Earl Horgeshime
Member
Does anyone use the Etch-o-matic system for marking barrels? if so, how do you like it? I am looking for something better than a vibrating etcher, but smaller than a pantograph. Any suggestions?
Barrel Marking
- Thread starter Earl Horgeshime
- Start date
I use it and like it.
Get the biggest kit, run it first on DC, then blacken with AC
Earl Horgeshime
Member
Thank you.
This is the second recommendation for this system. I will give it a try.
This is the second recommendation for this system. I will give it a try.
Mike Bryant
Active member
Al, what are you using for stencils? When I made knives, I used a stencil made by Marking Methods that had my name and town, state in a manufactured stencil. Tried their type on stencils for marking barrels but didn't give a crisp mark. The manufactured stencil was great with sharp edges on the mark.
I make them.
It's far and away the hardest part of the system, making decent stencils. I bought the big set, bought extra sheets and set up a rolling darkroom type setup using a rack from Lowe's. It aint perty but I can make good stencils. The secret for me was finding the right clear vellum at an office supply store. Now I order it from Amazon. I'd love to have nice stencils made to order but it doesn't work for me. I use different fonts and sizing on every job. If I was doing a logo I'd have a few professionally built stencils as it's save time and give me a better product.
I run some shrouding around it made of cardboard boxes, turn it into a dark corner of the shop and work under a red light.
hth
Dusty Stevens
Hollow Point Dispenser
Can you reuse the stencils?
Mike Bryant
Active member
I figured you were using something different than a typed stencil. Your marks looked too good for that type stencil. They looked just about as good as the professional stencils that you order.
Ohhhh, Stank.....yeahhh, I'd forgotten all about those archaic things! Never once used them and I even have three mechanical typewriters at my disposal. I stuck one sheet in one time, slapped a couple keys and said "NOPE! I wouldn't mark a conibear for my trapline with this thing! I can make better letters with a cold chisel...."
Horrible.
The system I use utilizes a photo-reactive sheet reinforced with a weave of micro-fibers. I print my vellums using the printer in the office to ink onto clear sheets which are then laid onto the photo-reactive sheet. The TWO sheets are then put into the silver box and exposed under a bright light with the clear vellum sheet on top. The inked letters do not get exposed and the rest of the sheet turns color. The sheets are then washed and the colored portions remain, they're "hardened" in some way while the un-exposed portions are washed away......the washed away portions have a very thin mesh left in, such that the integrity of the sheet is un-compromised. Now you can roll and tape it down tightly without the letters skewing.
And of course me, being me I've got some thick plate glass sheets laid onto a ground slab, everything flattens down, no bleedover or dispersion. the beauty of this system is that you can do letters with 'floaters' like pure O's or A's without tabs.
Ennyhoo, that's what I do
al