Jump to content

Coating for ultrasonic rack


Tiktok

Recommended Posts

After talking to a rep at a material/tools supplier I have managed to get hold of a ring rack that sits across the top of my ultrasonic tank, this will be used to sit 30m watch's on to clean bracelets so the head of the watch sits above the water without having to remove the bracelet. 

The rack is made from cheap mild steel and is plastic coated, after manipulating it to do the job I want it to do the plastic coating has split where I have bent it. Over time it will rust, stain the water and will come away at the welds.

Any ideas on what I could use to either recoat the split bits on the bends or recoat the full thing.

This tank is a biggish one and is on all day every day with heat, it's being used in a commercial environment so whatever I coat the rack with needs to be hard wearing and heat resistant as well as obviously withstand the ultrasonic itself. I only ever use water with washing up liquid in the tank.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, Geo said:

Slide a length of heat shrink tubing over and heat with a hot air gun to shrink it. Heat shrink is available in many sizes, you should get a piece to suit.

Hi Geo, heat shrink would do for the ends but most of the places where the plastic has cracked is the other side of a cross weld so I wouldn't be able to slide the shrink tube to where it needs to be.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Geo said:

Ah, I photos make all the difference.  How about carefully smearing silicon mastic over the problem areas?

I tried that last time, it did work short term but didn't last, I think the ultrasonic with the heat gets under it and then it starts to peal off.

I wonder if a heat resistant 2 part epoxy paint might do it built up in layers to fill the cracks and then about an inch either side of the cracks to try and seal it and help it adhere to the plastic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Geo said:

You could always have it re-powder coated for a professional and durable finish. 

I like the idea of the plastic coating that's already on it so it doesn't scratch or put ultrasonic burns on the case's. I have found some plastic stuff in a spray can that I am going to try, I might even try filling the cracked bits of plastic with plastic weld first, not sure how heat resistant it is though, I think I will put the heat shrink over the 4 arms that will be resting on the basket to protect them from rubbing as well like you suggested.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well worth a try.  

The original coating could be "Rilsan" which is a very durable Nylon polymer.  Unlike conventional powder coating where charged particles of paint dust is sprayed onto the item then baked in an oven, with Rilsan the item is heated to a high temperature in an oven first then dipped into Rilsan powder.  This gives a much thicker and more durable coating than ordinary powder coating.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Geo said:

Well worth a try.  

The original coating could be "Rilsan" which is a very durable Nylon polymer.  Unlike conventional powder coating where charged particles of paint dust is sprayed onto the item then baked in an oven, with Rilsan the item is heated to a high temperature in an oven first then dipped into Rilsan powder.  This gives a much thicker and more durable coating than ordinary powder coating.

To be honest I think it's just a cheap plastic coating on them, Walsh's imported them direct from china for me and then put the remaining ones on their website, I think they are only about £5 each so Walsh will of only paid a couple of quid for them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Have you ever seen grease spread?  I use Molykote DX on the keyless, cannon pinion, etc and cannot imagine it spreading. Similarly, HP1300 should not be a problem, as long as you don't splash too much about.  9010 does like to travel though. I've recently re-serviced a couple of my watches I first serviced about 5 years ago. I was a bit too liberal with the oil and grease back then, but it hasn't spread everywhere. I only epilame on balance cap stones, escape wheel and pallet stones (and auto wheels if they need it).   If you use it all over, the oil might bead-up and travel even further - think of using RainX on your car windows.
    • Polish it where the old part cracked as well. Get rid of the stress-raisers.
    • Sounds great! And yes, I would use grease for the keyless as well although treating the parts with epilame would make the grease less likely to spread in the long run. Not critical but won’t hurt. My current strategy is to epilame treat all parts getting in contact with oil or grease.
    • Hello everyone, for what it's worth, here is my approach: 1. Escape wheel submerged in Epilame, then dried quickly with a hairdryer. Then the final tip of the pivots are cleaned by poking into pithwood. The logic being that the Epilame is removed at the intended contact point (to avoid any residue that may mix with the oil), but remains in the areas where oil is not supposed to spread to (further down the pivot towards the wheel). The escape wheel teeth also benefit from having Epilame to keep the 9415 in place.  2. I use a syringe to treat only the pallet stones. I suspend the pallet fork with some Rodico so that the stones hang downwards. I notably use a rather thick needle where a drop WON'T form, but rather where the Epilame liquid stays in the needle tip, which I then dip into the pallet stones. It requires some practice to get the right amount of Epilame into the needle tip, but it works for me now. This way, no drop will "jump" onto the pallet fork and potentially go all the way to the pivots.  3. I let the movement run for a few minutes without lubricating the pallet stones... to scrape off the Epilame in the intended contact "channel". Then I remove the balance again and lubricate the exit pallet stone with 3-4 successive drops. See the "channel" that forms on the pallet stone in the picture -- not so easy to see, but it's visible.       I am conflicted about the use of Epliame in balance jewel settings. My impression is that the two jewels sufficiently suspend the oil (even 9010). Apparently Rolex recommends NOT to use Epliame there (heard from a former Rolex service center watchmaker), as it could cause additional wear. Apart from that, I follow specific instructions where I can find them. E.g. the infamous Rolex reverser wheels or sometimes (parts of) the seconds wheel. Exception: I'm currently servicing an Eta 2824 and will probably ignore the service sheet that recommends treating the whole keyless works with Epilame and then using HP1300... I'll skip the Epilame and use 9504 grease.        
    • I'm going to give this a try today/tomorrow on my UTC33/Seiko 66, thanks!
×
×
  • Create New...