Elenco XP 625 for etching and marking blades?

[Crookedknife]

Hello All

I saw this item and thought it might be a low cost alternative to the Personalizer type electro etching/marking power source.

My intention is to use it with salt water and mark carbon and tool steel

Any thoughts from the better informed?

http://www.testequipmentdepot.com/elenco/power-supplies/xp625.htm

 

[Crookedknife]

Wow radio silence
I must have asked a really stupid question

 

[SBuzek]

Not stupid,just don't know.
Also a link or picture may get more results than making us go look for it.

 

[P.Brewster]

(It is a all-purpose power supply for those not inclined to search) Crookedknife, plenty of people have used power supplies to etch. Try doing a search with those key words ("etching power supply") and see what others have said. For example http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1224249-Etching-power-supply-question

 

[Crookedknife]

Thanks
Great tips. A more refined search gave better results. I was getting tonns of unusable info.

In my previous day job I use to allways try to make things easier to insure compliance or co- operation. A great practice to carry forward to my new venture.
Lesson learned!!

 

[Ken H>]

As you've learned by now you need both AC and DC for etching.

edit: That is AC and DC both. I missed that at first glance. I just read the line "Two variable outputs (0-20VDC@ 2A), one fixed (5VDC @ 3A)" which didn't say anything about AC output. On the specs it does say AC/DC. Based on that, it would make a nice etcher, but as Stacy says, still needs pad, etc. $140 is sorta on the expensive side, and you can surely build for MUCH less.

[TABLE="class: specsalt"]
[TR]
[TD="class: specstop, bgcolor: #000080, colspan: 2, align: center"]Specifications[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: specs4, bgcolor: #CACCDB, align: center"]Input Voltage[/TD]
[TD="class: specs5, bgcolor: #EFEFEF"]120V AC[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: specs4, bgcolor: #CACCDB, align: center"]Output Voltage DC[/TD]
[TD="class: specs5, bgcolor: #EFEFEF"]0-30V DC, 5A max.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: specs4, bgcolor: #CACCDB, align: center"]Output Voltage AC[/TD]
[TD="class: specs5, bgcolor: #EFEFEF"]0-40V AC, 5A max.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: specs4, bgcolor: #CACCDB, align: center"]Output Voltage[/TD]
[TD="class: specs5, bgcolor: #EFEFEF"]0-110V AC, 2.5A max.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: specs4, bgcolor: #CACCDB, align: center"]Dimensions[/TD]
[TD="class: specs5, bgcolor: #EFEFEF"]5 3/8” (H) x 7 3/4” (W) x 9 1/2” (D)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: specs4, bgcolor: #CACCDB, align: center"]Weight[/TD]
[TD="class: specs5, bgcolor: #EFEFEF"]14 lbs. 14 oz.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

It is a power supply that will provide the necessary Ac and DC voltage.t has no pad, carbon block, leads, solutions, or settings that correspond to normal etching. It will work, but for not all that much more you can get the whole package in a personalizer plus.

 

[Crookedknife]

Thank you all for your comments, recomendations and advice.

I'll eather purchase a personalizer plus or wire up my own.

 

[Ken H>]

My intention is to use it with salt water and mark carbon and tool steel

Do yourself a favor and get the correct etching solution.

 

[Crookedknife]

Thanks again Ken and Stacey.
I do know from experience that saving a few bucks up front can cost alot down range.
You never really go wrong paying a little more to get exactly what you want/need. Saves on headaches and screwed up work.