Subject: Marking: how??

From: [email-masked] (Edward Haas)
Date: 28 Apr 1996 10:36:54 -0700

--Hello, all. I'm making a little aluminum do-dad adn I'm trying 
to find an economical way to mark the company name and the part 
description on quantities of them. I have previously been using an 
ironworker, holding a raised-letter type of stamp, but this is not the 
greatest. I have seen a technique that involves a sort of pad, probably 
soaked in some sort of electrolyte, which is pressed (lightly) onto a 
metal part, using a mask (I think) to etch letters or an image onto a 
part. The questions: --What is this process generally referred to as? 
--Who sells this kind of equipment?? --Will it work on an aluminum piece 
which will later be anodized, without destroying the impression?? 
--Anyone got any better ideas??
	TIA,
-- 
	"Steamboat Ed" Haas	:	Last Law of Product Design:
	COMING SOON		:	If you can't fix it, feature it.
	http://www.west.net~steamer  	
		---Decks a-wash in a sea of words---

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From: Steve Wellcome <[email-masked]>
Date: 29 Apr 1996 18:25:19 GMT

Brownell's in Montezuma, Iowa, sells (or sold) a name etching
setup like you describe.

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From: [email-masked] (Edk4)
Date: 30 Apr 1996 11:30:54 -0400

[email-masked] (Edward Haas) writes:

> have seen a technique that involves a sort of pad, probably 
>--Who sells this kind of equipment?? 

I believe you're refering to the "Etch-O-Matic", and it's carried by MSC
(page 1527 of the latest catalog) Two kits are available, 1 amp and 10
amp, for $59.95 and $169.95 respectively.

I have one of the 1 amp kits. I haven't used it for years, but my
recollection is that it works quite well. It uses a stencil, which can be
typed or hand scribed, a pad containing the solution, a ground plate and a
transformer.

It actually etches into the metal, about .002" (for the 1 amp model, .003"
for the 10 amp model), according to the literature. Since it's not plated
onto the metal, I would imagine that anodizing wouldn't erase it.

It works on Aluminum, but the electrolyte solution for Aluminum is not
included with the kit. It's available separately for $8.95 (4 oz).

MSC's 800 number is 645-7270.
           Part numbers:
The 1 amp kit is ...    09021015
The AL solution is ..  09021064

The 10 amp is the 'production line' model; a little deeper and a bit
faster, but lots more expensive.

Hope this helps.

------------------
Ed Kingsley

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From: Jeffrey Prothero <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 18:38:31 -0700

You might try a rubber stamp and acid etch ink.  It isn't perfect, but it
is cheap.  Sorry I don't have any names, but if you are interested I can
get a manufacturer's name.
				Cheers,

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From: PAUL <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 2 May 96 22:41:27 -0500

>description on quantities of them. I have previously been using an 
 
I made a unit for about $30 in Radio Shack parts that was comparable with the
$400-600 commercial models of Acid Etch power supplies. I bought a 24 volt bell
transformer and some bannana plugs and coiled VOM test probes with alligator
clip ends. I also add
ed several different values of capacitors to help "Dig In" to tough marking
materials (Stainless). This unit worked flawlessly and I eventually sold it for
$150. Essentially you hook the capacitors in series with the 24V supply on
several lugs of a rotary
switch in succeive order of their MFD values.then run the output to the bananna
plug panel mounts on the front. Tie the black (-) lead to a plate of steel or
aluminum and use the positive lead to go to a pad of felt that is on the
outside of your stencil (
available at MSC along with the acid etchants appropriate for different
materials ) I was doing production marking of several hundred pieces at a time
in 2-3 seconds each. I bought my supplies from a company in RI, but cannot
remember the name. They also w
ould make up custom , nearly indestructable stamps that would give your product
a real professional look. That also eliminates the need for replacing the
perforated wax stencils every 200 pcs. or so. If you need more info, E-mail me
and I will try to help.
Paul

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From: [email-masked] (Jonathan M. Elson)
Date: 4 May 1996 06:08:33 GMT

Edward Haas ([email-masked]) wrote:
: 	--Hello, all. I'm making a little aluminum do-dad adn I'm trying 
: to find an economical way to mark the company name and the part 
: description on quantities of them. I have previously been using an 
: ironworker, holding a raised-letter type of stamp, but this is not the 
: greatest. I have seen a technique that involves a sort of pad, probably 
: soaked in some sort of electrolyte, which is pressed (lightly) onto a 
: metal part, using a mask (I think) to etch letters or an image onto a 
: part. The questions: --What is this process generally referred to as? 
: --Who sells this kind of equipment?? --Will it work on an aluminum piece 
: which will later be anodized, without destroying the impression?? 

Ah, ha!  if you are anodizing the part, why not mask the letters on the part
with rubber stamp ink, toner-transfer paper for making printed circuit boards
with a laser printer, or dry film photo-resist?  The mask would protect the
metal where the letters were, and the rest of the metal surrounding the
letters would be anodized and colored!  it would look great, and almost all
the work would be done by the anodizing process you already intend to do!

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From: [email-masked](Dale A. Keltie )
Date: 4 May 1996 23:11:15 GMT

In <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Jonathan

>the work would be done by the anodizing process you already intend to
do!

Or it could be anodized a 2nd. time with a different color

Dale