Radio Shack ferric-dilute or use straight?

J

Justin King

Joined
Nov 8, 2009
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I am going to use ferric for the first time to darken some carbon steel blades, I picked up a bottle at Radio Shack and am wondering if it should be treated as full strength, and diluted?
 
I diluted mine, but it's been so long that I don't remember the proportion. Hopefully someone with a better memory than me will come along.
 
Dilute 1part ferric w/3parts distilled water.Always add acid to water.
Stan
 
blackcatt said:
How do you guys clean your blades after the ferric etch?
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I've etched with muriatic acid recently and cleaned by rinsing in a bath of baking soda and water, then just plain water. Afterwards I lightly rub with fine steel wool...just enough to lightly clean the blade. Too much pressure and you will start to rub off the etch.
 
If you do not dilute the etchant it just eats everything at about the same rate and etches way to fast. I dilute mine 4 parts distilled water to 1 part Ferric Chloride. I use distilled water as it has no minerals in it that could cause some issues with etching. I etch for 15 minutes then I rub with a 3 micron wet dry paper and do this till I am happy with the etch. I use Windex with Ammonia to neutralize my etch.
 
I'm thinking of using PVC pipes with caps on them to hold my FC mixture and another for vinegar. Will this set up work. Any issues if I put caps on these solutions, or if they freeze? Will the FC eat through PVC?
 
Mooseyard said:
I'm thinking of using PVC pipes with caps on them to hold my FC mixture and another for vinegar. Will this set up work. Any issues if I put caps on these solutions, or if they freeze? Will the FC eat through PVC?
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This chart is your chemical friend:) http://www.coleparmer.com/Chemical-Resistance
I didnt check ferric/PVC but I did do ferric/ABS and it has excellent resistance. I built a tube/tank from ABS yesterday. Not sure about freezing but I would leave some extra length on the tube for some air space at the top, and expect some off-gassing when you take the lid off. Opening the tube and transferring blades to/from the acid bath should probably be done outside.
 
The PVC cement welds the PVC to itself.(Melts it to itself) It works fine. It's also what the bottle is made of that the acid comes in. Just be sure to cap it off or put it back in a sealed container after your done with it or you will etch the entire shop.
 
Justin King said:
This chart is your chemical friend:) http://www.coleparmer.com/Chemical-Resistance
I didnt check ferric/PVC but I did do ferric/ABS and it has excellent resistance. I built a tube/tank from ABS yesterday. Not sure about freezing but I would leave some extra length on the tube for some air space at the top, and expect some off-gassing when you take the lid off. Opening the tube and transferring blades to/from the acid bath should probably be done outside.
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Great Website. That one is bookmarked.
 
I have 3 PVC tanks tube tanks. One 3:1, one 10:1 (depending on the speed of etch I am looking for) and one TSP for neutralizing. And just to confirm, the Fecl doesn't do anything to them.
 
Mike Turner said:
If you do not dilute the etchant it just eats everything at about the same rate and etches way to fast. I dilute mine 4 parts distilled water to 1 part Ferric Chloride. I use distilled water as it has no minerals in it that could cause some issues with etching. I etch for 15 minutes then I rub with a 3 micron wet dry paper and do this till I am happy with the etch. I use Windex with Ammonia to neutralize my etch.
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Just from mine own experience...
Adding 3-4 parts water to the mix actually speeds up the etch, makes it faster.
Straight out of the bottle it hardly etches steel at all.
It also slows down with age, as you use it.
 
Mooseyard said:
I'm thinking of using PVC pipes with caps on them to hold my FC mixture and another for vinegar. Will this set up work. Any issues if I put caps on these solutions, or if they freeze? Will the FC eat through PVC?
Click to expand...


5 Gallon bucket half full of sand with a hole big enough to allow the pvc pipe through makes a great stand that is hard to tip over and spill acid everywhere.
 
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