I just got the ultrasonic recently for other purposes. This is the first time I've tried it on old SM parts. That hard, dried oil crud is usually a bear to scrub off, but this really makes it easy. I wouldn't put a painted and decaled part in it, but for bare steel or plated parts its great. I think its my new favorite tool.

Can you show some before and after examples of what that ultrasonic cleaner does?

Miriam - post #4 of this thread shows two before and after examples of the ultrasonic cleaning. No scrubbing or hand cleaning was done on them. I just wiped off the solution and took the pictures.

I'm a little dense...

Lol! Its early, have another cup of coffee...

She is a beauty

You don't have to tell me twice! *gets another cup of coffee* Don't feel bad miriam, at first I didn't realize those where before and after shots of the ultrasonic. He did say so but the pictures where so pretty and distracting ;)

As you can see in the first photos, the paint and decals are in pretty bad shape. But I'm beginning to work on it, very slowly and gently. The decals are starting to reveal themselves. I'm trying to find that fine balance between removing the grime but stopping before the decal starts to silver anymore. Here is an example.

I'm thinking Glenn can explain better than I can. The old shellac holds dirt and grime. The French polishing will clean the old shellac. The more you do the better it will look.

she looks like a beauty in the rough. can't wait to see what you do with her. the stand looks good too, just a little TLC,