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Thanks Cushing!
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
PVC etching container
- Thread starter deepobs
- Start date
weo
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This might be too late, but is it possible we're overthinking it? Here's my etchant 'set-up'?. The crate also holds a gallon of water/baking soda, my gallon jug of coffee, steel wool, gloves, and other assorted stuff. I'd have to work to knock this over.
Oh yeah, and it's easily moveable.
Oh yeah, and it's easily moveable.
Cushing H.
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Cushing H.
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William - after thinking about this a little I think you are most definitely right - we are over thinking this. I am on my way to Home depot to buy 3" tubing, a solid end-cap, and a screw on cap for the top ..... and a Home Depot bucket. A few smaller holes higher up on the side of the bucket, and zip-ties through the holes to hold the assembled tube vertical ..... and it is done. The bucket also acts as a "built in" spill catcher - both for minor spills, and in case the tube has a major leak. Maybe a gallon of water in the bucket to add weight/stability. Easy, simple, cheap, effective.
Thank you for the idea!!!!
weo
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Cushing H.
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Cushing H.
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Stacy - do you mean 3 (or 5) parts water to one part stock solution, or 3 parts stock solution to one part water? On their website, Texas knifemakers says to dilute one part water to two parts stock solution..... looks like I will need a final total volume of about 62 oz, so if the ratio tan be 3:1 (water to stock soln) , then I can get by with just one 16 oz bottle of stock soln.....
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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I was asked to re-post this previous information. Please note the safety comments!!!:
42° Baume is the correct concentration ... but don't let that funny chemist language bother you. - Approx. 1 pint of water to each pound of FC makes a stock concentrate.
In use it is diluted 2-4 parts water to each part concentrate. I use 3:1 water to FC.
For a gallon of concentrate, , I use 5# dry FC and a gallon of distilled water ( slightly less concentrated). Add the powder to the water slowly, outdoors. It will get hot, and give off chlorine gas.Wear safety gear....especially a face shield. Stand with the wind or a fan to your back so the vapors drift away from you.
For etching, I mix one part concentrate with three parts water. I store it in the etching tank. The tank is a 18" length of 3" or 4" PVC, with a flange foot plate fitting on the bottom (solvent welded in place), and a pipe cap slipped on and off for a top.These parts are cheap at Home Depot/Lowes/etc. The base flange makes a steady stand. The cap seals snugly. The solution seems to store in the tank harmlessly. It sits outside in the smithy year round.
There are two small "V" notches on the opposite sides of the tank top lip. This is to set a piece of steel rod across to hang the blades from. Etching is much better if the blades are suspended in roughly the center, and not hung along the sides or resting on the bottom. I hang the blades on a long "S" hook made from 16 gauge stainless wire.
For the best etch use a weaker solution.Remove the blade often ,clean it off, return to tank for more etching. A slow long etch done this way is more even and deeper than a shorter etch in a stronger solution. When done, wash well with soap and water rinse then neutralize with ammonia water (Windex) or TSP.
You can make several tanks for different concentrations, and in different sizes.I have a tall tank for etching swords.
Cost is almost nothing; a 18" tank costs about $10 to make, and lasts forever.
Refresh the old solution with a little concentrate as it gets exhausted.
Another past post I made:
Most use a 3:1 up to 5:1 ratio ( water to FC stock solution). For more delicate etching and hamon work, it is usually 10:1 up to 15:1.
When mixing the stock solution from dry powder, use caution.
Mix it outside and stay upwind. It gives off a chlorine gas when you first mix it. It also can get very hot while mixing. Add the powder slowly to the water. Don't mix it in a thin plastic jug ( milk jug)...it might melt. Mix it in a heavy plastic bucket, like a drywall bucket. When cooled down, pour into a plastic storage container and wash out the mix pot.
FC should be mixed to make a stock solution. You add one pound to one quart or four pounds to a gallon of water. Distilled water is best, but any water that is not full of minerals (I use bottled water) is fine. Let it sit for a couple days before using it. Dilute the working solution from this stock . Three parts water to one part stock is what most folks use.
If you are just making up one gallon, skip the stock solution, and add one pound FC powder to a gallon of water. If making up a larger batch, one gallon of stock solution is easier to store than four gallons of working solution.
Again - Mix outdoors and don't breath the fumes when it is dissolving. Wearing gloves and a face shield, is a good practice.
4# of powdered FC sells for about $30 on eBay. It will mix a gallon of stock which will make four gallons of etching solution. Immensely cheaper than Radio Shack or other pre-mixed suppliers.
And one more:
Mix it outside and stay upwind. It gives off a chlorine gas when you first mix it. It also can get very hot while mixing. Add the powder slowly to the water. Don't mix it in a thin plastic jug ( milk jug)...it might melt. Mix it in a heavy plastic bucket, like a drywall bucket. When cooled down, pour into a plastic storage container and wash out the mix pot.
FC should be mixed to make a 42 Baume stock solution. You add one pound of crystals to 18 ounces of water to get this strength - one pound to one quart is close enough ( four pounds to a gallon). Distilled water us best, but any water that is not full of minerals (I use bottled water) is fine. Let it sit for a couple days before using it. Dilute the working solution from this stock . Three parts water to one part stock is what most folks use.
If you are just making up one gallon, skip the stock solution, and add one pound FC powder to a gallon of water. If making up a larger batch, one gallon of stock solution is easier to store than four gallons of working solution.
Again - Mix outdoors and don't breath the fumes when it is dissolving. Wearing gloves and a face shield, is a good practice.
42° Baume is the correct concentration ... but don't let that funny chemist language bother you. - Approx. 1 pint of water to each pound of FC makes a stock concentrate.
In use it is diluted 2-4 parts water to each part concentrate. I use 3:1 water to FC.
For a gallon of concentrate, , I use 5# dry FC and a gallon of distilled water ( slightly less concentrated). Add the powder to the water slowly, outdoors. It will get hot, and give off chlorine gas.Wear safety gear....especially a face shield. Stand with the wind or a fan to your back so the vapors drift away from you.
For etching, I mix one part concentrate with three parts water. I store it in the etching tank. The tank is a 18" length of 3" or 4" PVC, with a flange foot plate fitting on the bottom (solvent welded in place), and a pipe cap slipped on and off for a top.These parts are cheap at Home Depot/Lowes/etc. The base flange makes a steady stand. The cap seals snugly. The solution seems to store in the tank harmlessly. It sits outside in the smithy year round.
There are two small "V" notches on the opposite sides of the tank top lip. This is to set a piece of steel rod across to hang the blades from. Etching is much better if the blades are suspended in roughly the center, and not hung along the sides or resting on the bottom. I hang the blades on a long "S" hook made from 16 gauge stainless wire.
For the best etch use a weaker solution.Remove the blade often ,clean it off, return to tank for more etching. A slow long etch done this way is more even and deeper than a shorter etch in a stronger solution. When done, wash well with soap and water rinse then neutralize with ammonia water (Windex) or TSP.
You can make several tanks for different concentrations, and in different sizes.I have a tall tank for etching swords.
Cost is almost nothing; a 18" tank costs about $10 to make, and lasts forever.
Refresh the old solution with a little concentrate as it gets exhausted.
Another past post I made:
Most use a 3:1 up to 5:1 ratio ( water to FC stock solution). For more delicate etching and hamon work, it is usually 10:1 up to 15:1.
When mixing the stock solution from dry powder, use caution.
Mix it outside and stay upwind. It gives off a chlorine gas when you first mix it. It also can get very hot while mixing. Add the powder slowly to the water. Don't mix it in a thin plastic jug ( milk jug)...it might melt. Mix it in a heavy plastic bucket, like a drywall bucket. When cooled down, pour into a plastic storage container and wash out the mix pot.
FC should be mixed to make a stock solution. You add one pound to one quart or four pounds to a gallon of water. Distilled water is best, but any water that is not full of minerals (I use bottled water) is fine. Let it sit for a couple days before using it. Dilute the working solution from this stock . Three parts water to one part stock is what most folks use.
If you are just making up one gallon, skip the stock solution, and add one pound FC powder to a gallon of water. If making up a larger batch, one gallon of stock solution is easier to store than four gallons of working solution.
Again - Mix outdoors and don't breath the fumes when it is dissolving. Wearing gloves and a face shield, is a good practice.
4# of powdered FC sells for about $30 on eBay. It will mix a gallon of stock which will make four gallons of etching solution. Immensely cheaper than Radio Shack or other pre-mixed suppliers.
And one more:
Mix it outside and stay upwind. It gives off a chlorine gas when you first mix it. It also can get very hot while mixing. Add the powder slowly to the water. Don't mix it in a thin plastic jug ( milk jug)...it might melt. Mix it in a heavy plastic bucket, like a drywall bucket. When cooled down, pour into a plastic storage container and wash out the mix pot.
FC should be mixed to make a 42 Baume stock solution. You add one pound of crystals to 18 ounces of water to get this strength - one pound to one quart is close enough ( four pounds to a gallon). Distilled water us best, but any water that is not full of minerals (I use bottled water) is fine. Let it sit for a couple days before using it. Dilute the working solution from this stock . Three parts water to one part stock is what most folks use.
If you are just making up one gallon, skip the stock solution, and add one pound FC powder to a gallon of water. If making up a larger batch, one gallon of stock solution is easier to store than four gallons of working solution.
Again - Mix outdoors and don't breath the fumes when it is dissolving. Wearing gloves and a face shield, is a good practice.