[TheForge] Making Ferric Chloride etchant

[Bruce Freeman]

Sounds right to me.
Of course, you may also have alloying metals in your blades.  Don't
know whether that hurts the etchant.
Dilution and evaporation of the muriatic could also be an issue.
Bruce
NJ

>>> awashington at ou.edu 11/21/2006 1:52 PM >>>
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