fiduciary

Author Topic: TUTORIAL: Acid Etching  (Read 32383 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline dgdve

  • Force User
  • ***
  • Posts: 113
Re: TUTORIAL: Acid Etching
« Reply #30 on: November 01, 2013, 10:57:39 AM »
Ideally you would want enough solution to entirely suspend the piece to be etched. You do NOT want the piece to rest on the sides or bottom of the bucket (or whatever.. I use old Tupperware as goodman suggested). You DO want the piece suspended and entirely covered by the solution.

I would check the etch every 5min on the dot as that also serves to disturb the build up of bubbles on the edges of the resist. (fresh acid fresh eat)

I've seen some "trick" set ups that use Air pumps (like from a small fish tank) to agitate the solution and help to provide more consistent etching results. I've also seen that a lot of guys use a Baking soda mixture in the water side to actually provide some neutralization to the acid itself (but its not some mandatory thing so don't worry about it).

Also the Acid bath itself changes color as it loses effectiveness (turning closer to an olive green from its normal oily black). Yet as Goodman says you can just add some fresh and roll on. None of this is absolutely necessary.. The tut is more then sufficient and those are some very minor things I've observed.

Just like everything your results and mileage may vary but trial and error (and ole Goodman's tut) are golden!
« Last Edit: November 01, 2013, 11:03:19 AM by dgdve »

Offline Darth Smorgis

  • Master Force User
  • *****
  • Posts: 1419
Re: TUTORIAL: Acid Etching
« Reply #31 on: January 02, 2014, 02:04:51 PM »
Okay, one more question...

Say I have a design chosen and printed out.  How do I transfer that image onto the packing tape?
Is the only option to free hand the design onto the tape? or can I transfer it somehow?

Thanks.


Offline STARKILLER

  • Lord of the Strings
  • SITH/EMPIRE Master MODERATOR
  • Master Force User
  • **
  • Posts: 1837
  • VADER's VAULT MFG
    • Vaders Vault
Re: TUTORIAL: Acid Etching
« Reply #32 on: January 02, 2014, 02:23:22 PM »
There is a heat transfer PNP printer paper (really for laser printers etc) that you print it out on and stick it on the part then bake it. When you peel it off, the toner from the printed image stays on the part (part must be totally clean, like with lacquer thinner etc), then you fill in any gaps that didn't take with a paint pen or nail polish and then dip in the acid.


Offline SithStalker

  • Keeper of the red blade
  • Master Force User
  • *****
  • Posts: 808
Re: TUTORIAL: Acid Etching
« Reply #33 on: January 02, 2014, 02:34:05 PM »
Great tutorial man ! Your "Rhabdos" saber looks epic :o

Haha... Well, it's a fool's errand, boy. The Emperor's army is infinite. You'll eventually be killed... or worse... and nothing will have changed.

Offline Darth Smorgis

  • Master Force User
  • *****
  • Posts: 1419
Re: TUTORIAL: Acid Etching
« Reply #34 on: January 03, 2014, 01:43:46 PM »
There is a heat transfer PNP printer paper (really for laser printers etc) that you print it out on and stick it on the part then bake it. When you peel it off, the toner from the printed image stays on the part (part must be totally clean, like with lacquer thinner etc), then you fill in any gaps that didn't take with a paint pen or nail polish and then dip in the acid.

So instead of using the transfer paper to apply the pattern directly on the part, can I use something like this..... Clear Sticker Project Paper
My hope is that i can print my design onto the clear sticker sheet and cut out the design where i want the acid to etch the metal.  So will the clear sticker sheet function as the clear packing tape as a "resist"?


Offline Vercify

  • Master Force User
  • *****
  • Posts: 1186
  • rawr
Re: TUTORIAL: Acid Etching
« Reply #35 on: January 03, 2014, 02:49:46 PM »
There is a heat transfer PNP printer paper (really for laser printers etc) that you print it out on and stick it on the part then bake it. When you peel it off, the toner from the printed image stays on the part (part must be totally clean, like with lacquer thinner etc), then you fill in any gaps that didn't take with a paint pen or nail polish and then dip in the acid.

So instead of using the transfer paper to apply the pattern directly on the part, can I use something like this..... Clear Sticker Project Paper
My hope is that i can print my design onto the clear sticker sheet and cut out the design where i want the acid to etch the metal.  So will the clear sticker sheet function as the clear packing tape as a "resist"?

I was going to ask this same question. Cutting out and applying a sticker was my first thought on achieving a good pattern without hand-drawing it.





Offline jester1

  • No Force
  • *
  • Posts: 14
  • Um...Hello?
Re: TUTORIAL: Acid Etching
« Reply #36 on: March 08, 2015, 12:10:01 PM »
Has anyone tried the above process? 

Offline Sini Star

  • Experienced Force User
  • ****
  • Posts: 323
Re: TUTORIAL: Acid Etching
« Reply #37 on: March 08, 2015, 07:03:45 PM »
Yes it works just take your time.  Practice on a scrap piece of aluminum if you have it laying around.  You can get different textures based on the amount of acid/water ratio you use and of course the amount of time allowed to soak. 

Get a good pair of rubber gloves that are easy to take on and off.  Home depot and Lowes both have those types of gloves.

Good luck! 

Offline Bin Adam

  • Master Force User
  • *****
  • Posts: 628
  • Muslim Knights: Fighting the Terror Within
    • For Those Who Reflect
Re: TUTORIAL: Acid Etching
« Reply #38 on: July 14, 2015, 08:05:06 PM »
Absolutely stunning!
The battle outside, starts inside.
"Don't desire to meet your enemy, but if you do be steadfast."

Offline JediWizard

  • Master Force User
  • *****
  • Posts: 628
  • You cant have a droid Phil
Re: TUTORIAL: Acid Etching
« Reply #39 on: July 15, 2015, 05:54:14 AM »
realy gotta give this etching a go

Offline CET

  • Force User
  • ***
  • Posts: 142
  • Humble Padawan
    • Lightsaber Team
Re: TUTORIAL: Acid Etching
« Reply #40 on: August 11, 2015, 12:37:22 PM »
Does it make any sense to "paint" the acid onto the piece? It seems like that would take far less acid and I would have much greater control over where it goes.

Offline Silver Serpent

  • Force User
  • ***
  • Posts: 137
Re: TUTORIAL: Acid Etching
« Reply #41 on: August 24, 2015, 06:42:41 AM »
I have seen a few tutorials online that use a sponge to apply the acid to specific locations.  They didn't specify if they were using a natural or synthetic sponge though, so I'd be cautious when starting out.

Offline CET

  • Force User
  • ***
  • Posts: 142
  • Humble Padawan
    • Lightsaber Team
Re: TUTORIAL: Acid Etching
« Reply #42 on: August 24, 2015, 03:41:44 PM »
Can acid etching eat through powder coating? I want to get some parts powder coated to appear to be brass (far lighter than actaul brass), but I also want to do some etching. I definitely don't want to etch first and then send an item back for powder coating, because now I'm paying for shipping three times instead of just once.

Offline BipeFlyer

  • Padawan Learner
  • **
  • Posts: 52
  • Taking my first steps into a larger world.
Re: TUTORIAL: Acid Etching
« Reply #43 on: February 11, 2019, 08:00:52 PM »
Whoops, replied to wrong thread.
« Last Edit: February 11, 2019, 08:09:38 PM by BipeFlyer »

 

retrousse