6v and 12v battery charger.

Not 100% on this, but I think you can't use that because its a trickle charger.
 
There are different types of chargers and they must match the battery and they must match the battery.
 
I was wondering this too, since I have one- could a person use the charger (DC) for the etch and a computer power supply (AC) for the color?
 
Etching really needs at least 12VDC to etch, and then the same voltage in AC to mark ( blacken) the etch. A battery charger would work on the etch at 12VDC, but it won't mark the etch.


12V to 24V is a better etcher range, especially if you are going to do stainless blades.
A 120VAC input, 24VAC output center-tapped transformer will give you 12 and 24 volts AC. A bridge rectifier will convert that to DC. A few switches and some other parts will finish the etcher.

A variable voltage power supply can be found for very little money if you search around. Some provide AC and DC.
 
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=888013

I basically made this same thing for myself a while ago but not nearly as clean as zaph's and using a few different parts... (But mine does say 'Eric's super awesome electro-etcher thingamajigger' in silver sharpie on it which is worth at least an extra buck...) The entire build will cost you hardly more than the battery charger you listed.

I had been using vinyl reverse cut stickers for a stencil but after Stacy was kind enough to let me try the pin roll stencil material, I won't be going back.
 
Can you tell me more about the "pin roll" stencil, Lucy custom? I'm just getting set up to do my own, laser got me by for a while, but now for the next step...
I'm also a terrible chicken about electricity, due to almost getting killed by it in my young and wild days. Is there any concern about shock with these setups?
Thanks, Chuck and Stacy!
 
CustomPaperStand.jpg


The pin roll stencil stuff is a roll of paper that has feed pin holes on it like the older dot matrix computer printers used to use. It works like carbon paper in that you can trace off your design and lift the stencil away. What you are left with is a stencil where the traced section permits fluid through but the rest does not. I was having a print shop do reverse stencils for my touchmark. It is a simple design but to do the vinyl with the transfer masking and all was getting pricey for the number of stencils I got. The stuff I got from Stacy is sold by any place that has the 'personalizer' machines. It is simply their stencil material. I can fit my mark to the piece now instead of trying to compromise like vinyl made me do.

There is (virtually) no risk of shock, and even if there was a shock it would hardly be noticeable. 12v at really low amperage... As long as you don't short the leads across your body anyway there is no risk. Electricity would much rather pass through the metal than your body. Same reason I can hold a workpiece I am welding as long as the ground is attached and not get shocked. Now if I grabbed the ground and then the welding tip and kicked the pedal.... bye bye...
 
I'm not that familiar with the etching process, but I've heard people have trouble with the digital battery chargers detecting things other than a battery as a fault and shutting themselves down. I've done electrolysis rust removal with a battery charger, but it just had switches and an analog needle. I use a CCV voltage power supply in my plating tanks.
 
Thanks for the info!
Hmmm....The TIG inverter goes down to 6A at about 16V. Wonder if that would do the trick?
 
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