Gunsmithing Acid etchting your barrels?

[Mgordon]

Anybody ever used one of THESE units to mark their barrels?

It just so happens that these guys are 25 minutes away. I'm going there tomorrow to check them out and bring a few barrel ends that were cut off to see how well it etches. I guess I can post pictures when I'm done.

My question is they are recommending me the 10 amp version, while the 15 amp is more powerful and more expensive, they say the 10 amp will go deep enough for me to sand blast over and then paint. Anybody have experience?

Mark

 

[zepheris.hk]

Re: Acid etchting your barrels?

Sorry I can't contribute to your question, but did they specify how deep it goes?

 

[Mgordon]

Re: Acid etchting your barrels?

Well, they claim that the 45 amp can go to .010". I dont know how deep the others can go. I'm going there tomorrow to check.

 

[Hateca]

Re: Acid etchting your barrels?

Pretty much the same thing is this ONE

 

[tfsron]

Re: Acid etchting your barrels?


I have done electro etch before, but not this company's product.
I have not done barrels before but have done stainless tags for hydraulic hoses and hand tools.

The results look like the pictures on the web site when everything goes well.

It is easier on flat surfaces, curves can be very challenging.

If you want more than one line of print on a barrel you will have to rotate the stencil evenly or part of the marking will be light or missing.

Gas bubbles and smudging caused by stencil slippage are problems.

It will be a permanent marking but will never look as good as engraving.

Good shooting
Ron

 

[RWSGunsmithing]

Re: Acid etchting your barrels?

I'm with hateca looks like it does the same thing and they have been around awhile as well.

 

[Hateca]

Re: Acid etchting your barrels?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ron Morrison</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I have done electro etch before, but not this company's product.
I have not done barrels before but have done stainless tags for hydraulic hoses and hand tools.

The results look like the pictures on the web site when everything goes well.

It is easier on flat surfaces, curves can be very challenging.

If you want more than one line of print on a barrel you will have to rotate the stencil evenly or part of the marking will be light or missing.

Gas bubbles and smudging caused by stencil slippage are problems.

It will be a permanent marking but will never look as good as engraving.

Good shooting
Ron </div></div>

I have no idea what equipment you are using but I can tell you form experience none of what you just said is even close to being accurate. If you have issues with etching I would suspect your equipment and or your technique.

The machine I use is from Marking Methods and is top notch and the markings come out crisp and defined like it was stamped into the barrel.

BTW barrels are round.

 

[Mgordon]

Re: Acid etchting your barrels?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: HateCA</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ron Morrison</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I have done electro etch before, but not this company's product.
I have not done barrels before but have done stainless tags for hydraulic hoses and hand tools.

The results look like the pictures on the web site when everything goes well.

It is easier on flat surfaces, curves can be very challenging.

If you want more than one line of print on a barrel you will have to rotate the stencil evenly or part of the marking will be light or missing.

Gas bubbles and smudging caused by stencil slippage are problems.

It will be a permanent marking but will never look as good as engraving.

Good shooting
Ron </div></div>

I have no idea what equipment you are using but I can tell you form experience none of what you just said is even close to being accurate. If you have issues with etching I would suspect your equipment and or your technique.

The machine I use is from Marking Methods and is top notch and the markings come out crisp and defined like it was stamped into the barrel.

BTW barrels are round.

</div></div>

Looks pretty good. Exactly what I'm looking to do....but with my info

 

[Mgordon]

Re: Acid etchting your barrels?

Do you sand blast before or after etching? Randy, what amperage is your unit? I'm thinking about getting either the 10 or 15 amp unit. The 10 amp is about $300 less.

 

[Hateca]

Re: Acid etchting your barrels?

Blast after marking is done. Mine is 36 volts 15 amps but adjustable to 30 amps.

 

[gamma]

Re: Acid etchting your barrels?

Question for Hateca, Ive just bought a lectroetch from one of our members on here, its a 10 amp, I bought the unit on its own so Im just waiting on the leads and chemicals. Can I expect the same quality as yours from a 10 amp unit if I leave the etching process on for long enough.

 

[Hateca]

Re: Acid etchting your barrels?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: gamma</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Question for Hateca, Ive just bought a lectroetch from one of our members on here, its a 10 amp, I bought the unit on its own so Im just waiting on the leads and chemicals. Can I expect the same quality as yours from a 10 amp unit if I leave the etching process on for long enough. </div></div>

It should work just fine. Different metals and their hardness will react differently to the etching. Simply leaving the pad on longer will achieve a deeper etch. With about 15 amps on a stainless barrel it takes about two to three minuets to achieve the depth you see in the pic above.

 

[gamma]

Re: Acid etchting your barrels?

Thanks Hateca, Im really looking forward to using my one to see how she performs. Thanks for your help.

 

[Mgordon]

Re: Acid etchting your barrels?

Here is some sample work from the guys at Lectroetch. They seemed pretty nice to deal with and knowledgeable. The only thing I dont like is the depth. I dont know if this is going to be deep enough or not. With the 10 amp unit cranked up 3/4 power and etching for 30 seconds it etches roughly around .002-.003". At 100% power and for 1 minute it etches roughly .004-.005". You really cant go much deeper than that because the deeper you go with this unit, the less power it has. So after 1 minute at full power and a depth of roughly .005, it does not have any power to go deeper.

Is this going to be deep enough to sand blast over and paint??? We will see, I'm going to sand blast over and see what the remains are.

Mark

 

[Hateca]

Re: Acid etchting your barrels?

You only need .005. You would need a file to remove the mark blasting won't touch it. I have been able to mark as deep as .010 but it depends on the time and the hardness and type of metal.

 

[Mike Hull]

Re: Acid etchting your barrels?

Lectroetch actually started the process many years ago. Years later, Marking Methods was started by some ex Lectroetch employees.
Knifemakers use these things often to mark their blades.
On a cutlery forum years ago we had a shootout, so to speak, between the various manufacturers of etching machines and stencil material. Marking Methods did not do well, due to their screwing over the knifemakers and not shipping the requested long lasting green colored stencil material and instead would ship the gold cheap stuff that burns through pretty quickly, causing pits through the stencils where no mark was wanted. They refused to ship the good stuff, saving it instead for their high dollar accounts(there is a problem in CA making the good stencil material due to EPA restrictions there).
No problem getting the good stuff from Lectroetch.
I bought a Marking Methods setup about 25+ years ago as it was all that was known that was good(and it is a good machine, just a problem getting long lasting stencils). I buy my stencils/supplies now from Lectroetch. Would have bought it all from them had I been aware of their quality then.
There are tricks to preparing your deep etch(the only way to go)hand pad and using the correct settings to get real crisp marks. If you need help, let me know.

 

[Hateca]

Re: Acid etchting your barrels?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mike Hull</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Marking Methods did not do well, due to their screwing over the knifemakers and not shipping the requested long lasting green colored stencil material and instead would ship the gold cheap stuff that burns through pretty quickly, causing pits through the stencils where no mark was wanted. They refused to ship the good stuff, saving it instead for their high dollar accounts(there is a problem in CA making the good stencil material due to EPA restrictions there).
</div></div>

Mike I'm not sure about past stencils problems but anyone can order a photo plates made and long lasting stencils from Marking Methods. I do know you won't be able to order blank long lasting stencil material from them but this wouldn't help anyone anyways unless they know how to make a marking stencil.

They do sell a stencil material that can be used by the home guy but it's pretty much a one shot deal.

 

[gamma]

Re: Acid etchting your barrels?

I was dealing with a guy called Britt at Lectroetch, very helpful and knows a great deal about there products and great to ask about applying Lectroetch to various different grades of materials.

 

[strictlyRUM]

Re: Acid etchting your barrels?

What about these guys? I was going to try one but just wondering if someone allready did? Also How much is the unit you use Randy? THanks

Jason Perry

http://www.etching-metal.com/