DIY Etch Stencils?

[SLC_Blades]

Hey everyone, question about stencils for electro etching. I just finished making an etching machine out of a 9V 1 amp AC adapter and it works great, so now I need stencils. I know that most people have these done buy a company, but I’d like to do it myself. What’s the best way? I don’t know much about the topic and am getting a little confused with all the different methods, printers, etc. Thanks!

 

[Ken H>]

Call these folks: http://www.img-electromark.com/ and ask for Paterica. She's got all the info you need. They'll have the blank stencil sheets, developer, and etching solution for your needs. You'll use your laser printer set on darkest print it'll do to print to a transparency sheet you can get at Office Supply. With a tad of practice you can turn out some good stencils.

 

[Jesenius]

If You really want to make it Yourself find on YT videos about screen printing (because basically it is). Look here, they have everything of Your needs. Or You can try different method as I do.

 

[Destructabot]

Unless you plan on needing to make a lot of "on the fly" etching designs, this might be a case of being penny-wise and pound-foolish. You can get a sheet of high quality stencils in as many designs as you can fit on a 3"x8" piece of stencil material mailed to your door for around $44 from TUS. If I recall correctly, other places might even be cheaper. I think one would be hard pressed to do it cheaper buying the supplies and with the cost of shipping. But if being economical isn't the point, Ken has some good advice.

 

[Ken H>]

The big advantage of doing your own stencils is the ability to make different designs on the fly.

 

[Drew Riley]

Unless you plan on needing to make a lot of "on the fly" etching designs, this might be a case of being penny-wise and pound-foolish. You can get a sheet of high quality stencils in as many designs as you can fit on a 3"x8" piece of stencil material mailed to your door for around $44 from TUS. If I recall correctly, other places might even be cheaper. I think one would be hard pressed to do it cheaper buying the supplies and with the cost of shipping. But if being economical isn't the point, Ken has some good advice.

This. I bought some supplies from IMG, and I never was able to get a stencil to last more than a couple of etches. To be fair, I didn't call and ask for further help after my initial convo with Patricia (who was very nice and more than willing to help). If I get back into trying to print my own for whatever reason, I'll definitely give them a call.

Lately, I've just been going with a sheet from TUS. Reprints of the same sheet are very cheap as well, once you pay the initial setup fee for the first one, and the stencils last a very long time if you take care of them.

That all said, there is something nice about being able to print your own stencils on the fly, whether you need a specific shape or size, a personalization, or any number of other texts or symbols, etc... on a knife, a tool, a nameplate, and so on.

 

[ashwinearl]

I recall a video on you tube where there was a special brand of a label maker, like from an office supply store. You print our label and peel it off. The backing of the label paper ended up as a negative of the label, and they used it as a stencil

 

[Willie71]

This. I bought some supplies from IMG, and I never was able to get a stencil to last more than a couple of etches. To be fair, I didn't call and ask for further help after my initial convo with Patricia (who was very nice and more than willing to help). If I get back into trying to print my own for whatever reason, I'll definitely give them a call.

Lately, I've just been going with a sheet from TUS. Reprints of the same sheet are very cheap as well, once you pay the initial setup fee for the first one, and the stencils last a very long time if you take care of them.

That all said, there is something nice about being able to print your own stencils on the fly, whether you need a specific shape or size, a personalization, or any number of other texts or symbols, etc... on a knife, a tool, a nameplate, and so on.

I had this problem, and found the recommended time under the light was about 1/3 of what it really needed to work. I can get the blue/purple to work now, but the rubbery green stencils are still messed up.

 

[Ken H>]

My stencils seem to last a long time - not sure how many etches I get from one. A buddy who uses them seems to get well over a 100 etches from each stencil, maybe more like over 200.

How long you expose to the white light depends on how bright the light is, and how far away from stencil.

 

[Drew Riley]

I had this problem, and found the recommended time under the light was about 1/3 of what it really needed to work. I can get the blue/purple to work now, but the rubbery green stencils are still messed up.

My stencils seem to last a long time - not sure how many etches I get from one. A buddy who uses them seems to get well over a 100 etches from each stencil, maybe more like over 200.

How long you expose to the white light depends on how bright the light is, and how far away from stencil.

I suspect that this was mostly my issue. I'm not sure that my "negative" was quite dark enough either, as I was using inkjet style transparencies. I've since gotten a decent laser jet and changed the toner cartridge, so I think that should eliminate that variable.

I made my own light box, using UV led strips, and they are relatively bright. Maybe I'll cut the time in the box down to about 30 seconds and go from there.