Making your own PCBs for your projects. Need a safe way to heat your etching solution? Here is a simple 15 minute solution that I use myself. My old DIY Etching Tank was big, difficult to store and not really convienient.
My new DIY Etching Tank consists of a £5 plastic electric kettle, a plastic measuring jug which was able to fit into the kettle and big enough to touch the kettle’s side, finally one of the metal soldering iron stands that you get with the yellow Antex soldering irons.
This project if for use with hazardous materials so please be sure to check our disclaimer notice.
Raw equipment
Preparing the jug.
Cut the lower section of the handle where it attaches to the man body. Leave the top section of the handle as it is.
Preparing the Jug.
Fold the tab in the Antex soldering iron’s stand back on itself. Then form the metal base of the Antex soldering iron’s stand to follow the shape of the jug’s body under the handle which you have just cut.
Preparing the Antex soldering iron's standAntex soldering iron's stand with tab bent back
Antex soldering iron's stand with tab bent back
Form the Antex soldering iron's stand with tab bent back and pointing down around the jug.
This is roughly what it looks like once formed around the jug.
We need to prevent the jug from resting on the hot kettle element.
Place the bracket under the uncut top section of the jug’s handle with the tab facing down.
Form the Antex soldering iron's stand with tab bent back and pointing down around the jug.
Gently pull the cut section of the jug’s handle away from the jug’s body.
Assembling jug to kettle.
Place the jug inside the kettle while holding the jugs handle outside the kettles body. Ensure that the bracket’s base is inside the kettle and that the bracket’s tab is hooked over the lip of the kettle.
Tab hooked over lip of kettle.
Ensure that the jug is NOT resting on the element.
Job Done!
Final Assembly
Final Assembly
How does it work?
Simple boil some water in the kettle with the jug removed. Remove power from kettle then place jug into kettle as covered previously. Add etchant to the jug NOT the kettle. Let the etchant heat up. Now your ready to etch.