Acid etching?

[Sarah Mount]

Does anyone have experience of acid etching using ferric chloride?

I was thinking of making some door signs using this method:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Etching-brass-plates/

on something like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Polished-Brass-Engraving-Blank-Plates-Table-Nos-Signs-Oty-10-150-x-100-/250951135850

or is there a simpler way of doing the same thing?

Thanks all,

Sarah

[Ranulf Doswell]

I'm not sure why they bother with the OHP step. With PCBs at least, you can get good results printing directly onto glossy magazines and transferring that to the copper with an iron. I'd expect brass to be very similar.

But it's very easy. I'd usually reckon on 20 minutes to eat through the copper on a PCB, it can be done in 10 minutes with very hot water mixed with the FeCl3 crystals. I guess you'd want to etch substantially deeper though for the effect.

One techniques that works well with PCBs is to keep dabbing the surface with a sponge soaked in FeCl3 (obviously, you want good non-leaky gloves anyway, but even more so doing this!). Take care not to dislodge the toner, but this approach certainly seems quicker than agitating alone and you can target areas that haven't etched enough, which is easy to see on a PCB but probably harder with a big lump of brass.

Also, the solution will lose potency as it gets clogged up with more copper. If you're doing a big area, you can start with more solution. Also, the more surface that's covered in toner and so not etched, the less solution will be used and so the quicker it'll be.

You might also find if you're etching deep that it'll eat underneath the toner, so you'll get something that looks like this on the sides, so you might want to make the non-etched areas big enough that this isn't an issue:
 __
)  (

Ralf.

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Ranulf Doswell

[yt...@discreetsecuritysolutions.com]

Check Instructables, there's tonnes on this. http://www.instructables.com/id/The-Etchinator-low-cost-spray-etcher/

The other (safer) option is salt water and a car battery, and etch it. http://www.instructables.com/id/Big-Brass-Ones/ shows it in use on solid brass hex bar, to great effect.

I've done both, and the battery/car charger is far nicer.

You can use vinyl as the resist, and cut it on the CNC vinyl cutter.
N

On Tuesday, 18 June 2013 18:46:37 UTC+1, Ranulf Doswell wrote:

I'm not sure why they bother with the OHP step. With PCBs at least, you can get good results printing directly onto glossy magazines and transferring that to the copper with an iron. I'd expect brass to be very similar.

But it's very easy. I'd usually reckon on 20 minutes to eat through the copper on a PCB, it can be done in 10 minutes with very hot water mixed with the FeCl3 crystals. I guess you'd want to etch substantially deeper though for the effect.

One techniques that works well with PCBs is to keep dabbing the surface with a sponge soaked in FeCl3 (obviously, you want good non-leaky gloves anyway, but even more so doing this!). Take care not to dislodge the toner, but this approach certainly seems quicker than agitating alone and you can target areas that haven't etched enough, which is easy to see on a PCB but probably harder with a big lump of brass.

Also, the solution will lose potency as it gets clogged up with more copper. If you're doing a big area, you can start with more solution. Also, the more surface that's covered in toner and so not etched, the less solution will be used and so the quicker it'll be.

You might also find if you're etching deep that it'll eat underneath the toner, so you'll get something that looks like this on the sides, so you might want to make the non-etched areas big enough that this isn't an issue:
 __
)  (

Ralf.

On 18 June 2013 17:40, Sarah Mount <mount...@gmail.com> wrote:

Does anyone have experience of acid etching using ferric chloride?

I was thinking of making some door signs using this method:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Etching-brass-plates/

on something like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Polished-Brass-Engraving-Blank-Plates-Table-Nos-Signs-Oty-10-150-x-100-/250951135850

or is there a simpler way of doing the same thing?

Thanks all,

Sarah

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Ranulf Doswell

[Sarah Mount]

Well, this is a lot more interesting than I thought. I've read through this: http://steampunkworkshop.com/electroetch.shtml as well which shows some really nice examples. 

Is anyone else interested in having a go at some etching over the next couple of sessions? I have ordered some brass plates and will have a small number left over to make some fizzPOP signs. I can bring along a container for the etching fluid, the brass plates with the toner transfer already done, and I can probably source some UK version of "root kill". Is anyone up for bringing a battery, crocodile clips and some metal to make the harness? 

Cheers,

Sarah

PS we should probably do this outside, even if we do just use drain cleaner.

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Sarah Mount, Senior Lecturer, University of Wolverhampton
website:  http://www.snim2.org/
twitter: @snim2

[yt...@discreetsecuritysolutions.com]

Ah, I've already left, so can't bring anything along these lines tonight. I've got brass, cutter, plates, etc. And a nice 12V car battery charger.

I'd recommend going to a supermarket or £ store and getting a tall clear 'cereal store' for ease of use. It lets the muck fall away if it's kept vertical, and means you don't need gallons of fluid.

N

[Sarah Mount]

I was thinking of week, so that's great, thanks. I have a cereal store (it used to hold sourdough starter when I was experimenting with bread).

See you later!

[Andrew Lewis]

On 18 June 2013 17:40, Sarah Mount <mount...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Does anyone have experience of acid etching using ferric chloride?

Sorry about the delayed response. I've done a few pieces using FeCl3.
You can get similar results with HCL/H202. Do it hot, but mind the
gas. Also, DON'T use aluminium unless it's a very weak solution &
quenched.
Here's a couple of photos:

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gr8mi1U3w-Q5h2ytwWjQ5nd71M-fKjKAjlu6H3mnR_4?feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/o-7tr6C-8x2B4GrUe8frk3d71M-fKjKAjlu6H3mnR_4?feat=directlink

As you can see, you can use the technique to etch finely shaped metal parts.

Andrew

[Sarah Mount]

That clock face is especially impressive. What did you paint the black parts with?

Cheers,

Sarah

[Andrew Lewis]

I just used a black gloss spray enamel, then used an abrasive block to
take the raised parts back to the metal. Washing and then adding a bit
of clear vinyl polish or beeswax brings the gloss up on the black
parts.

Cheers,
Andrew

[yt...@discreetsecuritysolutions.com]

What did you use to block the etchant?
N

> email to birmingham-hack-space+unsub...@googlegroups.com.

[Andrew Lewis]

On 2 July 2013 21:21, <yt...@discreetsecuritysolutions.com> wrote:
> What did you use to block the etchant?
> N

Laser print on gloss paper, then soak in warm water and gently rub the
backing off.

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