[TheForge] Making Ferric Chloride etchant

[Washington, Aubrey O.]

So, Bruce, if I start with muriatic acid (which some people recommend) and etch enough blades with it, eventually I will end up with ferric chloride (which other people recommend).  Do I have this right?  Sounds like a win-win.
 
Any reason to prefer muriatic acid over ferric chloride?
 
Aubrey

________________________________

From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net on behalf of Bruce Freeman
Sent: Tue 11/21/2006 12:20 PM
To: theforge at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [TheForge] Making Ferric Chloride etchant



Buy a jug of muriatic acid.  Add scrap iron.  (Flammable, explosive
hydrogen gas will be given off, so do this outside, using a container
not tightly sealed.)  When acid will dissolve no more iron, the red
solution is Ferric Chloride.

Bruce
NJ