ferric chloride

[Omega]

ok finally got my pcb etchant solution. im planning to etch some designs in 440c using a sharpie for a resist. any suggestions as far as time in the solution, dilution, temp etc?


thanks bill
__________________

[Omega]

ok now i have a problem

i used my ferric chloride at full strength with sharpie resist and i took it out ten min. later and there was no change in the metal but the sharpie resist was gone! should i use a weaker solution of acid?

[Ray Rogers]

Either that or you need a different resist. If no metal was gone then making the solution weaker would only add to your problems. You're trying to etch one of the most stain resistant steels we use, it isn't going to be easy. I've never tried FeCl on 440c but I have used it on 18-8 stainless in 50% solution and had to leave it over night to get the desired result.

Get a different resist. Use fingernail polish because it's easy to get and if that doesn't do it, try some Asphaltum. Asphaltum wasn't much fun for me to work with but it seems to be the 'professional' resist .

You're going to have to be very patient, and very careful to find out how to get good results with this process. Do some tests using different methods and keep good notes on what you do .......

[Omega]

the only change was some kind of film on the blade. so nail polish will last longer? if not where can if find Asphaltum?

thanks ray


bill

[Crex]

Ray's correct about the 440C. You will be more frustrated than anything else. We used 440C gears to run submerged in Ferric chloride feed pumps at wastewater treatment plants for years until the pvc and teflon metering pumps became relaible. It'll film up and frost a bit but not with consistant results.
Might want to try a different etchant on 440 steels.

[Omega]

ok i used nail polish and it held up but two hours in the ferric chloride and no a single mark on the blade what am i doing wrong? im going tomm. to get some muraic(sp?) acid



bill

[Omega]

also will nail polish work in muraic acid?

[Cold Steel Cult]

Buy/rent David Boye's book. Lots of info on etching with aqua regia (muriatic + Nitric" I didnt know you could etch designs with FeCl! does it leave the black mark in the etched areas when done like aqua regia?

[Omega]

after two hours in the ferric i couldnt even get a mark! :confused: im going to get muriatic acid today, where could i get nitric, im doubting at the hardware store



bill

[Omega]

ok the muriatic acid (37%) seemed to work better. got some bubbles going but when i took it out all i had was discoloration of the steel way past my scratch marks, that was after two hours. ive just put another blade in how long should i keep it in? also how do i neutralize the acid, i ran water over it then poured baking soda on it and did this 2-3 times.

thanks bill

[Terry_Dodson]

could you do it with a home made electro etcher? that way you could blacken it at the same time. I think an electro etcher would work on it.

[Omega]

i thought of that but i want an etch like this knife and i dont think an electro etcher would do that....would it

[Terry_Dodson]

Do you think this would work?
http://overhauledpc.com/guides.php?guide=5

[Omega]

thats pretty cool i just wonder if there is anyway to stop it from cutting all the way through and if you can determine the depth


bill

[Terry_Dodson]

it took him 15 minutes to cut thru his, so a couple minutes should etch fairly deep i think. You could always try it on a piece of scrap and take it out at different times and check the depth.