- Joined
- Sep 25, 2007
- Messages
- 176
Do you guys use this product? Any recommendations for this or any other etching machine for my makers mark/misc. personalizations?
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Etcho-matic?
- Thread starter clemsonreeder
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2001
- Messages
- 787
I've been using one for over fifteen years. It's not the best product out there, and it's slow, but it does work well if you use it right. When I have some more time I'll post some hints on how to use it effectively, if someone here doesn't beat me to it.
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2001
- Messages
- 787
Sorry, I haven't had the chance to type for awhile.
To use the Etch-O-Matic:
First, ignore the instructions that come with it. They have you attaching the stencil to the unit by placing the stencil on the pad, then snapping the cap over the unit. Instead, throw away the plastic cap. You want to attach the stencil to the blade, not the etcher.
Cut your stencil down so you have a rectangle with about 1/2" or so on each side of the mark. Use masking tape to attach the stencil to the blade. Leave one end of the stencil free so that while you're etching, you can lift the stencil to check the mark, then lay the stencil down in exactly the same position. Cover the area of the blade around the stencil with masking tape (the stencil should be overlapping the edges of the tape) so you don't accidently etch anywhere but the stencil.
Soak the etching pad with electrolyte. (The usual advice with most etchers is to only dampen the pad, not soak it, but I find that more electrolyte is needed with the Etch-O-Matic, since it's underpowered.) Attach the AC/DC conversion clip to the clip on the etcher, place the etching pad on the stencil, and touch the clip to bare metal somewhere on the blade. (I find it easiest to etch the mark before the scales are attached - that gives me plenty of room on the tang to touch the clip to.) Keep it on for about 30 seconds, lifting briefly every 5 seconds to allow it to gas off. Lift the stencil to check the mark, making sure all parts of the mark have etched to an acceptible depth. If not, lay the stencil back down and keep etching. Once the depth of your etch is good, remove the conversion clip and touch the attached clip to the blade to blacken the mark.
After etching, I spray the mark down well with Windex.
Some more tips...
When stored, the clips will tend to develop a light coat of rust. Clean this off with some fine grit paper before etching, or you'll lose power - and you don't have a lot of that to begin with on the Etch-O-Matic!
Clean both sides of the stencil by wiping it down with water or Windex and a paper towel both before and after etching. I quicikly found that when I etched more than one blade at a time, the second one came out better. That's when I started cleaning the stencil before the first etch. Also, wipe down the blade where the mark is to go with water or Windex before etching.
Clean the pad on the etcher after etching. Soak up as much of the remaining electrolyte as possible with a paper towel, and clean with water.
The pads and grids are replaceable. They'll last a long time, but you'll want to replace them now and then. For me, they last a couple of years.
I hope this helps
To use the Etch-O-Matic:
First, ignore the instructions that come with it. They have you attaching the stencil to the unit by placing the stencil on the pad, then snapping the cap over the unit. Instead, throw away the plastic cap. You want to attach the stencil to the blade, not the etcher.
Cut your stencil down so you have a rectangle with about 1/2" or so on each side of the mark. Use masking tape to attach the stencil to the blade. Leave one end of the stencil free so that while you're etching, you can lift the stencil to check the mark, then lay the stencil down in exactly the same position. Cover the area of the blade around the stencil with masking tape (the stencil should be overlapping the edges of the tape) so you don't accidently etch anywhere but the stencil.
Soak the etching pad with electrolyte. (The usual advice with most etchers is to only dampen the pad, not soak it, but I find that more electrolyte is needed with the Etch-O-Matic, since it's underpowered.) Attach the AC/DC conversion clip to the clip on the etcher, place the etching pad on the stencil, and touch the clip to bare metal somewhere on the blade. (I find it easiest to etch the mark before the scales are attached - that gives me plenty of room on the tang to touch the clip to.) Keep it on for about 30 seconds, lifting briefly every 5 seconds to allow it to gas off. Lift the stencil to check the mark, making sure all parts of the mark have etched to an acceptible depth. If not, lay the stencil back down and keep etching. Once the depth of your etch is good, remove the conversion clip and touch the attached clip to the blade to blacken the mark.
After etching, I spray the mark down well with Windex.
Some more tips...
When stored, the clips will tend to develop a light coat of rust. Clean this off with some fine grit paper before etching, or you'll lose power - and you don't have a lot of that to begin with on the Etch-O-Matic!
Clean both sides of the stencil by wiping it down with water or Windex and a paper towel both before and after etching. I quicikly found that when I etched more than one blade at a time, the second one came out better. That's when I started cleaning the stencil before the first etch. Also, wipe down the blade where the mark is to go with water or Windex before etching.
Clean the pad on the etcher after etching. Soak up as much of the remaining electrolyte as possible with a paper towel, and clean with water.
The pads and grids are replaceable. They'll last a long time, but you'll want to replace them now and then. For me, they last a couple of years.
I hope this helps
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2005
- Messages
- 710
Save yourself about a hundred dollars and build your own its really really easy, drop me an email or give me a call if you need help.# is on my website. For approx. $45.00 I built a really nice unit that provides a deep etch on any steel, the money you save can be used to get stencils and chemicals needed.
Spencer
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2005
- Messages
- 1,367
I hated my Etch-O-Matic so I built my own...
(link removed)
For Sub-$100 it is also my anodizer!
(link removed)
For Sub-$100 it is also my anodizer!
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2007
- Messages
- 176
You're the man!
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2006
- Messages
- 3,494
Post removed by sender.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2007
- Messages
- 3,375
I think you could get a cheap trickle charger from the pawn shop and tap in to the AC between the transformer and the rectifier and have a good solid unit for that and the cost of a 2 position double throw switch to go from DC to AC, plus whatever to make the pad. Even come with the leads and a extra clamp. All you need is small 12 volt AC-DC power supply. There is no magic in it.
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2005
- Messages
- 1,367
Because of another thread in my case.
Folks started hollering lawsuit and bad idea, etc...
So, poof, away went the links.
It's still up at my site though, if you look hard enough.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2006
- Messages
- 2,415
I tried the etch-o-matic for toooo long, sometime got ok but never good results. I kept all kind of notes to try and get consistant results. I built the chris crawford design that is floating around and I am real happy. Took a little while to get the setting for the steel I use but now I get great results.