Tutorial Electro Etching #1 The Basics

Michele

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Etching Basics
In this article I'm covering the very basics of tools and supplies
Electro etching is a procedure that employs the use of a solution (electrolyte) water, vinegar & salt or water/salt. DC electric connection: Positive side + (anode) & negative side - (cathode) attached to the metal(s) to be etched. Current flows out of the positive side to the negative side resulting in transfer of material from positive to negative. In other words material from the positive connected metal is removed / etched.

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To fabricate a pattern or design upon the metal, the use of some type of resist (covering) is placed, glued, attached on the object being etched. The resist blocks the transfer/etching process from occurring resulting in a raised area. A few common resist materials I am aware of include: tape, vinyl stencil sheets, photo copy transfer, photo sensitive film and brush on/spray on photo sensitive solution.

Here's a pretty good set of articles on advanced etching with sulfates instead of salt. Note: copper sulfate can be used to etch most metals is found at home depot pretty cheap as “zep” root killer. Iron sulfide is sold in garden area as Iron for plats or soil acidifier. Use PPE & safety when handling chemicals.


Tools & Supplies

Etching doesn't require any special or fancy tools. Most of us have the materials already around the house somewhere. Use what u have, get that imagination going to cobble it up. All that's needed is DC power, water & salt.

Power supply- Battery, any battery. Two 9volts hooked together, lawnmower battery, D holder, vape battery. Old style charger that converts ac to dc. Old style manual battery charger, or cheapo new manual charger. Any of the newer automatic chargers do not work, it must have a manual selection switch. We use the cheapo new charger. It works very well select manual on the rocker switch. Keep in mind - Higher/more power = faster the etch.

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Electrical wires to connect power source. Can use alligator clips, tape, twist it on any means to get good connection. Size wires can be whatever you have on hand, split apart some ol’ lamp cord, house extension cord etc...

Electrolyte Solution recipe

Salt- kosher salt with no additives works best for me but any salt should do.

Water—Any water nothing special. Mix in salt until the water is saturated, should taste very salty. A jigger or so of vinegar for ferrous makes etch quicker.

Container to hold your electrolyte solution. Must be glass or plastic. Not metal unless using the bath method.

Anode tool for etching– Q-tip or any metal “stylus” or plate covered with cotton material attached to negative - side

Examples-nail, bolt, bent drywall anchor, butter knife. Use your imagination there's metal everywhere.

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Methods of Resist
Tape, vinyl stencil sheets, photo copy transfer, photo sensitive film and brush on/spray on photo sensitive solution.
Tape- any sticky tape. I don't recommend as etch may seep under edges
Vinyl sticker sheets - Most common method with or with out stencil cutting machine. Sticks well if a good quality product is purchased. Black seems to stick best for me.
Ink jet sticker paper - print your image cut out with exato razor knife
Photo sensitive film - Film used in dark room with images on clear transfer sheets drawn by hand or printed
Photoresist Anti-Etching Blue Ink Paint - same as photo film except brush or spray on

Employ these tools and methods to etch your frame serial number
Next up... how to DIY etch your slide using vinyl sheets in Etching series 2
 
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Great stuff!!! I read this back in MGB days, that's what got me started doing etching. It's a lot easier than you might think.

I use to do industrial chrome plating to fix screw up in the tool shop. It is the same process but in reverse. Chrome plating is adding material where etching is removing material.

I have an idea that I really need to find the time to try out. I know you have seen slides that have been milled on a cnc or slides that have been hand engraved. Why can't I do that with etching?
One problem might be controlling a long line etched not being at an even depth.
SO, what I want to try is the same way I did chrome plating (in a tank)
Take a metal bucket inside a plastic bucket just to be safe for a accidental short. Then come up with a way to hang a masked off slide, exposing the area to etched. With the bucket being a negative and the hanging slide a positive you should be able to hold a constant etching depth by controlling the length of time in the tank. You might be able to speed up the process up by increasing the output of amps from say 10 amps to maybe 50 amps, all though when current get to high it has a tendency round out the cut. O Well one day I have to give it a try.
 
@Hawkeye if you look at etch series 2 we show how we etched the freedom slide. Did not use immersion method though. Too chicken 😂 Slides pretty expensive to make a mistake and etch an area not planned. I’m sure it can be done and could result in a nicely even cut.
In the 3rd etch articles, part 1+2, I did the bath method you are referring to. On a small scale. Making a copper coin was fun with many fails before I got it right. If you ever do try a slide I highly recommend the tuck tape. I found it to be very reliable to secure areas that I did not want etched.

I’d be interested in hearing tools and materials you find work for your etching projects and with immersion etching if you try that. What you use for stencils? Vinyl?
 
I'm afraid of messing up a new slide too so when I try the immersion
etching I'll test it on some old rock slides. That's all they are good for.
 
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