Etch-o-matic

[Martin Boekers]

Has any one ever used one of these?

They used to sell them out of Popular Science or Popular Mechanics magazines when I was younger.


http://www.etch-o-matic.biz/


Marty

[Martin Boekers]

Just a thought, maybe they would donate a kit for a givaway.

Would be good exposure.

Marty

[Dave Johnson29]

Has any one ever used one of these?
http://www.etch-o-matic.biz/


Hi Marty,

Yup, they have been around for a loooong time. They are a bit messy and it is all hand positioned stuff. You have to make a stencil for each job which is also messy and not easy for fine work. The stencils last a fair while though.

A lot cheaper than a Nd-Yag. :)

[AL Ursich]

I am dragging this old post to the surface as I just learned about this system tonight.

Is anyone using this? I am interested in the marking on metal part but doing color fill with the stencil has my attention.

I was interested in marking Aluminum and Brass with this.

Any old systems out there?

To skip the chemical and UV part of making a stencil, is there any way to make a stencil with a Co2 Laser.

With this stencil system, what holds the center of the letters in? Is there a mesh inside?

AL

[Viktor Voroncov]

Same questions! Look very attractive as anticrisis replacement for NdYAg :)

[Rodne Gold]

It uses an electrolyte to etch so the stencils are cloth based - the developer takes away the resist and the electrolyte soaks into the cloth and where its damp and contacts the metal, it etches. Kinda like using a rubberised cloth with the rubber removed.
You could probably make your own stencil material by soaking cloth in liquid photoresist (like used in screen printing) and exposing and developing it. You might get away using a laser printer on transparency if it has enough print density to make your exposure mask
You could also use a setup similar to whats used in electroetching to make an etching unit.
I think in the earlier versions of this , they used the same master paper that the old gestetner copiers used - or something similar (you used to put it in a typewriter and the impact removed the resist - not 100% sure how it worked)
The etching you get from these types of devices is not crisp - always a little fuzzy round the edges.

[AL Ursich]

Thank You for your reply and info.

AL

[Martin Boekers]

You might get away using a laser printer on transparency if it has enough print density to make your exposure mask
You could also use a setup similar to whats used in electroetching to make an etching unit.
.

These guys make a velum when used in conjunction with a spray that they make works fine.

My brother uses it daily in his screen shop.

http://www.caseyspm.com/cgi-bin/casey/translucency


Marty

[Scott Shepherd]

I used to use that system all the time, making parts as a machinist and then marking them with that system. Back then, we had to have a typewriter to make the stencils, but it worked really well.

[AL Ursich]

Thanks for the info. I called them and there is a mesh inside the film to hold the center of the e's....

I posted the question on Engraving Etc last night and my subscription ran out today... Bummer...

OK... couldn't stay away... Renewed on Eng Etc....

AL