Etcher build question

Fletch Helical

Fletch Helical

Joined
Sep 29, 2009
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I'm in the process of soldering and wiring up my etcher from Chris Crawfords website. The part for the AC power cord that he has is no longer made by Radio Shack (or at least listed as that part number), so while I was there I bought what I thought was it's replacement. I just cut the wire and it only has a black and white wire, not a black, white, and green one like is shown.

Is one just a ground wire and I can get by without it? Or do I have the wrong one? If it's the latter does anyone who's built one recently know what the new part number might be?

I'm going to let be known I know literally NOTHING about wiring. The most wiring experience I have is changing out light switches and outlets in my house. Other than that if anyone is able to offer a workaround with what I have please explain it to me as if you were explaining it to a kindergartner. Use crayons if need be by all means.
 
While I have no experience with this build I can tell you you NEED a ground if its called for. If this is the power chord to power the unit then any 3 pronged chord would prob do. Just get an old PC power chord or an extension chord as long as it has a ground, any 3 pronged chord will work.
 
Argh! Checking his site it says I have to connect a ground. Bah I have no way around this then other than to scrounge up or buy a new wire.
 
I have an old PC power cable... So I can DEFINITELY use that? All the wire I'm using in the etcher is UL recognized hookup wire 18AWG if that means anything to anyone who knows electricity.
 
The power supply wire to a computer should be MORE than sufficient for the needs of a small hand held etcher. Inside you will find your 3 wires.
 
I wasn't worried about it being underpowered I was more concerned about... I don't know it being too much and lighting the thing on fire or something.
 
:) Bigger wire = less resistance = less heat generated by electricity. Now, if you tried to wire it with say 26g wires...you would probably still be ok (since this is a very small device) but your chances of heating up the wires is greatly increased.
 
I cut the PC wire and there was also some kind of silver wire bundled in there as well. It wasn't insulated or anything like that. I'm assuming just cut it off as close to the outer wrapping and pretend I never saw it right?
 
Weird. Yeah, just cut that wire off close to the outer jacket and wrap that opening where the 3 wires come out with electrical tape or use a piece of shrink tube
 
The computer cord will do just fine.

The foil is standard in computer power wiring - it is shielding to prevent high frequencies from getting into the conductors and causing interference.

Ignore it, peel it back and tape it off to avoid contact with anything else.


Are you building 12 or 24 volt?

With this transformer
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102703

Be sure and use the center-tap secondary windings to get 12 ish volts not 25.

25V melts stencils.
 
12345678910 said:
The computer cord will do just fine.

The foil is standard in computer power wiring - it is shielding to prevent high frequencies from getting into the conductors and causing interference.

Ignore it, peel it back and tape it off to avoid contact with anything else.


Are you building 12 or 24 volt?

With this transformer
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102703

Be sure and use the center-tap secondary windings to get 12 ish volts not 25.

25V melts stencils.
Click to expand...

Fletch,

What 1-10 said up there:D I left you a reply at the other site, I didn't know you had computer cable which will work awesome. Use it and finish up so you can tell us how it works and brag about what a great electrician you are!!!:cool:

Jeff
 
A PC power cord will work just fine. I used an old monitor power cord on the one I built from those same plans. Works awesome bro!
 
12345678910 said:
The computer cord will do just fine.

The foil is standard in computer power wiring - it is shielding to prevent high frequencies from getting into the conductors and causing interference.

Ignore it, peel it back and tape it off to avoid contact with anything else.


Are you building 12 or 24 volt?

With this transformer
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102703

Be sure and use the center-tap secondary windings to get 12 ish volts not 25.

25V melts stencils.
Click to expand...

:confused::confused:

I'm using that transformer.... Anything you said past that you might have well asked me in Greek. I don't have a clue what I'm doing, I'm just trying to follow everything on this website http://chriscrawfordknives.com/#/electro-etching-unit/4535265119.

I wouldn't know what a center-tap secondary winding was if I sat on it.

Grizz I think it cost me, with the tax, (local radio shack had everything) somewhere around $67.
 
Fletch what he is saying is on the side of the transformer with only the two yellow wires and the one black wire, use one yellow and the black wire (which happens to be in the center) then you will get 12v instead of 24. 12v will not melt your stencils as fast.

I used a PC power cable also.you can tie the cord in a knot to keep it from coming out the back, I wrapped a bunch of electrical tape to make a knob to keep the wire in the project box.
 
I found plans online a couple of years ago for a 2 D cell battery operated one. It uses a potentiometer to fine tune the etch itself. My only problem is finding a resist that will hold up to it so I can get a sharp etch. I was using varnish as a resist and marking with a pin but I dont think my varnish was strong enough to withstand the action as my etches were a little blurry and I would occasionally get spotting. (although it looked interesting a couple of times) Total cost was about $20 at Radio shack, of course mine is nowhere near as fancy as the one on Chris Crawfords site and cant switch AC/DC.
 
gixxer said:
Fletch what he is saying is on the side of the transformer with only the two yellow wires and the one black wire, use one yellow and the black wire (which happens to be in the center) then you will get 12v instead of 24. 12v will not melt your stencils as fast.

I used a PC power cable also.you can tie the cord in a knot to keep it from coming out the back, I wrapped a bunch of electrical tape to make a knob to keep the wire in the project box.
Click to expand...


What do I do with the rest of the wires on it? Just tape them off and don't use them? I was just planning on wiring this thing up like the instructions on the website says? Does that set of directions have it set up for 12v or 24v?
 
Bear in mind guys I know nothing about electrical stuff. Which also includes reading wire diagrams. Jerry thanks for the diagram, I think I have some of it figured out by looking at it. But if I'm understanding it correctly that's setting it up as a 24v, right?

If I run the one black and one yellow (which I'm not even sure I'll know exactly what goes where till it's in front of me). Do I just tape off the remaining wires?

The explanations on Chris's website seem easier for me to understand but I don't want to go and melt my stencils either.

But this makes sense to me
Connect the following three wires using a twist on wire connector:
a. The green wire from the power cord (this is the ground wire)
b. The transformer wire #2 (see transformer diagram)
c. The transformer wire G that was connected to the transformer’s little tab
* (see transformer diagram)

So I get take the green wire from the power cord, the ground wire I soldered on to the transformer and the black wire between the 2 yellow ones. That explanation works for a kindergartner, a wiring schematic, to me, looks totally foreign.
 
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