Where are all these pics everyone is promising, I cant wait to see some of them. Its such a neat trick im going to find a odd bit of metal to try it on soon, looks really fun.
Grate thread! :You_Rock_
Grate thread! :You_Rock_
Etching Metal
- Thread starter shadow57
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I just tried this with wax on my "Quick and dirty knife" and yes, it (kinda) works.
I just wiped the blade clean, rubbed on a tea candle, quick wipe over with a lighter to melt the wax onto the blade and scratched away. Its very hard with a thin layer of wax because its quite hard to see what your etching. Also, the wax tends to want to lift up at the edges of the scratch. A hot tool seems to help this a little.
My camera is on charge. I'll post pictures as soon as it has enough power.
I just wiped the blade clean, rubbed on a tea candle, quick wipe over with a lighter to melt the wax onto the blade and scratched away. Its very hard with a thin layer of wax because its quite hard to see what your etching. Also, the wax tends to want to lift up at the edges of the scratch. A hot tool seems to help this a little.
My camera is on charge. I'll post pictures as soon as it has enough power.
My camera doesn't seem to want to hold a charge and the only other digital camera I have has no macro function. Please excuse the bluriness. :sad6:
If you can't make it out its my signature above a dead fish.
If you can't make it out its my signature above a dead fish.
First time tried a photo addition so here goes. The 3 small designs to try out to see what was possible - intracacy of design etc.
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3rd attempt. Hope it works
3rd attempt. Hope it works
:You_Rock_
If you haven't gathered by now I'm very happy with the method posted.
I was thinking that it would be not as good as a purchased system.
The purchased system being the Etch-O-Matic about $70 USD (+ $20 USD for 240v) and if you wanted the ability to customise it would cost an extra $235 USD (approximately). The other local system (I live in Australia). The system available in Australia starts at $900 AUD
Previously I tried an acid etch with ferric chloride, and the resist was permanent marker ink. The project was a fish knife, well... that looks like a fish
The result was a little fuzzy, so I revisited the etching systems mentioned earlier, and I was a little peeved at the location of the Etch-O-Matic (horrible for getting replacement consumables, and a slow turn around for customer service), and the Australian price is out of the question.
So doing a creative search with Altavista, I found this tutorial.
I went out and bought a 3-12 v transformer $70 AUD, a couple of banana pluge, a couple of alligator clips (maybe I should say crocodile clips, we don't have alligators in Australia), and away I went... pay dirt
I did use it at 12 v though.
I was wondering if anyone had tried a different resist than nail polish (my wife is looking at me funny), I'll do an experiment with permanent marker to see if that works.
Thanks for the tip regards Charles from Oz
If you haven't gathered by now I'm very happy with the method posted.
I was thinking that it would be not as good as a purchased system.
The purchased system being the Etch-O-Matic about $70 USD (+ $20 USD for 240v) and if you wanted the ability to customise it would cost an extra $235 USD (approximately). The other local system (I live in Australia). The system available in Australia starts at $900 AUD
Previously I tried an acid etch with ferric chloride, and the resist was permanent marker ink. The project was a fish knife, well... that looks like a fish
The result was a little fuzzy, so I revisited the etching systems mentioned earlier, and I was a little peeved at the location of the Etch-O-Matic (horrible for getting replacement consumables, and a slow turn around for customer service), and the Australian price is out of the question.
So doing a creative search with Altavista, I found this tutorial.
I went out and bought a 3-12 v transformer $70 AUD, a couple of banana pluge, a couple of alligator clips (maybe I should say crocodile clips, we don't have alligators in Australia), and away I went... pay dirt
I did use it at 12 v though.I was wondering if anyone had tried a different resist than nail polish (my wife is looking at me funny), I'll do an experiment with permanent marker to see if that works.
Thanks for the tip regards Charles from Oz
Just tried permanent marker... it works... almost as good as nail polish.
With the permanent marker you have to draw in the negative. The unfortunate thing is that you'd need at least 2 coats, as one coat leaves streaks.
Maybe any acid resist would work? The Etch-O-Matic system uses stencils, similar to cellotape (we call that sticky tape here).
The next bit would be to make stencils on the cheap.
Regards Charles from Oz
With the permanent marker you have to draw in the negative. The unfortunate thing is that you'd need at least 2 coats, as one coat leaves streaks.
Maybe any acid resist would work? The Etch-O-Matic system uses stencils, similar to cellotape (we call that sticky tape here).
The next bit would be to make stencils on the cheap.
Regards Charles from Oz
Apparently this stencil product works as a resist :-
<http://www.cbridge.com/downloads/StencilProInstructions.pdf>
I've just purchased some, I'll let you know how it goes.
Regards Charles
<http://www.cbridge.com/downloads/StencilProInstructions.pdf>
I've just purchased some, I'll let you know how it goes.
Regards Charles
I've got something similar, but it requires a PCB lightbox & developer to make the stencils. I use them with an electro-etch unit I built.
Those sound interesting, particularly with the lack of developer needed.
Those sound interesting, particularly with the lack of developer needed.
Good thread.
I had a go and am quite happy with the results. For the 'mask' I used humbrol/airfix enamel paint. Once finished scraped off with a ground off old hacksaw blade and rubbed down with wire wool. Ever headstrong I went straight in with an ongoing project rather than trying it out on scrap material. Peoples might of seen the 'Amyaxe' I put up a little while back, now added some identification to it.
I'm toying with the idea of a bit of knotwork or protective Runes on the 'pretty' side.
Thanks all.
I had a go and am quite happy with the results. For the 'mask' I used humbrol/airfix enamel paint. Once finished scraped off with a ground off old hacksaw blade and rubbed down with wire wool. Ever headstrong I went straight in with an ongoing project rather than trying it out on scrap material. Peoples might of seen the 'Amyaxe' I put up a little while back, now added some identification to it.
I'm toying with the idea of a bit of knotwork or protective Runes on the 'pretty' side.
Thanks all.
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