>
> I have one running right now. Take a small power supply, (mine is a +
> and - 5V test supply I made for ICs, using around an amp at the 10 volts
> for this for my 10 oz or so of etchant) and two of the aligator test clip
> leads and two nails. Hook one nail up to + with one lead, and the other
> nail to -. Stick them both in the used etchant and the + nail will be
> eaten away and give up iron and the - nail collects the copper. Note the
> copper will be like an old penny brown, not the bright shiny copper of a
> real electroplating process, and it also will have some of the iron mixed
> in. It's extremely easy and much cheaper than new etchant. Since you're
> replacing the iron by the new nail being eaten away, the original iron
> that was in the FeCl stays in the jar. You should have already noticed
> it though as the brown sludge that developed as the iron was being
> replaced by the etched copper. Can't easily get that same iron back in
> though since it's spread all over and hard to electrify.
>
> Note to get bright common nails or similar, you want just the iron or
> steel not zinc plating etc. Also leave the nails partially out, so your
> test clips aren't in there.
>
> Alan
>
That sounds really easy.
Do you have any gas bubbles at the nails?
any smell of clor?
If i remember correct in the regenerating text i have read there was
written
about using either cheap copper sheeting at the side where the copper is
deposited or
use stainless steel rods. the copper sheeting would have to be thrown away,
but
from the stainless rods you can just pull off a tube of copper (with some
force).
I don't remember which material was suggested at the side where the
material is eaten up.
But your explaination "replacing the iron" makes sense (although no iron is
consumed, only
the amount which deposits with the copper).
st