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  #1  
Old 09-19-2002, 10:43 AM
Will Leavitt Will Leavitt is offline
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Talking Different Marking Method (long)

I reported on this material in the "Supply Center", it's an iron on resist used for prototyping or hobbyist circuit boards. Here's a report on what I've found and hopefully someone may find it useful as a low cost alternative to buying/making an etcher.

Design your mark on the computer, make the fonts white on a black background then reverse the image. Print it out with the image on the "blue" side. Cut your stencil out leaving about 3/32-1/4" space around it.

Ensure the blade is clean, use good soap or acetone. I'm preheating my blades to 190*, the iron temperature is critical, you'll just have to experiment with it. NO STEAM!!!

I tack the middle down then iron it out from there. You'll see a color change as the resist sticks to the blade. Use a piece of paper to keep from scratching the blade.... Ask me how I know
(*If you have a friend that does radio control airplanes you could use a "monokote" iron, they're really good for temp control and they come with a nylon "sock" to keep from scratching.) Just about any problem with the resist not sticking will be due to a "dirty" blade or not enough temperature. It takes me about 4-6 minutes of "ironing" to get the resist down, be careful because you can burn it up.

When the resist is down, cool with water, make sure the ENTIRE blade is cooled down, otherwise the heat will creep and let the resist pull away. Carefully pull the backing away. If the resist starts to pull away and you haven't rushed it, you can reiron. Use a sharpie to "fill-in" any places where the resist spotted.

I'm etching my mark by dipping a Q-tip in straight ferric chloride and daubing it on the mark. Usually 20 min gives me a nice etch on 5160, neutralize with windex or baking soda. The resist will come off easily with steel wool or fine sandpaper (I handrub my blades).

Use the "press-n-peel" blue if you're going to order it. I'm getting probably 80 marks per page of this stuff, it all depends on how you set it up on the computer.

Here's the link, the company has a $20 minimum, so if someone wants a sheet or two to experiment with let me know.

http://www.elexp.com/pro_npb5.htm

One other "cheapie" way to mark your blades. I ordered a "special resist pen" from this company for $3.95, guess what? It's a sharpie , you could color in a space with the sharpie then take a scribe and "sign/draw" your mark, then etch with ferric chloride.

I hope this helps someone out.

Will
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  #2  
Old 09-19-2002, 11:19 AM
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Bob Sigmon Bob Sigmon is offline
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Will,

Thanks for the link. I was just going to look into etching but won't be doing lots. This just may be the ticket.

Does anyone know of an etchant for stainless?

Bob Sigmon
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Old 09-20-2002, 12:32 PM
StevePryor StevePryor is offline
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Bob; as far as electrolyte goes I've been well satisfied with the general purpose (red) electrolyte I bought from Sheffield's. This stuff seems to work well for high carbon/SS/and even brass.

Will; I know of a knifemaker that is not at all satisfied with the results of the sharpie pen resist.


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Old 09-20-2002, 12:43 PM
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Bob Sigmon Bob Sigmon is offline
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Thanks for the info, Steve.

Bob
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  #5  
Old 09-20-2002, 01:53 PM
Will Leavitt Will Leavitt is offline
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Cool

Steve,
I tried it messing around. It worked better for me than the wax resist method. Different strokes, I really like this iron-on resist as an alternative to other methods.

Will
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  #6  
Old 09-20-2002, 02:11 PM
StevePryor StevePryor is offline
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Ok, I'm going to throw something out here that I experimented with just once but was very tickled with the possibilities of the outcome.
I had a rough ground blade laying around in the shop and a spraycan of red primer mearby so figured what the heck..sprayed the red primer on the blade and had the wife take a very fine tipped needle and scratch a drawing on it which showed up well, then I tried electro-chem etching. I was skepitcal, thinking that the primer would prove too porous and the etching would seep through..but it didn't, and rendered a fairly decent fine lined etching. For those talented enough to do fine pencil type drawings this seems to hold many possobilities..! If anyone pursues this please post some pics...please.


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  #7  
Old 10-23-2002, 06:34 PM
Gene Gene is offline
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Talking Different Marking Methods

Thank you so very much, Will! I was really excited to read these new ideas, and I'm hoping to put them in practice - next week!

But the knives I want to mark right now are mirror finish - one 440-C stainless and other D-2. But I noticed TODAY that Etch-O-Matic says their marking system only makes a gray ghost type mark on "mirror surfaces". And I definitely don't want that.

I want big, deep, bold (hopefully black) marks on my blades.

So could you please tell me: Are my mirror finishes going to adversely affect the use of your systems?

And can I use something OTHER than steel wool or fine sandpaper to remove the resist from my mirror finish?

Thank you very much!

Gene
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  #8  
Old 10-25-2002, 11:44 AM
Will Leavitt Will Leavitt is offline
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Cool

Gene,
I don't know about mirror finishes, I handrub all my blades to around 1000 or so. No problems with that.

Steve Sando and Paul Moore are also experimenting with the resist material. Steve told me to use a copper scrubber for dishes, keeps from messing the finish up.

I wish I could tell you more.

Will
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  #9  
Old 10-25-2002, 07:09 PM
Gene Gene is offline
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Talking Different marking methoc

Okay, guys, I've got good news about marking MIRROR FINISH stainless. The folks at Etch-O-Matic positively say you CAN put a black mark on mirror finish stainless. They were very courteous and prompt in their several replies to me, and they concluded:

"Hi Gene:

It DEFINATELY IS POSSIBLE...AND VERY EASY (TO DO A HEAVY BLACK ETCH ON MIRROR STAINLESS WITH THE ETCH-O-MATIC UNIT)!

In fact you can make three kinds marks on this stainless.
One is a simple BLACK MARK which takes a few seconds
and is 1/10,000th Inch deep. This looks like printing.
Or you can make a Deep Etch mark down to about 0.003"
deep which is clear (same color as the stainless) and you
can then put a BLACK MARK down in the bottom of the
above named hole (mark) so you have a deep etch black
mark that will last forever.

All is explained in the kit and we are ALWAYS AVAILABLE
here at 800-775-0797 to "talk you through" the first mark.

Thanks for your interest and if you need anything else just
give us a call.

Sincerely,

Dean Marshall
Martronics Corportion"

And for ONLY $70 for this machine, this is definitely the route I'm going to take! Plus I was REALLY IMPRESSED with their interest and courtesy, even over this small sale!

Best wishes to all you guys!

Gene
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