etching copper / brass

[poundhound]

Hello, I am not sure if this is the correct place but I have taken to etching copper and brass for some plaques / signs I am making and have got the process down where I am getting some pretty good results. but this was done cold so I thought it might be of interest.

 

I transfer the resist from some magazine paper I printed on using a laser printer, using an iron.

 

 

After putting it in a solution of murianic acid and peroxide and leaving it there for an hour here is the results.

 

I can get very good detail in the pictures.

 

Pound Hound

 

[ianinsa]

Nice, yhanks for sharing

[Fe-Wood]

Those look great! Whats the mix ratio of acid and peroxide? Were does one get magazine paper?

[poundhound]

I got the instructions for the acid solution from this web site. 

 

http://www.instructables.com/id/Stop-using-Ferric-Chloride-etchant!--A-better-etc/

 

basically I guessed a little, in their instructions the muriatic acid was about twice the concentration that I got from home depot. so I doubled that.

 

Magazine paper is just what it says, pages from a magazine which are a little shiny and thin paper seems to work the best. I just print on them with a laser printer or make a copy on them with a copier with toner. You cant use inkjet ink. the toner has plastic in it so it melts onto the metal as a resist. the link below does the same thing but with photo paper, but I found the magazine paper was cheaper, easier to remove and leave a good print. on some printers I have to use a carrier paper so the very thin magazine paper does not jam the printer.

 

http://steampunkworkshop.com/electroetch.shtml

 

the cool thing about this is once you are done add a soda can (or aluminum foil) to the mix and it dissolves the aluminum then you are left with aluminum chloride (same thing as in underarm deodarants) and the copper precipitates out. Unlike other etching methods where you are left with getting rid of the solutions which are toxic.

 

if interested I can put in a tutorial  with step by step on how I do it.

 

Pound Hound

[queensdudleyanvil]

Hi Pound Hound.  

 

Very nice. After reading your post I did some research to see what you were talking about regarding etching and magazine paper.  Your work is by far the most detailed of all the examples I saw.  I'm looking for a way to add some design to leaves for a water fountain, and would be interested in seeing your tutorial.

 

Thanks for sharing.

Kent. 

[Fe-Wood]

I would be interested as well. I've picked up some "brochure paper". Seems a bit thick but I'll be running some samples...

[SoCal Dave]

A tutorial would be great! 

[poundhound]

I am working the next few days but can put a tutorial up by the end of the week. 

 

I had read a lot from people who use electro etching, and ferric chloride, and tried both but found the way I have been doing it to get the most consistant results with the easiest way to get the resist on the metal. this also has the advantage of using just a sharpie pen for touching up the resist if not a complete transfer.

[Gazz]

I used to do lots of etching when I was making jewelry years ago.  I used nitric acid (which can be neutralized with baking soda) and for resist, a compound called asphaltum, which is a tar basically- about the consistency of thick paint.  The design could be carefully painted on and then touched up with a sharp pointed tool like a scribe or it could be scratched out from a solid coating of the asphatum.  The asphatum is available from jewelry supply houses.   A thin layer of bees wax will also work as a resist.  Radio Shack also sells a photo sensitive resist for etching circuit boards and also a mordant (etching material) which is ferric chloride.  The ferric chloride stuff is also useful if you make pattern welded steel to bring out the patterns.

[poundhound]

I have put up the copper / brass etching tutorial, Since they moved this post to non ferrous metals, I put it up there. here is the link

 

http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/33266-copper-brass-etching-tutorial/