# How to add permanent volume markings to a kettle (illustrated)



## Pumpkinman (Mar 5, 2014)

I found this at our sister site Home Brew Talk posted by user* itsgus*, this is a really cool way to mark your brew kettles:

Check it out! http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/how-add-permanent-volume-markings-kettle-illustrated-463099/


----------



## the_rayway (Mar 5, 2014)

Very cool!

I was actually tossing around the idea of acid-etching my glass carboys for the same purpose


----------



## WI_Wino (Mar 5, 2014)

the_rayway said:


> Very cool!
> 
> I was actually tossing around the idea of acid-etching my glass carboys for the same purpose



If you do this, please post a tutorial.


----------



## sour_grapes (Mar 5, 2014)

the_rayway said:


> Very cool!
> 
> I was actually tossing around the idea of acid-etching my glass carboys for the same purpose





WI_Wino said:


> If you do this, please post a tutorial.



There are commercially available etching solutions for glass. However, if you do this, please be careful. They use hydrofluoric acid, which poses dangers more insidious than "normal" dangerous acids.


----------



## seth8530 (Mar 5, 2014)

Yeah, I would not mess with HF unless I could absolutely avoid it.


----------



## the_rayway (Mar 5, 2014)

Is this the same stuff? They sell it at the local craft shop - it's what I was thinking of using.

http://www.michaels.com/Martha-Stew...html?cgid=products-craftpainting-glassetching


----------



## sour_grapes (Mar 5, 2014)

the_rayway said:


> Is this the same stuff? They sell it at the local craft shop - it's what I was thinking of using.
> 
> http://www.michaels.com/Martha-Stew...html?cgid=products-craftpainting-glassetching



Yeah, this is what I had in mind. Here is the MSDS for it. It contains ammonium bifluoride, which is basically buffered hydrofluoric acid. 

I am not saying you cannot use this safely. What I am saying is to be careful, and to follow their directions carefully. Make sure you wear gloves and eye protection, and immediately wash it off if you get any on you.

I have a minor but permanent injury from HF exposure many years ago.


----------



## the_rayway (Mar 5, 2014)

Wow, thanks Paul. I had no idea it was that bad, so I'll make sure to suit up carefully if I use it. 

They sure don't mention that when they show you the pretty pictures of wine glasses and etched windows.


----------



## sour_grapes (Mar 5, 2014)

I am sure I am making it out to be worse than it is. But thanks for being careful.

(BTW, one problem with it is that you do not have any immediate pain, like you would with another acid. It does not aggressively attack your skin; rather, it diffuses in through your skin and damages your bones.)


----------



## seth8530 (Mar 6, 2014)

Yep, so make sure you follow proper precautions and avoid working directly with HF if at all possible. As sour_grapes has mentioned it attacks the bones in your body by leaching calcium out. It causes no pain on contact and the stuff can kill you. As far as acids goes it is one of the ones I would like to avoid. I know one of the things that they will do to a victim of HF is to inject the affected area with as much calcium as possible so that they can react with the Flourine so it will not leach it from your bones.

However, it is possible that products such as glass etching cream have been designed to be quite a bit less hazourdous.. But, yea the real deal HF is mean stuff.


----------



## WI_Wino (Mar 6, 2014)

Seems unlikely to me that this armor etch product which Amazon,Walmart,etc all carry and will mail to my house is as dangerous as hydroflouric acid...


----------



## sour_grapes (Mar 6, 2014)

That is right, it is "not as dangerous as" full-strength HF. It does, however, have the real potential to harm if misused.

My only point is, in this case, follow the safety procedures in the directions. In this case, they aren't there only for legalistic reasons.


----------



## WI_Wino (Mar 11, 2014)

Another HBT user did the glass etchings with a nice write up: 

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/how-add-permanent-volume-markings-glass-carboy-illustrated-464611/


----------

