Making Falle Style Wrenches

[MisterQ]

I have tried the method on a sheet of an old disk.
It's working well. I used a very easy shape a rectangle for the test.
Within the next few days I will try to make some tools with the method.


http://good-times.webshots.com/album/568387703qQyopU

[Wooly Mammoth]

I hate to drag up an old topic, but for those interested in more precise etching: There is a special kind of marker you can use. I use Sharpie Industrial Super Permanent markers. I am, however, uncertain as to the effectiveness in this type of etching. I use mine for etching circuit boards, which involves a different chemical. I would imagine it yields similar results. Just make sure that the material is well sanded and free of dirt or grease before using the marker, or it might rub off during etching. Nobody enjoys that.

[Rami]

Nice work! Thanks for the tut!

[ghostbuster]

next weekend i will try to make lock picks with this method, and if result, i will buy a fotoresist spray for pcb making

[ghostbuster]

i made this lock pick with this method it works very well, next time i will use fotoresist for pcb making instead of the spray paint.

[r0b0t1]

Wow, I thought I'd have to ask about etching picks with this method but NOOO. You guys are quick .


Has anyone tried making more advances picks with this? IE, make the handle and tip in one go? Personally, I'd be worried about it eating through the metal and then going under the tape/sealant and starting to eat inward. Maybe do it in steps?

If anyone has tried anything like this I'd like to know, might save me some time and hacksaw blades in the long run.

[Viggs]

That's a very inventive way of removing the material. I would probably make a jig and use a drill press. Pop two or three adjacent holes of the right diameter, and use a file to remove the peaks between them. A bench drill press can sell for as cheap as $150.00. And it's a great tool for your shop. It also lets you make a consistently perfect curve at the end of your hooks/feelers!

[LocksmithArmy]

so what would happen if you put 220v or 110v instead of 9...

say i take a power cord directly in the wall and spliced into this jar concoction...

just curious cause im not fond of destroying 1 of my chargers for it and a cord is easier to find(i ask cause i dont wanna get fried ol )

great job tho its a great idea and well presented

[Olson Burry]

so what would happen if you put 220v or 110v instead of 9...

say i take a power cord directly in the wall and spliced into this jar concoction...

I say dont. at best you'll blow a fuse, at worst you'll die. The current would be so high it would be unmanageable and the metal would probably boil the water in a few seconds or melt if the trip switch or fuse didn't do it's job.

Besides, you need DC not the AC that comes out of the wall.

Anyway, it's easy enough to spice the end back on your charger again, that's what I did.

[r0b0t1]

Yeah, the AC wouldn't do much.

You could, however, try increasing the amount of voltage you give it by just a bit. As long as it's not ungodly high it'll be fine and will probably speed it up a bit.

I was going to try this process but instead use some Ferric Chloride I found in my basement. Hope I can get something passable from it. I was going to try to use acrylic paint instead of tape, though -- this would allow me to have better control over the design.

Should I remove the paint from the blade? It looks like you needn't with the saltwater method, not sure about Ferric Chloride. *shrug*

[Olson Burry]

I would use the method as described and not mess around with Ferric Chloride. My understanding is, it's mainly for copper and PCB boards and the residue you're left with in that case can't (legally) be disposed of very easily.

You do need to get the paint off the hacksaw blades where you want the etching to start. One solution may be to sand the blade and then dip it in plasti-dip, then with a craft knife slice away the area(s) you want etched. I just used sticky tape and got a pretty good result.

It will, however, start to creep under the covering so it's probably best to err on the side of caution and leave yourself some filing, rather than having to start again.

[LocksmithArmy]

so what would happen if you put 220v or 110v instead of 9...

say i take a power cord directly in the wall and spliced into this jar concoction...

I say dont. at best you'll blow a fuse, at worst you'll die. The current would be so high it would be unmanageable and the metal would probably boil the water in a few seconds or melt if the trip switch or fuse didn't do it's job.

Besides, you need DC not the AC that comes out of the wall.

Anyway, it's easy enough to spice the end back on your charger again, that's what I did.

the DC current is not a problem... im deployes to iraq and we run on generators... it would be real easy to take the DC lead before it is swapped to AC... also the fuse is not a problem ether as we dont have any on the generator all our fuses are on the UPS systems and in out plywood building lol

but i get the point... too hard to control...

id rather not have to splice it... ill just hit up the haji shop and get a crap phone or somthing maby theyll have a charger for sale that meets the requirments..

thanks alot

[rrkss]

Very nice job explaining with wonderful photos and all A+

As a warning though, electrolysis in a table salt bath (NaCl) will give off chlorine gas, which is heavier than air, toxic and will kill you quite easily if the area is not well ventilated.

A better salt to use would be sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) or sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3, baking soda), as these won't put off toxic fumes.

Don't know if this is answered already but I work as a Biochemist and yes electrolysis with NaCl can release chlorine gas, in order to do that you would need an electrode that is less reactive than the chlorine such as Graphite or Platinum. Its actually the Chlorine reacting with the iron forming a Ferric Chloride salt that does the etching. It will look like a green fluid comming off of the metal rod when you do the etching. I don't see much chlorine gas being liberated with this use.

[ElbowMacaroni]

WOW! That's cool! I would have never thought of that to make tools. Very nice description of the process.

I gotta try it soon!

[arrogantbastard]

just tried it yesterday. it was an interesting process. and it works great. very nice tutorial.