Electric etcher question.

Tod Lowe

Tod Lowe

Well-Known Member
My etcher is built and I have used with a stencil from Ernie.

I am using the electrical tape to hold the stencil down. After I am done etching the mark looks great but I have some black around it like the outline of where the stencil was laying. It looks terrible.
I thought maybe I had the felt too wet and tried it just damp but then the mark would hardly show up.

Any ideas of how im screwing this up? It seems like also that once you pull that stencil off and its screwed up you are hosed.:eek: This is a one shot deal.
 
Yeah....I just started using it. I used it 3 different times.
Its like im burning through it or maybe the etch solution is bleeding under the stencil. I make sure the stencil is flat and taped down tight.
 
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What etcher are you using? How high do you have it turned up? Are you just holding it down continuously or holding for a few seconds and lifting up over and over until it is dark enough?
-John
 
John Barker said:
What etcher are you using? How high do you have it turned up? Are you just holding it down continuously or holding for a few seconds and lifting up over and over until it is dark enough?
-John
Click to expand...

Im using the homemade etcher Cris Crawford did a tutorial on.(Thanks Chris btw.)

Im doing a 3 count then lifting the felt off then repeat. My stencil is only a half inch long so it is very small. I really cant tell if its dark enough until I lift the stencil.
 
I usually lift about 30 times to get a good dark etch. I was wondering if you burnt through it. You could have too much juice going to it. Can you turn it down a lillte? Try it on some scrap steel. Other than that, try a new stencil and see what happens. Wish I could be of more help.
-John
 
John Barker said:
I usually lift about 30 times to get a good dark etch. I was wondering if you burnt through it. You could have too much juice going to it. Can you turn it down a lillte? Try it on some scrap steel. Other than that, try a new stencil and see what happens. Wish I could be of more help.
-John
Click to expand...

Im only hitting it on the dc side 7 times and about the 5 on the ac.
I have attached a pic of it. Click the thumbnail and when it gets big click it again to see it better.
 

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Looks like you are getting some contact around the stencil. Try etching the blade before you put the scales on so you can tape it down better. OR try it on a flat scrap piece of steel with a real firm tape job around it and see if it does the same thing. That's really close to the face of the scale and you may not be getting a very good tape job.
-John
 
John Barker said:
Looks like you are getting some contact around the stencil. Try etching the blade before you put the scales on so you can tape it down better. OR try it on a flat scrap piece of steel with a real firm tape job around it and see if it does the same thing. That's really close to the face of the scale and you may not be getting a very good tape job.
-John
Click to expand...

I was concerned about the stencil being loose so I thought I made sure it was taped down real tight. I will keep messing with it and see what I can do......thanks for helping trouble shoot.
 
I only tape 3 sides down to allow the liquid to escape. and It keeps the stencil from getting the bubble effect when the heat and liquid get under it.
 
way too wet with stencil juice. Your electrode pad only needs to be damp, not wet. Also you might try using vinyl electrical tape on all four sides. You just want a very small window with the lettering exposed.
 
Shankmaker,
It looks to me that the electrical tape you are using is not doing the job,or maby its the way you are applying it. I used to use electrical tape untill Ernie Grospitch told me to use clear scotch tape. Man what a diffrence that made! With the clear tape you can see how everything is fitting. Be absolutly shure that everything the felt will touch is masked off. Ernie is the man when it comes to making and using stencels for electroetching, call him ,I'm sure he can help with your problem.
 
Thanks you guys for the tips. If the scotch tape works I like that idea to make sure my etch is straight. I think I used to much etch solution or I held it down too long. I have some tinkering to do with it and will get back hopefully with the solution.
 
I made the same etching machine (you can see pics HERE) and I don't use a pad but rather alligator clips on both the positive and negative leads. I dip a q-tip in my etching solution and move it around the stencil. I was worried at first about uneven etching but that doesn't seem to be a problem. With the q-tip I felt like I had more control than the pad. I usually go through 6 q-tips per etch (3 each AC and DC, using both ends of the q-tip) and it is deep and dark.

Just my $0.02...
 
amcardon said:
I made the same etching machine (you can see pics HERE) and I don't use a pad but rather alligator clips on both the positive and negative leads. I dip a q-tip in my etching solution and move it around the stencil. I was worried at first about uneven etching but that doesn't seem to be a problem. With the q-tip I felt like I had more control than the pad. I usually go through 6 q-tips per etch (3 each AC and DC, using both ends of the q-tip) and it is deep and dark.

Just my $0.02...
Click to expand...

The link requires you to register to view the photos. Could you post them here?
 
MOA_Shooter said:
The link requires you to register to view the photos. Could you post them here?
Click to expand...

No prob, didn't realize you had to register...

Guts of the electro-etch, logo, after etch... Sorry there's no "during" pics and that they're so grainy - I only had my cell with me.
 

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Shankmaker said:
Yeah....I just started using it. I used it 3 different times.
Its like im burning through it or maybe the etch solution is bleeding under the stencil. I make sure the stencil is flat and taped down tight.
Click to expand...

I just use 1200 wet and dry sand paper and rub lightly it will clean right up. If the blade is high buffed a light polish will remove the 1200 marks if not use what grit that you finished up with.

PS: I make my etch pretty deep.
 
ArtinNC said:
I just use 1200 wet and dry sand paper and rub lightly it will clean right up. If the blade is high buffed a light polish will remove the 1200 marks if not use what grit that you finished up with.

PS: I make my etch pretty deep.
Click to expand...

I messed around today with a finished blade to see how I could fix the prob. I tried the scotch tape and used less solution and had better results but I still need to be able to fix the marks when they happen.I did hit my finished etch with the buffer and some sandpaper today to see what would happen and the etch held up fine. I tried steel wool to clean it up first but didnt have much luck.I will see what 1200 will do.
 
DC versus AC

The DC side of an etcher will etch a deep mark. I usually do that first. Then turn to the AC side. The AC is what makes the etch dark.... I bleed off to the side sometimes too and think it is because I have too much liquid in my pad. Hope this helps............ Pete
 
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