How to PRINT a STENCIL - (& ELECTRO-ETCH it onto steel)
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- Опубліковано 28 сер 2024
- This video is all about printing a stencil and electro-etching the design onto steel (usually for the purpose of knife making, but can be used for any metal etching purpose really!).
I use the Brother P-700 P-Touch label printer to print stencils in this video. I found this label printer that has a feature for heat printing onto stencil paper and I'm finding it works really well.
This is where I bought the P-Touch in Australia. Super fast shipping and better price than anywhere else that I found:
www.solutionsb...
And this is the special stencil tape you need:
www.solutionsb...
There is nothing fancy needed with these stencils and after looking high and low for months, I found this is the best option for me as a new knife-maker.
I originally heard about the P-700 when I was watching the Chop Knives channel. Craig had a really fast paced video showing the printer in action and I thought I'd look into it!
Craig's channel is great / chopknives
He also co-hosts the KnifeTalk Podcast which you can find on your fave podcast app.
Seeing that snapped off kitchen knife makes me feel better. I have a really nice CPM 10V blade that looks just like that. It would have been a badass kitchen knife.
After doing the normal etching with DC current, with the artwork logo at the same place, now etch with AC current at the same voltage level in order to make your etching black (oxidized) so that it'll stand out on the metal. You'd have to have a separate low voltage AC power supply to do that OR modify yours by adding an AC/DC switch and changing the circuitry inside your power source to supply low voltage AC as well.
I’ve been using one of them for about a year now and I’m very happy with it.
Thank you for sharing. I stand corrected but I think the positive to the steel makes it the anode. The process then removes material from the anode (etching/dent) and puts it into the electrolyte (saturated salt solution with a drop of dish detergent to reduce the surface tension allows for finer bubbles, any liquid that can conduct electricity well). That's why the electrolyte changes color(the black you see). You might also find you might not need to use a Qtip or other absorbent material on end. As long as the liquid/electrolyte is covering the area you want to etch ( (does not seep) you can just use any conductor (paper clip) to touch the liquid (allow electricity to flow). So placing a drop or 2 of the electrolyte with an eye dropper to cover the logo then just use a paper clip or any other conductor to touch the drop / pool of electrolyte could work. The conductive electrolyte might be able to give you a finer detail. The other thing I noticed is that currently the absorbent material you are using has quite a coarse texture, maybe try a finer texture since that will give more contacts points and give a finer finish. Also if possible you could test a lower current(power) for slightly longer periods. So start at say 1/2 - 1/3 the power (less gassing), you were using and then dab and release and do that a few times to allow the gas to escape, the droplet of electrolyte without the absorbent material will allow for the gas to bubble as well as make contact with the entire surface other than just where the fibers of the material were touching. That might give you a finer more clean result.
If you reverse the polarity, it is trying to take the material from the anode/electrolyte trying to "plate" that onto the knife/steel. This is how they put Chrome on bumpers, electroplating.
That is why DC is better than AC as it cause the flow to go in one direction. With AC you could be alternating between etching and plating.
Thanks for the detailed comment Kennith! This sounds like very solid advice. I’m going to give the pool of electrolyte a crack. Makes total sense. I might need to do a follow up video with the process and results. 👍🏻
@@chefknifeco Thx hope it works
Thanks for the info!
Awesome brother thank you for the tip on the printer👍! I just bought one of those Etch-o-matic kits and they give you everything you need to make your stencils but you still half to print it out from a computer then develop it... it’s a big pain in the butt. The brother printer is way easier. So I just bought the printer and the tape on EBay for $110.
From an armour maker to a knife-maker, good job mate! 🏆
PS: I love your accent, but then I have always had a soft-spot for the Welsh! 😉👍⚒️🇬🇧
Welsh people are from Wales which is in the UK. This bloke is from Australia, which makes him an Ocker, speaking with a strine accent.
Hi ! Thanks for the video, I am sorry to bother you but I have been searching different tapes: not being successful. Amazon for instance shows writing in black or red, but your video shows a clears transparent writing. How do you get to order this clear tape ? Please, may I have a few tips ? Thank you ! Merci
Excellent tutorial, well done 👏
Thanks for all your help buddy 🥰🤙🏼
Pleasure!
What about this? Try doing a deeper etch first, then switch the terminals to darken the etch.
That was really helpful and you've pointed me in the right direction. Thanks very much. Subscribed.
Thanks mate, loving the look of your channel as well. Will check them out.
You want the Fe to oxidise to Fe2+ ions (which are soluble), so the etching head should be attached to the positive terminal as that will pull electrons out of the metal.
You first etch with the positive attached to the knife for depth. Then reverse and attach the negative to darken it.
This will make the most durable and attractive mark.
what kind of label tape is this? what's it called?
thanks!
Link posted for the type of tape doesn't work, can you please let me know what it is. Thank You.
Hello brother, label paper, how can saline water pass through the paper? Is it through or not? Please answer me. Thank you.
Ok so judging by the apple laptop I'm assuming this set up is too expensive for regular people right?
Hello, greetings from Chile, I would like to know what the paper is called.
On the other hand, the thermal printer should burn the paper that it puts on it, hence the question.
hi. the links are not working. can you please share a link for the paper?
Nice one, that was very informative! thank you.
You're welcome mate. I'm hoping to get back to making a lot more soon!
@@nickwright6000 gonna go check out your other vids ...a nice range of projects there. 👍
You could have got a United States made, Etch-O-Matic Starter Kit, on eBay for less than that price. The Etch-O-Matic Starter Kit is only $79.95 on eBay. It will make several re-useable stencils. Brother will not tell where their product was made on their website.
Excellent demonstration!... but... can you please give us the "key words" to the stencil tape, so that we can look it up? Your two links are not working anymore.
Yea no worries. This is the tape. STE-151 tape
www.amazon.com.au/Brother-STe-151-Stencil-Tape-Genuine/dp/B000EPFBKA?th=1
did you try covering the blue tape with electrical tape? it won't absorb water,, I use scotch tape, then cover with electrical tape..
Didn’t think about that, but will have to give it a try. Thanks Jon.
You should switch to a copper electrode for a better result.
Thanks for the tip mate. So are you saying use copper instead of the random mild steel I'm using, and still wrap it in some fabric and salt water?
@@chefknifeco Yes exactly, do everything as usual, just use copper instead of steel - you achieve better and faster results with usage of less volts / watt and therefore less heat generation. This means that for example some vinyl stencils will last much longer (name tags etc.).
Great video! Thanks- What was the material at the end electrode pad? Wool, polyester felt?
Thanks Eric. I used felt. BUT, as one of the other comments points out, if you can huger something that has a finer grain (even microfiber) the patterning in the etched area would also be finer. Basically, improving the ‘resolution’! The came comment suggested even creating a pool of electrolyte and adding the electrode to the surface, so that it’s just the liquid doing all the work. I haven’t tried it, but the theory is sound. 👍🏻
What percentage saline solution are you using? Are you purchasing it or are you just making your own salty water?
AC/DC, and wich elctrode on which part?
- If you're using AC, the electric power run alternatively in the "two" directions". So that will "etch" in the two ways.... that's why it's less deeper.
- If y'ou're using DC, it runs in only one way, the electrons goes ONLY from one electrode to the other, that's why it's work better, and why you have to keep one electrode (the negativ one) on the etcher, and the other '(+) on the steel.
I'm not a pro but that's my toughts
Thanks for this, it solves a lot.
I know it has been a while since this videos was posted but can you (or someone else) tell me what colour cartridge to get for this printer.
I have already ordered the printer but am confused as to the label cartridge colour as there are several options.
I’m so sorry I missed this. Did you find it in the end?
Have just seen this. No I can't seem to get what you are using. I have seen a variety of combinations of print cartidges but none resemble yours. I gave up.
It would help if you just told us.
Hi, I just checked the site you linked, but from france it doesn't open, it is blocked ... Would you maybe have a link through amazon of the exact tape or the exact mm and number ? Because I found a one after many search but it is 1.5" so too large for the machine. Thank you for your help !
Sorry for the very delayed reply! Hope you found some. But this is the stuff I use.
www.brother.is/supplies/p-touch/tapes/ste/ste151
Hope that helps!
maybe I missed it, but can you specify what the make/model of the P-touch labeler you use?
Yea it's this one: www.brother.is/supplies/p-touch/tapes/ste/ste151
How deep are you able to etch? Will that stencil tape hold up to etching .008" deep or so? Thanks
My guess is you are engraving a firearm.
What would happen if You put a little Black dye in the water?
Not sure it would do anything, because the dye wouldn't embed itself into the steel. You need a chemical reaction to get the blackness I believe!
I have cheap etching paper it work on barcode thermal printer
can you go from ac to dc in order to get a deep AND dark etch ???? thanks
Yep you certainly can. I’ve been doing that more often recently.
Are these stencils reusable or a one time thing only?
Just one time only. But because they are so cheap it’s fine. 👍🏻
What label material are you printing on. Is there a wider format printer available?
I'm printing on this tape - Brother STE-151 label-making tape. As far as I can tell, from a stencil point of view, you can't get anything wider unless you go a much more pricey machine, but I'm no expert on that! The tape I've got is 24mm wide, so pretty big.
Is the stencil tape a brother product?
It is. You can get it on their website or from your local office supply store.
Can you tell me what type of roll in the brothers printer .
Yea I posted a link in the description. But here it is again. www.solutionsbybrandon.com.au/ste151-brother-ste-151-label-making-tape.html.html
Please give me the exact type of tape you are using. Thanks.
Product code is STe-151. 24mm Stencil Tape.
Hey m8 how do u change between ac and dc ?
Hey mate. It depends on the device you're using. If you're using a battery charger it'll be DC, but if you're using some other electrical device it may be AC. Sorry I can't be more specific, but most devices won't let you actively switch from one to the other. Check the device specs to find out!
Hi
Still happy with the machine Nick? I think I’ll get one.
Yea I'm pretty happy with it. As I mention, it's not the PERFECT solution, but if you're looking for flexibility and cost effectiveness as well as it being a really decent result, then yea I stick to my guns on it being a good option!
Cheers mate I’ll get one