Making scale on stainless pots
Electrolytic etching of volume scales on stainless brew pots using a 3D-printed template – more accurate and durable than the duct-tape method.
- 1 min read
Making scale on stainless pots
I first tried the method described at cech-pivo.cz. It worked, but the result was unsatisfying and it took too long. Working with duct tape to create the template was a nightmare – the tape doesn’t conform well to a curved surface and the template shifts.
Why not use a 3D-printed template instead? With this new method I successfully created scales for all 3 of my pots, all done before noon.
Required tools
- Cotton swab
- Shot of vinegar
- Spoon of salt
- DC power supply – 12 V, up to 1 A is sufficient
- Stick glue (e.g. KORES)
- Ethanol for cleaning
Procedure
- Fill the pot with a known volume of water (e.g. 10 l) and mark the water level
- Clean and degrease the pot surface with ethanol
- Align the 3D-printed template with the mark and glue it in place
- Connect positive (+) to the pot, negative (–) to a cotton swab soaked in the vinegar + salt solution
- Press the swab into each hole in the template for ~5–10 seconds per mark
- Remove the template and rinse
Models
The template model is parametric – you will need to adjust it to match your pot diameter and desired scale range.
- Tags:
- Homebrewing