Building an etcher and using electrochemical etching on a BK12

TravisH said:
Don't forget those ubiquitous wall adatpers for small electronics.

12vac_power_adapter_small.jpg


Outputs in VDC are vastly more common but VAC is not hard to find. Got my 12VAC from a defunct desk printing calculator. Cut the end off, split the wires, strip the ends, attach clips.
Click to expand...


Wait, so you're saying I could just use an old cell phone charger, with the plug cut off and the alligator clips wired in its place for the DC part of the etch, and, say a piece of an old lamp power cord also wired up with alligator clips for the AC part?
Sorry if this is a silly question...electricity scares me, and I don't normally like learning about things that scare me :D
 
asmith80 said:
Wait, so you're saying I could just use an old cell phone charger, with the plug cut off and the alligator clips wired in its place for the DC part of the etch, and, say a piece of an old lamp power cord also wired up with alligator clips for the AC part?
Sorry if this is a silly question...electricity scares me, and I don't normally like learning about things that scare me :D
Click to expand...

Yes to the cell phone charger, no for the lamp cord. You want to step down the voltage so you're not using 120 V directly on your blade. Unless you like sparks and breakers tripping and doing the funky chicken lol. That's why people are using the transformers to step down the voltage to somewhere around 12-24 vac.

And there are no silly questions when it comes to electricity. It has a bad habit of biting you when you're not paying attention. There are a few of us around here that seem to know the ins and outs of electricity. So don't hesitate to ask; better safe than sorry…
 
For AC you can use a door bell transformer.
Costs only around $10 at Home Despot.

Just make sure you don't talk to any employees. Once I asked for a power supply with varying voltages. "We don't do such things in America. Here everything works with 110V"
Wtf?
 
Yeah, the customer no-service in those places is great.

Please everyone...
Use a gfci protected circuit...
If your trying anything like this using house power by plugging into a receptacle make sure its gfci protected.
Push the test button to make sure it works...
Even if you tried to apply 120v to a grounded Knife there'd only be a small pop if any.
GFCI is your friend!

I'm a licensed electrician so I'll help all I can but you'd have to be patient as I can only reply when time permits.

If you have no idea about anything electrical, I'd say just stick with the battery method. You'll still get to etch, just no blackening and there's other methods such as nail polish etc...

If you're somewhat comfortable with electricity but not sure, then try AC or DC adaptors from radio shack and apply the clips to the ends.

I'm going to use a doorbell transformer for the AC...
Still trying to figure out what to do for the DC. I'll post here with what I come up with. The OP is a fantastic set up to use as a pattern for anyone.

Please everyone...
Use a gfci protected circuit...
Push the test button to make sure it works...
Even if you tried to apply 120v to a grounded Knife there'd only be a small pop if any.
GFCI is your friend!
 
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NCSlice said:
Yeah, the customer no-service in those places is great.

Please everyone...
Use a gfci protected circuit...
If your trying anything like this using house power by plugging into a receptacle make sure its gfci protected.
Push the test button to make sure it works...
Even if you tried to apply 120v to a grounded Knife there'd only be a small pop if any.
GFCI is your friend!

I'm a licensed electrician so I'll help all I can but you'd have to be patient as I can only reply when time permits.

If you have no idea about anything electrical, I'd say just stick with the battery method. You'll still get to etch, just no blackening and there's other methods such as nail polish etc...

If you're somewhat comfortable with electricity but not sure, then try AC or DC adaptors from radio shack and apply the clips to the ends.

I'm going to use a doorbell transformer for the AC...
Still trying to figure out what to do for the DC. I'll post here with what I come up with. The OP is a fantastic set up to use as a pattern for anyone.

Please everyone...
Use a gfci protected circuit...
Push the test button to make sure it works...
Even if you tried to apply 120v to a grounded Knife there'd only be a small pop if any.
GFCI is your friend!
Click to expand...
For DC etching I use a "dumb" car battery charger. The smart ones shut down if they think something isn't a battery.
 
Jens Schuetz said:
For DC etching I use a "dumb" car battery charger. The smart ones shut down if they think something isn't a battery.
Click to expand...

That's what I used the first time around as well.....however: Those things are pretty high amperage and you could do some spot welding if you're not EXTREMELY careful. Like NCSlice has been saying, DON'T F WITH ELECTRICITY!!. Please all, be careful.

Doorbell transformer works.....but you need 110 to power it and they are usually NOT plug-ins. If you have a surplus electronics place nearby, you can find all kinds of wall-wart type transformers (both DC and AC) there for VERY cheap. Even at the dump, or scrapyard....

I'm looking at my setup right now as I type this; gonna try and plug it in this weekend to etch my new 17 if I can find the time.
 
Yeah, I've been reconsidering the doorbell transformer. I got my DPDT switch today. Tomorrow I'm heading to the thrift store. They have several bins of cords and pluggy stuff to dig thru. I guess 12-24 AC is what to look for but not sure on DC...like 9-12volt?
Then I have an enclosure I'll wire up a couple of outlets, the switch, etc. I have a cord with a connector/strain relief connector. All salvaged from jobs I keep around. I usually just strip it all down for scrap. I recently scored about 6 1/4" x1.5" x24" copper bars!
Anyway...hope to get this done this weekend.
 
NCSlice said:
Yeah, I've been reconsidering the doorbell transformer. I got my DPDT switch today. Tomorrow I'm heading to the thrift store. They have several bins of cords and pluggy stuff to dig thru. I guess 12-24 AC is what to look for but not sure on DC...like 9-12volt?
Then I have an enclosure I'll wire up a couple of outlets, the switch, etc. I have a cord with a connector/strain relief connector. All salvaged from jobs I keep around. I usually just strip it all down for scrap. I recently scored about 6 1/4" x1.5" x24" copper bars!
Anyway...hope to get this done this weekend.
Click to expand...

9-12 VDC will work fine. My setup is a 16VAC transformer from the alarm industry. The board it's powering is meant to charge the lead-acid panel battery, so DC output is ~14VDC (13.8VDC to be more precise).

Blueprint_Etching said:
This is a super great ideal for an etcher! I make my owns stencils with a photo sensitive film did catch how you make yours.
Click to expand...

For this project, I didn't use a stencil; I just used the coating on the knife as resist. The Knives are laser etched through the coating leaving bare steel, but if you strip the knife the laser engraving isn't deep enough to hold up for very long. Mostly I just use the etcher for deepening the OEM laser etch so I don't lose it when the coating comes off.

For the BK-9 above, I used adhesive backed vinyl. The complete thread is here: Celtic etching on a BK-9.

One pic for clarification:

13234124625_912b0afdc8_b.jpg


There are a LOT more pics in the thread.
 
NC - 9 to 12 volts DC is fine. I've used 9 and 12 VDC flashlight style batteries for small jobs, 12VDC car batteries, and 110VAC powered DC power supplies that I have set to 10-12 VDC. I've never used a full blown vehicle battery charger to do etching, but I have used them for electro-cleaning cast iron.
 
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