Etchant in Canada....

[MarkR2955]

Every place I find PCB etchant will not export it. Is there somewhere I can order this in Canada?

[MarkR2955]

Just found a place - if anyone is looking, an ebay store has a powder based etchant:  http://stores.shop.ebay.ca/Digole-Digital-Solution

[The Tone God]

Where are you located ? You can try to find a dealer that carries MG Chemicals.

Andrew

[liddokun]

If you're located in Toronto, active surplus carries ferric chloride. It's 20 bucks for a litre.

[biggy boy]

If you live in Ontario
Sayal sells it.
www.sayal.com

Or you can make your own from muriatic /Hydrocloric acid, You can get it from Canadian Tire.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Stop-using-Ferric-Chloride-etchant!--A-better-etc/   
.

[iaresee]

Active also carries it: http://www.active123.com/eng/storeSection/redirect.cfm?sectionID=b2c/search/productSearchResults.cfm&itemCategoryLevel2=43612&itemCategoryLevel1=43604&number_results=12

[Mark Hammer]

...and believe it or not, some Source by Circuit City (i.e., formerly Radio Shack) outlets sell it too.

[davent]

Every place I find PCB etchant will not export it. Is there somewhere I can order this in Canada?

Even if you do find ferric chloride for shipping in Canada you probably get stung with a hazard materials handling charge that is more then the etchant.

I can get ferric chloride locally at quite a number of places but have switched to using the Muratic acid/hydrogen peroxide etchant linked earlier. A trip to Shoppers, Canadian Tire or any hardware store and then the dollar store for a plastic tub and you'll have etchant for dozens and dozens of boards for under $10.

dave

[MarkR2955]

The Muratic acid/hydrogen peroxide sounds great - cheap and easy...i like it!

Thanks for the info guys!

[Mr. G.]

I can tell you where to get some if you're on the east coast (specifically in the HRM).

[MarkR2955]

In Ontario actually...I found it at Home Hardware and Shoppers Drug Mart...Nice and cheap. I think I spent $15 or so for WAY more than I need! Trying it the weekend (I hope).

Does anyone have any suggestions to convince my wife these chemicals are a good idea? She's worried about the baby...I figure the obvious safety should be fine.

[frank_p]

Murriatic is very corrosive.  Don't tell it to your wife. But, yes put it in a very safe place.  Handle with care.

[biggy boy]

Use it outside and store it in the garage. Mark the mixed jug!! After your done etching with the chemical, pour it back into the mix you made. You can use it over and over again.
Each time I use it, I'll pour some of the mix into the container I'm etching in. Then I will add an equivalent amount of peroxide do the etch and then pour it back into the mix for next time.
When the mix is new I found it smelled and fumed a lot.
After about four or more uses the mix doesn't put off any more smelly gasses, you can hardly smell it.

Let us know how it works out.


Glen