Monode 150?

Hogwash

Hogwash

Joined
Jun 17, 2006
Messages
1,773
I was shopping for parts to build an etcher at the local surplus electronics store (silicon valley has those) when I came across a Monode 150 etcher for $25.00.

It is old and dirty and has a Marking Methods sticker on it with a 213 area code phone number.

It has an amp-meter on it unlike the newer models but everything else looks similar.

There was no etch head, cables, alligator clips or stencil cleaner pad, it is just the box.

I have to find or make those missing parts now.

Is the stencil cleaner worth it?

Will a stainless etch head work as well as a graphite etch head?

The cables should be easy, I'll use rope strand 10 gauge copper for flexibility and low resistance unless someone tells me different.

But first things first, I have to break out the old volt meter to see if it's working.

The amp meter goes to 25 amps and the transformer is certainly heavy, do I need to worry about blowing a fuse if I'm not pegging the meter? I think it's high setting is 20 VAC so 25 amps would make 500 watts unless there is some weird math for AC power.
 
I made my etcher. I used it initially at 24 volts ant it cooked my TUS stencil in about 8 etches. At 12 v they last way longer. I used a 1/2" x 3/4" piece of 1/8" thick 304 stainless attached to a piece of nylon for my negative side and cover it with felt. Works fine for me. I use a 2 amp fuse on the 110v side of the transformer for 2 times 110 is 220 watts max. That would be about 19 amps of 12v or 9 of 24. I don't believe I am near the 2 amps. The open area of your stencil and your voltage will be what controls your amperage draw. I use salt water for a etch solution. If I was you I would get some electrical tape and some shiny steel and play around a bit. Cover the steel with the tape, Cut out a small pattern with a razor blade and wet your pad and the press it to a sponge then hit it to your tape "stencil" for 5 seconds, then off 5 seconds on 5 and do a cycle of say 10 and see what you have. enjoy Jim
 
Thanks for the advice.

I'm going to be etching a few logos that are bigger than 1/2" x 3/4". Is there any reason why I can't make a head that's about 1 1/2" x 3/4"?

I still want to know if the stencil cleaner is a good idea.
 
I clean mine with Windex. I am sure you can make the pad bigger. The more steel exposed by the stencil the more amps you will draw. Sounds like your machine can handle it. Like I said, play with some mild steel. I don't think this process cares a whole lot about what type or how hard the steel is. It also will edge brass. I tried it.

PS. you want to make the mark in DC with the pos on the blade and neg on the pad. You darken the etch mark with AC and do it like I described above.
 
I mixed up some crummy electrolyte and used a cotton swab in an alligator clip with a carved electrical tape stencil and the etcher works. I was able to get a pretty deep etch but the AC blackening didn't seem to get real dark or thick unless I cranked the voltage all the way. The amp meter barely got off zero. I suspect that my Electrasol soap and salt water mix was not ideal. I was thinking about using "the power of oxygen" but didn't buy any of that stuff.

I have decided that I want to get good etching results sooner than later.

I placed an order with TUStech for a real etching head, real electrolyte and a few test stencils for practice. The etching head is a little pricey but I'm going to spend the money to avoid any home made etching head issues. I'm using the same logic for the electrolyte but it's pretty cheap so the choice was easy.

Once I figure out how to get clean consistent etches without burning out the stencils too quickly, I'll start with my real etching work.
 
It was under $90.00 but it wasn't their standard size etching head. I didn't shop around, well that's not entirely true, I asked a couple places for quotes and TUS got back to me. I haven't heard from the rest.

It works well, I was able to make etchings with their sample stencil that are very similar to the sample etchings they sent along.

A real head, real electrolyte and real stencil is much better than my cotton swab with salt water and electrasol soap on a carved electrical tape template.
 
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