Building an Electro-Etching Unit Tutorial

Chris Crawford

Chris Crawford

Joined
Apr 14, 2001
Messages
380
I've just finished putting a tutorial together based on Bob Warner's plans for building an electro-etching unit. Maybe this will help someone who wants to build their own etching unit but has not gotten around to it yet. I've built two of these, and I've been very satisfied with their performance. The link to the tutorial is:

Building an Electro-Etching Unit

-chris

__________________
Chris Crawford Knives

 
Great tutorial! One question though - how do you use it after you've finished making it?

(sorry, never used an electro-chem before. :confused: :D )
 
Good job and thank you. The other info I've seen on other sites not nearly as clear as yours. Also, your complete site is very nice.
 
Thanks guys.

Michael, to use the etching unit, you first have to have a stencil with your logo on it. Then you clip the alligator clip to some part of the blade and place the stencil on top of the blade. Put some electrolyte solution on the felt pad and touch it to the stencil. The electricity will flow from the felt pad, down through the stencil, and down to the blade etching the logo. This is a very simplified explanation, but it should give you an idea of how the unit works.

-chris

__________________
Chris Crawford Knives

 
hey Chris
do you mind if I add that to your others on the knife makers tutorial site.

BTW very nice job.:)
I like the 5 lb weight on muma's table.:)
 
Still loving that Scale release dvd! Awesome job on the tutorial!
How deep can you etch? Reason I ask is, I am making diggers for metal detecting. If the etch is any like I have seen on the blackjack's I have owned, it would be long gone in a month going in and out of the ground. Just curious.
 
Thanks for the good Tut, Chris.

What material do you use to make the stencil?
 
Graymaker, You can go ahead and add the tutorial to your site if you like. I've been meaning to get in touch with you about it. I've also submitted it to the CDK tutorials, but it's not showed up there yet.

Junkcarsrock, You should be able to etch as deep with this unit as you would with any electro etching unit. On many factory knives, the etching is only an the surface, but I usually etch deep enough that I can feel the logo by running my finger nail across it. This way it should not rub off over time.

Pendentive, You can order your own stencils already made up, or you can make your own by building a light box. See Bob Warner's Website. The process is to design your logo on your computer and print it off on overhead transparency. Then cut a piece of photo sensitive stencil material and expose it, along with your logo, in the light box. Take the stencil material out, put it in the developer, and you have your own stencil. I get the stencil material, developer, and etching electrolyte solution from IMG.

You can find more information on this process on Bob Warner's webpage and by searching the Tool Time forum on the CDK forums.

I may be putting a detailed tutorial together on building and using the light box. If I can answer any more questions, just ask.

-chris

__________________
Chris Crawford Knives

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top