Micro-Mark Pro-Etch Photo Etch System (EXPORT VERSION)

Alex Dumas · Post by **Alex Dumas** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 1:12 pm

Guys, two questions:

(1) I'm considering getting this photo-etching kit from Micro-Mark, is it worth the investment?

(2) I'm from Quebec (Montreal) and I was wondering where to get the two chemicals not included in the export version; Ferric Chloride and Sodium Hydroxide. Any suggestions?

Thanks for your feedback!

kenlilly106 · Post by **kenlilly106** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 1:59 pm

Ferric Chloride is commonly used for etching circuit boards, I've seen it for sale in the past at Radio Shack in the States.

Sodium Hydroxide is pretty common, also known as lye or caustic soda. You should be able to find some at a chemical supply place, they might have the Ferric Chloride as well.

Ken

Interociter · Post by **Interociter** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 1:35 pm

Active ( http://www.active-tech.ca/b2c/redirect.cfm?pn=2 ) should have the ferric chloride. Drew a blank on the NaOH though.

kenlilly106 · Post by **kenlilly106** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 8:24 pm

Another place to try are biodiesel supply places, Sodium Hydroxide is used when turning used cooking oil into biodiesel.

Ken

Alex Dumas · Post by **Alex Dumas** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 5:18 am

Interociter wrote:Active ( http://www.active-tech.ca/b2c/redirect.cfm?pn=2 ) should have the ferric chloride. Drew a blank on the NaOH though.

That's a great place, thx!!

Alex Dumas · Post by **Alex Dumas** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 5:22 am

kenlilly106 wrote:Another place to try are biodiesel supply places, Sodium Hydroxide is used when turning used cooking oil into biodiesel.

Ken

Do you have any stores to recommend? ...I'm not sure what a biodiesel place is

kenlilly106 · Post by **kenlilly106** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 9:05 am

I don't know of an places in the Montreal area, I don't live there, I think you may have to dig around a bit.

I was trying to find a supplier for lye in Montreal, and one result was about biodiesel production in Montreal, I forgot that lye is used in the refining process.

Another source would be soap or candle making suppliers, lye is used in that process as well.

Searching around, it seems that sodium hydroxide has been taken off the market in places due to it be used used in the production of crystal meth. However some people have found it in hardware stores, it's still sold as a drain cleaner, and some people have found it @ 100% purity in hardware stores (it will be a white granular substance).

Ken