acid etching with liquid plumber?

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just read a comment on one of the vids that Lanse had posted that said you can acid etch your welds with liquid plumber....any thoughts on this?
Reply:Liquid Plumber has many packages/formulations, so I can't look up an MSDS to see what might be in it.  If you just want Hydrochloric acid, get some muriatic acid or concrete etchant at the local homey depot.  Not sure if it'll work as an etchant, but for a buck a bottle you can get "The Works" blue toilet bowl cleaner at the dollar stores.  It has quite a lot of HCl and also an inhibitor to keep it from fuming and etching away too much base metal.  Worth a try.  At least you can use it to take off galvanizing and maybe mill scale or rust.Edit:  as always, a disclaimer.  Folks have totaled their cars by buying cartons of various bathroom cleaning chemicals at the discounters.  If one leaks and fumes off inside, it is a real disaster.  Not to mention your health.  Businesses have to jump through hoops, but many dangerous things can be sold to consumers, because apparently no one cares.Last edited by Oldendum; 08-03-2013 at 03:41 PM."USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:Liquid Plumber is an alkali, not an acid. It will etch aluminum but not steel. Muriatic acid, diluted 50/50 with water, is best for etching welds in steel.JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:Most liquid plumber products are  caustic(Sodium Hydroxide), some of the more nasty ones are sulfuric acid. I would just go get a quart of HCL at the hardware store and know what your getting.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:Originally Posted by OldendumLiquid Plumber has many packages/formulations, so I can't look up an MSDS to see what might be in it.  If you just want Hydrochloric acid, get some muriatic acid or concrete etchant at the local homey depot.  Not sure if it'll work as an etchant, but for a buck a bottle you can get "The Works" blue toilet bowl cleaner at the dollar stores.  It has quite a lot of HCl and also an inhibitor to keep it from fuming and etching away too much base metal.  Worth a try.  At least you can use it to take off galvanizing and maybe mill scale or rust.Edit:  as always, a disclaimer.  Folks have totaled their cars by buying cartons of various bathroom cleaning chemicals at the discounters.  If one leaks and fumes off inside, it is a real disaster.  Not to mention your health.  Businesses have to jump through hoops, but many dangerous things can be sold to consumers, because apparently no one cares.
Reply:You are not going to etch with chlorinated solvents or harsh alkaline cleaners (except alkaline cleaners will eat Aluminum.)  It is also wise not to use salt or Chlorine on steel, though HCl is used.  The reason I mention "The Works" is that it is supposed to have both HCl and Rodine inhibitor.  The pickling inhibitor is supposed to reduce acid attack on the base metal, which is why it might not work good as an etchant even thought it might be good for removing rust or scale."USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:Originally Posted by gizzmo Would etching using the mentioned chemicals present a danger here?
Reply:There is a gross difference between chlorinated organic material (dangerous around the high heat of welding) and inorganic chlorides which are salts, pretty much inert to the process. Chlorides will corrode steel (witness the ocean) but not in any way which immediately jeopardizes the health and well-being of the welder.FWIW, naval jelly works for "etchings" too. Wrap in saran wrap until developedXMT304 (school)SP125+ (home)HF 4x6 BandsawGood judgement comes from experience and much of that comes from bad judgement.
Reply:Originally Posted by wireheadThere is a gross difference between chlorinated organic material (dangerous around the high heat of welding) and inorganic chlorides which are salts, pretty much inert to the process.
Reply:Organo Chloride:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OrganochlorideNo carbon in HCl."USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:I have been experimenting with ferric chloride etching. I got the ferric chloride from Radio Shack, it is sold as PCB etching solution. I tried it on an inexpensive blade after painting on a pattern with nail polish. It ate into the unpainted steel after just half an hour, but I let it soak for a full hour to deepen the cut. Then smoothed it out by light sanding and buffing. An overnight dip in vinegar left a grey patina to guard against rust. I doubt the blade has much of a "stainless" quality, it became pitted in storage before I started this little endeavor.None of this was my own idea, just trying out what I found on the net. City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Cool. I never knew that ferric chloride would etch steel. JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:muriatic acid works, I've tried it. Don't water it down, it already is. It's 31.45% hydrochloric acid.One key thing is to sand the profile of the weld you cut in half. A bandsaw is still too rough of a surface to be developed with acid.Welding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com