Thread: DIY Electro-etcher..

Awesome job but you spent 6$ to much by going to RadioShack lol. But seriously, I'm gonna try this when I get home tonight loos great!

I am also putting one together. I have an etching pen and the fluid and transfer package coming from Janz. I'll post specifics after a test run.

An alternative idea.

My dads factory made etch marker has a carbon block rather than stainless. If I remember right it has a copper rod that goes through the handle and into a hole drilled in the carbon block to make the contact. Then the wire is attached to the end of the rod. If you have a piece of carbon block from a welding shop or an old soldering block you could go that route.

You could also use a little thicker piece of stainless and just not the let the hole for the rod go all the way through. Make it a snug press fit so you have good contact.

Ray

All greetings! Try an aspirin tablet together with solder. By means of its copper wire it will be soldered to a stainless steel. I so often do.

I 'remodeled' a laptop power supply on the weekend, 240VAC to 19VDC. Just cut the plug off and attached a couple of alligator clips. One clip on the blade and one clip on a cotton-tip soaked in salt water. I used a couple of coats of nail polish and a scribe to try a test run. The result was surprisingly good . I have yet to get the photoresist that I have to develop satisfactorily though.
The concept is solid though. I would love to see pics of any 'home-made' etching pads you guys have come up with.

Any ideas where to get a VAC power supply? You can get 240VAC to 12 VDC 2A power supplies for about 5$, but I didn't find any with 240VAC to 12-24VAC power supplies. I will try the VDC first, but I am sure I will want the blackening of the VAC too, not just the deep etch.

All you need for AC is a transformer. In the US a doorbell transformer should work. Most of them are 120V to 12 or 24V.

Here is some data after my first test. my AC is 6 Volts, 1.5 Amps, 9 Watts. This worked ok for black marking. My DC is 6 Volts, 1.5 Amps, also 9 Watts. This was not enought power. I got a grey etch, but no depth. No snap-crackle-pop sound. So far, I am working with misc. power supplies that I had on hand. I'm going for more power. My local Menards has several chargers on sale for $10, so I'll see what I can get when I go back and check. I did buy a etching "pen" from Janz Knifemakers for $25 - it uses a carbon block.