Etching

M

medannyboyy

Joined
Jun 5, 2008
Messages
36
Hello

Iam wanted to ask you more experienced makers what do you use to neutralize the ferric chloride after etching. I heard about something called tsp but I can't find it at lowes or anywhere else. What is tsp? and where can you get it? Is there something else you other makers use to neutralize after etching?

Thanks for the help!

Daniel S.
 
TSP if I recall correctly is trisodium phosphate is a degreaser. Put in a bucket of water and clean your floors really good. I don't know about it being a neutralizing agent. You should be able to buy it in most hardware stores.
 
TSP used to be much more available than it seems to be these days. (The phosphates can be rough on the environment.) Probably one of its main uses is for cleaning and prepping walls and surfaces for painting. It is often stocked in stores' paint departments.

I have read some folks use Windex for neutralizing. We used to use baking soda (for other acid processes.) Check out this link, http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6260411&postcount=5 for some info on the subject. Ammonia was mentioned in others: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6149791&postcount=3, http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4980136&postcount=2.
 
Dishwashing soap, no kidding.

In reality anything that's a base can work. An acid just needs something neutral or a base to react with.

You could probably use milk, cottage cheese or anything like that. Haven't tried it but it should work.
 
Any base should work, as we use mostly powerful or mild acids to etch its safe to use highly caustic bases. I know most drain cleaners have jelly like high concentration of Sodium Hydroxide, some are acidic. It is available in stores, you should check if it is not an acidic version of it...
 
Medannyboyy,
I'm just a rookie myself but used FC to etch a blade at my mentor's house and he used Windex. El-cheapo dollar store variety works fine. After etching just hose the the entire blade down with windex, wipe dry and voila you've neutralyzed it and stopped it's potent etching power :D
- Josh
 
Personally I use TSP. I have only been able to find it at ACE hardware stores though.

Shawn
 
Simple cheap Windex. Just make sure it is a formulation that has ammonia in it. That's the base that neutralizes the FeCl. For that matter, just straight ammonia should work too...

-d
 
I just picked up a 4.5lb box of TSP at my local Lowes (Palmyra, PA). It wasn't easy to find, and they did not have it listed as an in-store product. However, it was there in the paint department, right above the paint thinner's and mineral spirits. I paid $9.99 for it. I was told that it is an industrial strength cleaning agent...used for cleaning decks and such. I mix it at a ratio of 1cup to 1 gallon of water (as per Wayne Goddard article, Blade Magazine, April 2009, pages 57-59). I also recently was informed at the Smoky Mountain, NC Hammer-inn. that Dawn dish washing liquid would work as a neutralizer as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top