WIP Making some portable etching tanks

[Self Made Knives]

I had the day off, so I knocked out a little project I've been needing. The old milk jug etching method wasn't doing much for my image, kind of amateurish. Now, if this new setup still looks amateurish, that's because I am an amateur!

Anyway, here's my design parameters. I don't see myself making any blades wider than 2" or longer than 18". I want this setup to be mobile, my shop is still unfinished and I'm trying not make things too permanent. I hardly ever work on more than a couple knives at a time, so it doesn't need to be very big. I don't have running water either (unless you count the creek) so I need a neutralizing tank too.

Here's what I'm working with:


Radio Shack ferric chloride, distilled water, TSP from Lowes, 4 feet of 2" pvc pipe, 4 pvc 2" caps, and 2 conduit clamps for 2" pipe. The wood is scrap from a bunk bed we threw out (yes, I am a cheapskate).

First thing up, cut the pipe in two, giving me two 24" sections, then glued one set of caps on them.


Yes, that glue can has rust on it, it's getting old (I'm a cheapskate) but it still worked. More after while, got to take kiddo to basketball practice.

 

[Self Made Knives]

Ok, I'm back home. After gluing the caps on the ends, I flipped them upside down. I needed to pick the spacing for the base recesses. They will be held apart with the conduit clamps similar to this:


After marking the centers, a hole is drilled about 1/2" deep and the waste removed with chisels. If you had a big enough hole saw, just make it where the caps sit inside the hole, but I didn't. It really just needs a recess that it can't slide out of, so a couple minutes with a gouge and it worked fine. Check out that Bodark hammer!


Guess you could stop at this point and have a set of coasters. But, instead, next I took my center board and made a finger hole in the top. Nipped the corners on miter saw. I just needed a place to pick this thing up by, might make more sense later.


Drilled pilot holes through the 2x4 block to attach the upright. Then screwed a section of 2x8 underneath that to make the base a little heavier and stable.


Next up, I drilled a 1/4" hole about 2/3rds of the way up my center post and attached the two conduit clamps with a little piece of all-thread.


Be back to finish up in a minute.

 

[Self Made Knives]

Here's a better look at the finger hole I mentioned earlier.


Ok, let's finish up, maybe this will start making sense now. The tubes can be clamped in place with the brackets and the recess in the base keeps them put. If you needed to dump one, just open the clamp and tilt that tube out.


Last thing to do. I put TSP mix in one for neutralizing the acid. The ferric chloride is supposed to be mixed 3 parts to 1 part acid. WARNING!!! If you pour the whole bottle in a tube this size, you will only be able to get a little over 2 parts to 1. Ask me how I know! I marked the caps with a big T and F to keep it straight.

This is very mobile and before you say it, I know, it could be knocked over. When I'm not using it, it will be tucked behind the bench with a little bungee holding it to the bench so it can't tip over.

 

[slatroni]

Cool idea Anthony!

 

[graveyard]

mined if i make one of you,r port o etch o tank ?