Probe Etching Using The RepRapMicron Itself To Dip [Video]

While experimenting with probes, I was thinking "I need some way of precisely dipping the probe in the electrolyte in a very precise and controlled way."

Well, duh, that's what RepRapMicron does, innit?

So I built an electrolysis cell by wiring up an M8 zinc-plated washer to a glass slide with UV Nail Gel thus:

I switched the good microscope into the horizontal position (must buy a better secondary microscope). Having made sure the positive end of the Z Touch was connected to the probe tip (a disposable grotty hypodermic one), I put salt water in the washer, set the Z Touch Retract to 500μm, and told it to probe:

 

Yes, a video on the blog! (if you can't see it, try this: https://youtu.be/GB33HMUqppU) If you look very carefully as the probe touches the electrolyte, you will see a stream of turbulent fluid heading away from the probe tip. This is electrolysis happening. I measured the probe current at ~10mA, at 5V. Interesting how it takes some time after contact with the electrolyte for the Z Touch to detect contact. Current sensing presumably.

So yes, I believe we may have a way to very controllably produce probe tips.