So after a dissapointing try at etching with the ferric chloride, I got some very good advice from Steve (Bladegrinder) on a knifemaking forum and set out to try the hydrochloric acid. 5 liters of 32% was just NZ$20 (US$13) and I got a glass jar to do the heating in. It had a metal cap but a plumbing soil pipe end cap with the thread sanded out was a perfect fit so when not in use there will not be fumes rusting everything in the shed.
I made a small bench and used an old gas fire that had had the pot bars cut out but a cake rack was a good fit to hold the pot of water to boil and heat the acid. I had it set in the doorway with a fan about 10 ft back to make a ight air current that would make sure ay fumes went outside.