Experiments in etching 2.

[Gritineye]

The other thread about etching got me interested and I had a go.

Downloaded Inkscape and spent ages learning how to drive it. As I'd altered the gearing on my lathe to halve the QCGB feed rate, thought I'd start simple and make a small reminder tag in an attempt to avoid the inevitable future confusion.

As I needed to fill the page and avoid waste I designed a period looking plaque for my '28 Chevy racer, doing this was an epic and took me all over the interweb and back, but I got it done in the end. I retrospect I was a bit ambitious with the fine lines for a first go.

A page of Press-n-Peel paper nicely filled.

Test piece with nail varnish resist

Did the lathe tag first.

Not perfect,

But looks OK in place.

First try putting the resist on the big one.

Disappointed, that one came out a bit rough, and then I stupidly left the inverse one in the acid too long and it lost definition and went a bit ragged.

But I decided I was being a bit of a perfectionist, so gave up and fitted them, they look fine in place, look old a bit battered, just right!

May have another go when I get bored, as I'd like to get a perfect result, but the paper and getting it printed is a bit of a faff!

 

[bourbon]

they look good

 

[Barking Mat]

How ? What ? Where ? When ?

Can you explain how please.

I've missed your other thread.

Love it !

 

[julianf]

Im impressed. Its one that ive been meaning to try for some time.

Ive wondered if i couldnt screen print on the resist, and do it that way, but wondering is as far as ive got - youve done way better!

 

[Gritineye]

How ? What ? Where ? When ?

Can you explain how please.

I've missed your other thread.

Love it !

The other thread wasn't mine: https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/experiments-in-etching.106037/

There are lots of how to videos about it, some are less than helpful but this one is pretty good:

impressed. Its one that ive been meaning to try for some time.

Ive wondered if i couldnt screen print on the resist, and do it that way, but wondering is as far as ive got - youve done way better!

Don't see why not, nail varnish seems to be a very reliable resist, not sure if it would mess up a screen for repeats though.

 

[Gritineye]

How ? What ? Where ? When ?

Can you explain how please.

I've missed your other thread.

Love it !

The other thread wasn't mine: https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/experiments-in-etching.106037/

There are lots of how to videos about it, l are less than useful but this one is pretty good:

Im impressed. Its one that ive been meaning to try for some time.
Ive wondered if i couldnt screen print on the resist, and do it that way, but wondering is as far as ive got - youve done way better!

Don't see why not, nail varnish seems to be a very reliable resist, not sure if it would mess up a screen for repeats though.

 

[Gritineye]

Things I found out.

The Press-n-Peel works best 150dg C.

It must be printed on a laser printer, print shop did it for £4, maybe I should have asked for an extra dark setting cos some reckon that works better.

Tried ironing it on, not easy to control heat, I think too hot creates bubbles and missed areas.

Tried using a laminator to heat and roll the resit on, but my brass was too thick.

Using a non contact thermometer I found the area on my Rayburn hotplate that was exactly 150 deg C. With the P_P sellotaped on top, I placed the brass on that bit, and when it was hot I pressed it all over with a pad of tissue quite firmly. Then a gentle rub with the back of a spoon.

Let it go cold before I removed the P-P backing membrane, then using nail varnish I touched up any missed areas using a pin and a magnifying glass.

This worked best, but as the acid works best when hot, I had put it on the Rayburn top, to the side not the hotplate.

This was a mistake cos it worked too fast and messed up my timing, and also messed up the best resist I'd managed so far, wasn't too happy to put i mildly!

 

[Blobber]

They look good, look like they have some age to them, suits the rod

 

[Gritineye]

They look good, look like they have some age to them, suits the rod

Thanks, I decided that them being less than perfect works quite well, but would still like to get a perfect result one day.

 

[Gritineye]

That’s it, the last try going for perfection, I have no more resists printed.


It’s the best by far, but it still has two small misses, the one on the top letters makes quite a difference and looks so wrong once you spot it.

But I bet ya’ll can’t even see it..

 

[RichardM]

Chevrolet - I expect the fault is that the first E should be joined to the V at the top?

P.S. nice etchings by the way.

 

[Gritineye]

Chevrolet - I expect the fault is that the first E should be joined to the V at the top?

P.S. nice etchings by the way.

Yes, we have a winner! Good eye, and now you can't un-see it :-)

Most misses are mostly caused by fluff preventing the resist from contacting the surface of the brass.

I thought it was getting it all perfectly clean, can't stress the importance of surgical levels of cleanliness when attempting fine work by this method.

Now I've got the bug, I might try printing the resist onto shiny paper instead of the P&P , being less stiff it shouldn't be affected by fluff so much.

I'm just waiting for my SIL to get a laser printer for his business, then I'll try printing in a dark black setting, a thicker resist may help.

My favoured method now is to tape the resist on top of the brass, at one end or side like a hinge.

Then check the Rayburn hot plate is around 300 F with laser thermometer, place the brass, and when hot firmly but smoothly rub the resist away from the hinge with a tissue pad until it looks like the ink has stuck.

Peel the P&P up and if it's not good the hinge lets me replace it exactly for more localised rubbing.

Thanks for your interest folks hope this helps if you try it for your self.

 

[clift_d]

Clickspring has a good video on photo-etching brass using Ferric Chloride:

 

[Gritineye]

Clickspring has a good video on photo-etching brass using Ferric Chloride:

Thanks, he's so good isn't he, may try that method next.

 

[RichardM]

I still have some ferric chloride from pcb etching, may try it sometime.

 

[Kram]

Interesting. I want to redo the gear/threading chart for my lathe on aluminium sheet.
Ordered a roll of photo resist film and Im wondering if inkjet on transparancy would be adequate for the UV stencil?

 

[Gritineye]

Interesting. I want to redo the gear/threading chart for my lathe on aluminium sheet.
Ordered a roll of photo resist film and Im wondering if inkjet on transparancy would be adequate for the UV stencil?

I tried using ally, be prepared for a violent reaction, it gassed and bubbled almost instantly.

 

[Kram]

I do have some ferric chloride but its horrible stuff I remember it stains everything. I dont know if thats why yours reacted like that, I'd be using NaHSO⁴ or sulphuric instead as neither react too fast on aluminium.

 

[bigegg]

I tried using ally, be prepared for a violent reaction, it gassed and bubbled almost instantly.

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread (I've only just discovered it. )

Something like a weak caustic soda solution would probably work quite well for etching aluminium - I suppose it would depend if you could get the correct strength so it etched the metal without damaging the resist.