Cleaning Alox plungers

[mcfly]

Hi there had a ring crack on me due to worn out plunger (sandblasted )
.What is the best way to clean the plungers without damaging the alox plunger ?
Thanks

 

[Marcusthegladiator CDT]

You can sandblast them, clean them in acid, run over them with a dump truck. They don't damage.
You probably just had some left over emax or investment on the plunger so it didn't press straight and crooked, pushing the side of your ring into a crack.
The Atox plungers are great. But not if your pressing .7+ grams of wax with one ingot. If your cutting it close I would use a disposable. Cause the CTE of the atox is different and the button cracks. If you don't have much of a button, the crack can easily spider down a spru and into the restoration.
Just sandblast them and run your fingers on them to make sure their clean and nothings left.

 

[BobCDT]

Go disposable. You will have less reaction layer, no plunger cleaning and faster cooling of the ring.

 

[mcfly]

If you sandblast them they get an indentation area in the Alox plunger over time , that causes the soft pellet when molten to go up between plunger and investment and that cracks the ring .Bob ,these plungers are not available in South Africa

 

[2thm8kr]

If you sandblast them they get an indentation area in the Alox plunger over time , that causes the soft pellet when molten to go up between plunger and investment and that cracks the ring .Bob ,these plungers are not available in South Africa

Use 2 bars or less sandblasting. They do wear out over time. Just order some new ones.

 

[Marcusthegladiator CDT]

If you sandblast them they get an indentation area in the Alox plunger over time , that causes the soft pellet when molten to go up between plunger and investment and that cracks the ring .Bob ,these plungers are not available in South Africa

Same thing happens to disposable plungers as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Gru]

mcfly,
ake your own disposable plungers with investment waste. Easy and saves time/money.

http://dentallabnetwork.com/forums/threads/tips-and-tricks-for-your-lab.11551/page-2

If not interested, do most of the cleaning with glass beads, then remove the residual ceramic with invex liquid/ultrasonic. Less damage to alox plunger.

 

[mcfly]

mcfly,
ake your own disposable plungers with investment waste. Easy and saves time/money.

http://dentallabnetwork.com/forums/threads/tips-and-tricks-for-your-lab.11551/page-2

If not interested, do most of the cleaning with glass beads, then remove the residual ceramic with invex liquid/ultrasonic. Less damage to alox plunger.

Yes i have tried that .Must the investment plunger go in the ring - hot ,unlike the Alox plunger and ingot that must go in the hot ring -cold

 

[Gru]

Cold ingot, cold plunger. BTW burn out your self-made investment plungers at least an hour at high temp.

 

[RDA]

Bob's right, go disposable! If not, I used to clean mine with my model trimmer. Lay the plunger on the plate, and with very little pressure let it rotate with the trimmer wheel. Remember light pressure. Mine have lasted for years with this cleaning technique.

 

[Marcusthegladiator CDT]

One tip is don't use the powdered atox plunger separator that comes in that little sponge dispenser. It sucks.
Just pour some liquid ceramic separator into the spongy thing. Boom. 10X more effective at releasing porc from the plunger.
Seriously, that powder sucks.

 

[mcfly]

One tip is don't use the powdered atox plunger separator that comes in that little sponge dispenser. It sucks.
Just pour some liquid ceramic separator into the spongy thing. Boom. 10X more effective at releasing porc from the plunger.
Seriously, that powder sucks.

Hi Marcus ,is that the normal liquid u use to separate porcelain margins from the die ? Wont that burn out during pressing ?

 

[zero_zero]

We cut ingots sized disposables...then press with the alox plunger with the disposable sandwiched in between...no cleaning required afterwards and the buttons never crack...

 

[Marcusthegladiator CDT]

Hi Marcus ,is that the normal liquid u use to separate porcelain margins from the die ? Wont that burn out during pressing ?

I dunno, I just went to look for the amber bottle labeled "Ceramic Separator," to find the details and cant find the bottle. Oop I found it.
Heres the bottle I have.

Its, IPS Dsign Ceramic Seperating Liquid.
It works for me.

 

[Marcusthegladiator CDT]

We cut ingots sized disposables...then press with the alox plunger with the disposable sandwiched in between...no cleaning required afterwards and the buttons never crack...

What if your pressing two ingots in a 200 gram ring? I don't see the plunger seating down enough to keep it straight. Like using 3 ingots.

 

[zero_zero]

In those cases just cut the disposable thinner...then fix it to one of the ingots with a dab of crazy glue ( it helps with the insertion )...so the stack is about two and a half ingot high...still stable...

 

[Marcusthegladiator CDT]

In those cases just cut the disposable thinner...then fix it to one of the ingots with a dab of crazy glue ( it helps with the insertion )...so the stack is about two and a half ingot high...still stable...

Crazy glue? That's just crazy.

 

[2thm8kr]

Crazy glue? That's just crazy.

If you keep sniffing it, it'll make you krazy.