Gunsmithing Questions about etching
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Re: Questions about etching
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 6.81star</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a few questions about etching. 1. Is it possible to etch aluminum?
<span style="font-weight: bold">Yes. With the etching system I have it is a matter of having the correct chemical.
For the etcher I have.
http://dev.lectroetch.thomaswebs.net/tables/cleaner_table01.dev
</span>
2. Where/how do you make your stencils.
<span style="font-weight: bold">I send the artwork to the company that I bought the etching machine from. The make the stencils from that.
</span>
I am looking at etching aluminum is this possible? I plan on buying a marking methods etcher.
<span style="font-weight: bold">This is the etcher that I and Brad at Phoenix Custom Rifles use. (Thanks for suggesting this one Brad)
http://www.lectroetch.com/
Call and talk to Britt.
</span>
</div></div>
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 6.81star</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a few questions about etching. 1. Is it possible to etch aluminum?
<span style="font-weight: bold">Yes. With the etching system I have it is a matter of having the correct chemical.
For the etcher I have.
http://dev.lectroetch.thomaswebs.net/tables/cleaner_table01.dev
</span>
2. Where/how do you make your stencils.
<span style="font-weight: bold">I send the artwork to the company that I bought the etching machine from. The make the stencils from that.
</span>
I am looking at etching aluminum is this possible? I plan on buying a marking methods etcher.
<span style="font-weight: bold">This is the etcher that I and Brad at Phoenix Custom Rifles use. (Thanks for suggesting this one Brad)
http://www.lectroetch.com/
Call and talk to Britt.
</span>
</div></div>
Re: Questions about etching
I have seen where you can build your own stencils on a dot matrix printer. I have never done it, but I want to.
I have seen where you can build your own stencils on a dot matrix printer. I have never done it, but I want to.
Re: Questions about etching
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hero's machine</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have seen where you can build your own stencils on a dot matrix printer. I have never done it, but I want to. </div></div>
Lectro etch sells that material also. I haven't tried it myself but I understand from talking with the folks there that they work OK, but just don't last very long.
Great for the one off sort of etching job.
BTW,you can see that Brad does a really nice job with his.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hero's machine</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have seen where you can build your own stencils on a dot matrix printer. I have never done it, but I want to. </div></div>
Lectro etch sells that material also. I haven't tried it myself but I understand from talking with the folks there that they work OK, but just don't last very long.
Great for the one off sort of etching job.
BTW,you can see that Brad does a really nice job with his.
Re: Questions about etching
How do they keep the islands in the e and such? That is a complicated stencil fo sho. Any idea if the dot matrix generated stencils can be as elaborate?
And not to hijack, but if you get bored some time, grab a qtip, some sea salt, water and a battery charger. Dissolve as much salt as possible in the water, dip the qtip till its wet, grab with the charger in reverse polarity....clamp onto the work and pass the qtip over your stencil......pretty slick etching machine.
How do they keep the islands in the e and such? That is a complicated stencil fo sho. Any idea if the dot matrix generated stencils can be as elaborate?
And not to hijack, but if you get bored some time, grab a qtip, some sea salt, water and a battery charger. Dissolve as much salt as possible in the water, dip the qtip till its wet, grab with the charger in reverse polarity....clamp onto the work and pass the qtip over your stencil......pretty slick etching machine.
Re: Questions about etching
Generally, Lectroetch and others make the long life photo-set stencils for you. You need them for deep etching because the things get warm fast. They also have a flood electrolyte system that keeps the stencil cool. For light marking, you can get by with less.
The Lectoretch print-your-own system that uses the Zebra thermal label printer is for marking, not etching. The stencil is thin like tissue paper. Basically something like a tissue paper with wax that is burned away. Don't know what the dot matrix material is like.
Overall it's a good process for all metals , I have the VT-45A unit, it does etch deep with great detail but it's weak point is being able to economically create durable stencils on demand. Someone needs to come up with a way to make durable stencils on a laser printer.
Generally, Lectroetch and others make the long life photo-set stencils for you. You need them for deep etching because the things get warm fast. They also have a flood electrolyte system that keeps the stencil cool. For light marking, you can get by with less.
The Lectoretch print-your-own system that uses the Zebra thermal label printer is for marking, not etching. The stencil is thin like tissue paper. Basically something like a tissue paper with wax that is burned away. Don't know what the dot matrix material is like.
Overall it's a good process for all metals , I have the VT-45A unit, it does etch deep with great detail but it's weak point is being able to economically create durable stencils on demand. Someone needs to come up with a way to make durable stencils on a laser printer.
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