and the room could be easily full of nasty vapors. Original Elma machines had some cork-gaskets. I guess you can easily find them online.

Cheers.
 
Arancio601
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Great info Rudy, thanks! I’ll start looking into where we can get solutions locally. I get 5L bottles of the good IPA for cleaning other things already so that part is easy if we go that way. Good advice on the extra mini baskets and gaskets. Will look into it.
 
JimInOz
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Check out Chemwell Australia for watch cleaning fluids.

https://chemwell.com.au/products/watch-and-clock-products

I'd recommend these.

Screen Shot 2023-01-27 at 22.28.26.png


For your gaskets, I had some composite rubber/cork sheet and cut lid gaskets using a downlight cutter. I still have some somewhere so if you give me the dimensions of the inside of the lid I can cut some out for you.
 
Arancio601
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JimInOz JimInOz
Check out Chemwell Australia for watch cleaning fluids.

https://chemwell.com.au/products/watch-and-clock-products

I'd recommend these.

For your gaskets, I had some composite rubber/cork sheet and cut lid gaskets using a downlight cutter. I still have some somewhere so if you give me the dimensions of the inside of the lid I can cut some out for you.

Thanks! I’ll contact them for some prices.
Re:gaskets, thanks for the offer. I’ll measure them tmrw. Love this forum, so helpful even to the newbies like me.
 
STANDY
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G'day from up North over a bit 😉

Good old Parker furniture. Had a mate that went to work there when he left school. He's dad worked there all his life...those days when you did what your dad did when you left school.
 
Arancio601
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STANDY STANDY
G'day from up North over a bit 😉

Good old Parker furniture. Had a mate that went to work there when he left school. He's dad worked there all his life...those days when you did what your dad did when you left school.
G’day! Stuff was made to last back then. Better than the flat pack crap that is everywhere these days.

Originally I was over a bit even from you! Born in the Pilbara.
 
Archer
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I have one of these as a back-up, in case my automatic machine ever dies. They do a good job with the right solutions...

The wiring on mine was pretty dodgy though...
 
rendo
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I have an L&R Master that looks similar, but I like your basket setup better.

Mine came with lids that do not seal or screw in. I found a lid drawing online and had a friend 3D print new lids for me that match the thread on the glass jars. Then I bought self-adhesive cork pieces for the inside of the lids and they fit perfectly after cutting about 1mm around them. My machine also came with a broken rheostat that did not work well, so I ended up replacing that as well. I eventually want to redo the wiring one day.

Overkill for me to have a machine, but it's just another project.

FCE6A53C-05E0-42AD-A381-346BF2D24CA8.jpeg D277FBA6-8F39-461A-9160-5FAC22E54D31.jpeg 1D126BD4-A4E9-4E06-933A-1CFB0C994CE8.jpeg upload_2023-1-27_12-33-5.png upload_2023-1-27_12-33-5.png
 
Arancio601
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JimInOz JimInOz
For your gaskets, I had some composite rubber/cork sheet and cut lid gaskets using a downlight cutter. I still have some somewhere so if you give me the dimensions of the inside of the lid I can cut some out for you.


A bit slow on the reply I know, but I just measured the inside of the lid/to of jar and it’s about 91mm diameter. I’m still keen if you have any surplus. I’d so let me know and I’ll swing you some dosh.

891AD841-0614-4714-A73A-054C8CFAAACE.jpeg
 
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