electro chemical markers

[dogwood dan]

Dose any one have advice on the best place/brand to get for and electro chemical marker (the kind that use salt water and voltage to mark threw a stencil)

thank

Dan

 

[quint]

I built mine. It cost about $80 if you get everything from radio shack but if you have time ordering the stuff online could probably save you money. Works like a charm. Still gotta order some stencils for it.

I took my time and it took a afternoon to make. Probably could do it in an hour or two. http://chriscrawfordknives.com/#/electro-etching-unit/4535265119

 

[Matt Bufford]

I went the same route. I used the crawford design as well and made my own modifications to the circuitry - came to about $50 for me because I already had some of the components.

your end result is an etcher that is comprable to the $200-300 units available from the suppliers.


Tracy Mickley also does some pretty decent tutorials on making your own lightbox and stencils.

 

[Atlas Knife Company]

Check out usaknifemaker.com or Thesharpenershop.com. My Etcher sells on there and is a modified version of the Crawford, implementing several design improvements. Retail is $105.

 

[jll346]

You can also check out Ebay and find a good deal. I bought a $750 Lectroetch V10A Commercial Etching Kit for $100. Super machine.

 

[J. Hoffman]

I think I would give Ernies Machine a try.

 

[Mike Fennessy]

I also made one using Chris Crawford's design. I had built it according to the plans, which makes it 24V and was burning stencils. I changed it to 12V and it worked but was slow. I had been using salt water but later I switched to the electrolyte from usaknifemakers.com and it works soooo much better.

Since it was working so much better now, I changed the etcher back to 24V (which is what the original Chris Crawford design was) and it works perfect. Fast and doesn't burn stencils.

If you don't already know, http://www.erniesknives.com/knifemaker_stencil.html (Ernie) is the best place many have found to have stencils made. (edit: same place as the etcher in Mooseyard's post)

 

[Atlas Knife Company]

With electrolyte 110A from usaknifemakers.com, mine will give a nice deep etch in 3 seconds w/ 12vdc. It took almost 60 seconds with salt water to get the same etch. Definitely get the electrolyte!