New Transfer Method!!

[ChrisB]

Hi All,
Having to take it easy and also banned from the Knife workshop by the BOSS!!
For A while ? (Due to a recent Heart Attack)
I was Messing around with some drawings and new logo's for my Knives, then it Struck Me!!

I recently Bought a "Etch-o-Matic" etching system with the stencil Maker from Martronics in the USA.
The Old Method of Clear stencils Pheric Cloride and Positive-20 takes to much time and Hassles.

Why not make a stencil for one of my engravings for the hunters and try it.?
I did one and it works like a dream,
It's a Fine Silkscreen Media that You develop your image onto, then you just put in in place, use the Etching block and it makes a perfect fineline marking on the steel, I tried it on a variety of st/st that i use in my knifemaking and it marks them all. in minutes.
They Also Say that it will mark any conductive metal,!! I will try it out this weekend on Brass,Copper,Nickle Silver, Aluminium Etc. And post reply.
You can even use the same stencil and just turn it around for a mirror image !!
It lines up Perfectly the same as a Clear Transparency.
And You can use it over and over, Perfect for repetitive jobs !! also at a fraction the price of a Epson Sheet. That You can only use once.!!
It Only takes about 5 min. to produce a stencil !!
They Also supplied a Glass etching Sample, which I Marked a beer glass for my son, with his Racing logo on it
curved both ways, it came out Great.!!!

The Unit sold for $200.

 

[TallGary]

Chris, this sounds very interesting. I look forward to reading your test results. Do you have any pictures of the etching available?

Gary

 

[ChrisB]

Gary, will take a pic over the weekend and post it later.
Have a Great Easter !!!

 

[coincutter]

get the 1000 line per inch sheet rather than their stencil material and it works a lot better
think litho litho litho

ps you can build one for about 20 bucks
some of the knife makers have plans on net

 

[monk]

quick transfer

Hi All,
Having to take it easy and also banned from the Knife workshop by the BOSS!!
For A while ? (Due to a recent Heart Attack)
I was Messing around with some drawings and new logo's for my Knives, then it Struck Me!!

I recently Bought a "Etch-o-Matic" etching system with the stencil Maker from Martronics in the USA.
The Old Method of Clear stencils Pheric Cloride and Positive-20 takes to much time and Hassles.

Why not make a stencil for one of my engravings for the hunters and try it.?
I did one and it works like a dream,
It's a Fine Silkscreen Media that You develop your image onto, then you just put in in place, use the Etching block and it makes a perfect fineline marking on the steel, I tried it on a variety of st/st that i use in my knifemaking and it marks them all. in minutes.
They Also Say that it will mark any conductive metal,!! I will try it out this weekend on Brass,Copper,Nickle Silver, Aluminium Etc. And post reply.
You can even use the same stencil and just turn it around for a mirror image !!
It lines up Perfectly the same as a Clear Transparency.
And You can use it over and over, Perfect for repetitive jobs !! also at a fraction the price of a Epson Sheet. That You can only use once.!!
It Only takes about 5 min. to produce a stencil !!
They Also supplied a Glass etching Sample, which I Marked a beer glass for my son, with his Racing logo on it
curved both ways, it came out Great.!!!

The Unit sold for $200.

cb: thanks for this great info. lookin forward to seeing more on this . sorry you got the heart nasty. take good care of yourself pal, get well soon.

 

[ddushane]

Chris, You stated (It's a Fine Silkscreen Media that You develop your image onto) How do you go about developing your image on it? Dwayne

 

[ihsfab]

If your looking for plans on how to make one of them here is the one I have found http://www.chriscrawfordknives.com/. He gives parts numbers and how to wire it up.

 

[BrianPowley]

I've been using the electro-chemical etching process for about 10 years.
My purchased equipment was from "Lectro-Etch", but I eventually built my own power supply from Radio Shack parts for about $20.00. The retail units sometimes make the etching pretty deep and if you need to remove the etching, it can become time consuming.
I've found that using a step-down transformer with a 12 volt/ 1 amp AC output makes a real nice black line on ferrous metals (steel) and it isn't very deep. DC output will make a white mark and it is actually electroplating in reverse.

The stencils I use are just scrolls stems..........I have them made into about 40 different sizes.
The flexible stencils wrap around curved surfaces (like gun barrels) and etch a very durable scroll onto the metal. I've been using my original stencils for over ten years and they still work perfectly.

Different types of metals (copper, brass, silver, nickle,etc.) may require a different electrolytic solution.
I prefer the solutions that the manufacturers sell, but I've experimented with everything from plain water to that stuff that you spray on your shower stall.
The electrolytes are usually some sort of "secret formula" that contains saline (salt) for electric conduction, and a surfactant (soap) to break down molecular surface tensions that allow for good etching.

 

[ChrisB]

Thanks to all the Other Reply's,
Yes It Works on all The Materials That I have Available in my Workshop, Titanium, Aluminium, Brass, Copper, St/St's all Grades, Nickle Silver, Steel, It Makes a Perfect Transfer, And You Have To Sand it Off to make a new Transfer,!!

The Solution is the same that I was Supplied With For All Materials!!

The Pic, The Top is The Transfer and The Bottom a Piec of Alum.

 

[Glenn]

Brian, could you draw a little schematic of your etching setup?
Thanks, Glenn

 

[BrianPowley]

Glenn,
I'll get out the camera and shoot a few pics of my rig.
Brian

 

[TallGary]

Power Supply Schematic

Here is a schematic that is similar to the design at the Chris Crawford Knives website using a 12V center tapped transformer to give a dual voltage output. All the usual disclaimers -- professional electrician on closed circuit course, don't try this at home, not for internal consumption, etc. Keep out of reach of children!!!

If you have never built anything like this get the assistance of someone who has experience in working with electricity or better yet, buy a commercial power supply. Build or use this supply at your own risk.

Put the supply in a proper enclosure -- the example on the Crawford site is good but he takes some shortcuts -- taping the supply cord to secure it and using double stick tape to hold the transformer. I also have an issue with grounding the transformer secondary center tap -- but that's just me.

 

[M. J. Atkinson]

Chris, sometimes ya gotta take me by the hand and lead me. How do you put the image on the silk screen media? Do you just use the flat bed scanner/copier or ??? The procedure sounds useful but I'm totally unfamiliar with it. Thanks, Mike

 

[BrianPowley]

Sorry for the delay in getting the info posted, but I felt it was worth going the extra mile to actually "show and tell" the process I use for scroll pattern transfers.....I actually do not transfer a pattern, I just burn it on the the part based on the sizes of scrolls I need from my drawings.

Here's the stencils I use in 35 different sizes.

Here's the entire setup clockwise from upper left corner:
The Power Supply, Stencils, Stainless Steel grounding plate, marker pad.

A plate is placed on the grounding plate, the stencil is positioned for marking and the marker pad is dampened with electrolyte solution and touched to the stencil.

The scroll etched onto the metal

 

[BrianPowley]

Here's a demo of the process I use:

From left to right:
1.) The pattern is etched onto the metal 2.) The main parts of the scrolls are cut.
3.) The elements of the scrolls are added in a freehand style and cut 4.) Background is removed or worked out.
5.) Any shading details or whatever else is added to complete

 

[Kerry Bogan]

Brian and Chris
Could you detail how you make the stencils, the rest is pretty clear and this does look very useful.
Thanks Kerry

 

[BrianPowley]

I had the Lectro-Etch Company make my stencils in 1997. They still work just as good now as they did then.

 

[ihsfab]

Brian what type of eletrolyte do you use? Can you give part numbers, prices and where you get it. Thanks

 

[BrianPowley]

I use several types of Electrolyte solution and they were all purchased through The LectroEtch Company:
LNC-3 is a general All-purpose solution for Ferrous (iron) metals and alloys
LNC-6 for pure silver, sterling silver, and electroplated silver
220-A for aluminum, bronze,copper or copper bearing alloys,nickle.
Can't remember the exact cost because I bought them 10 years ago, but it is very cheap. I still have most of the original quarts left because you only use a few drops each time.

Here's their web:
www.lectroetch.com

They aren't the only game in town, and to be honest, I've never checked out other electro-chemical companies and their respective products,so there may be better stuff out there I'm not aware of.
LectroEtch just happens to be the company where I originally developed my stencils and purchased my supplies in 1997.

 

[ChrisB]

Kerry, Visit the Website of the Company, "Martronics" They Give A Indepth detail of the System, Better Than I can Explain.

Happy Easter,!!

ChrisB.