Etch Press Build

[Wal]

Hi John,

Excellent stuff. Would be great to see a couple of pics of what you've built.

The bearings and blocks I've gone for are pretty cheap and easy to come by and what with readily available CAD files it makes the designing that bit more straightforward: just need a correctly sized slot and a bunch of holes drilled in the right places on each of the walls and it should be good..!

Yep - after the initial faff, I'm going with a standard coarse M12 for the pressure adjustment spindles - I finished up the knobs for these earlier (pics below) - they're also threaded and I'll likely use a strong epoxy to hold 'em captive - or a grub-screw - or a nut... will decide when I get there..!



The biggest issue I've come across are the rollers themselves. I've looked at conveyor belt spares (not much in the way of live axle, no Ø80mm options and they all seem a bit flimsy), replacement parts for commercial presses (well expensive), fabricating them myself out of tube stock / steel bar etc. (too ramshackle). I'm pretty much committed to having 'em turned, which will cost, but I'm keen to get it right..! Right now I'm thinking of 7075-T6 for the bottom roller (suggested as it minimises the effects of cold-working/distorting the steel plate over time - yes, yes - a RIDICULOUS consideration for the use this will get, but have a read about it here) - and a mild steel top roller - but what grade of mild steel..?

Yep - I'm aware of the plate - it's in my 3D model, just rendered with a bit of transparency. I'll use a steel plate (again, any suggestions on a suitable grade?) - 8mm thick, ideally stress-relieved and ground parallel. Yes, yes - RIDICULOUS...

As you can see, I'm probably over-doing this - but you know, why not..?!

Wal.