New Etching Solution
New Etching Solution
When I started working on my matching network for the 43′ vertical, I needed some mounting plates made from fiberglass (high voltage resistant…) I had read in the QRP-tech yahoo pages that you could use a combination of Hydrogen Peroxide and Muriatic Acid to do the etching. I had use Ferric Chloride before, and found it to be messy, and somewhat of an environmental hazard. You really don’t want to pour that stuff out just anywhere…
So I mixed 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide with 1/4 cup of muriatic acid (like you use in your pool). I put the copper plated fiberglass into the solution and gently scrubbed it with an old toothbrush. It only took about 5 minutes for all of the copper to dissolve.
The result was a nice clean piece of fiberglass, and some easily neutralized (with baking soda) etching solution that was safe to dispose of.
Migrated Comments:
March 21st, 2011 at 5:35 pm
You can use mono-sodium glutamate (from the supermarket or where ever) with hydrogen peroxide as an etching solution. There is no need to have hydrochloric acid or FeCl3 in your house.