Re:  "Was there some reason the artefacts needed to be cleaned with
an ultrasonic
        as opposed to any other way?"

        Yes.  many, many artifacts and no staff

Roberta Charpentier
Archaeology Lab Supervisor
Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center
110 Pequot Trail
Mashantucket, CT  06339
Email:  [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Phone:  860-396-6936
Fax:  860-396-6914




        -----Original Message-----
        From:   Lucy Amorosi [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
        Sent:   Thursday, June 27, 2002 7:47 PM
        To:     [log in to unmask]
        Subject:

        Hi Roberta,
        While I've never used one for artefact washing, I did use one when I
was
        working at a jewellery workshop to remove rouge polish and general
grime
        (from rings, etc).  The trick was to put roughly equal amounts of
ammonia
        and dishwashing detergent in the water and use a toothbrush or
similar to
        gently scrub any excess off after the pieces had been sitting in the
        ultrasonic for a couple of minutes.  You would have to know the way
ammonia
        and dishwashing detergent would have on the artefacts, it works just
as well
        on jewellery without the ultrasonic though (ie, just with a
toothbrush).
        Was there some reason the artefacts needed to be cleaned with an
ultrasonic
        as opposed to any other way?
        Hope this helps
        Lucy Amorosi
        Cultural Heritage Consultant
        Belgrave VIC

        ----- Original Message -----
        From: "Charpentier, Roberta" <[log in to unmask]>
        To: <[log in to unmask]>
        Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2002 10:19 PM


        > Does anyone out there use an ultra-sonic cleaner to wash
artifacts?  We
        have
        > one here, but it barely removes any dirt from the ceramics and
glass I
        tried
        > it out on.   Am I doing something wrong or are they worthless?
        > Roberta Charpentier
        > Archaeology Lab Supervisor
        > Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center
        > 110 Pequot Trail
        > Mashantucket, CT  06339
        > Email:  [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
        > Phone:  860-396-6936
        > Fax:  860-396-6914