Enclosure Etching with Picture Paper experiment

[zjokka]

I finally had the time to put my first steps in the realms of enclosure etching. After quite positive results using picture paper to etch pcbs, I wanted to try using this method for enclosures. It seemed like nobody had tried it yet. Had some trial and error but fourth time around things fell into place. So might have been the four sanding sessions did it.

But the crucial thing is probably that I punch holes in all the white areas on the picture paper. This will allow air to escape while you're ironing without have toner spills. Overheating is hardly an issue when you use picture paper, because it is much thicker and the thick paper buffers the heat. I used 'Linen', so hottest position on the iron. Really important that you make sure that all air bubbles are gone.

After a lot of detailed and concenterated ironing, I dumped the box in boling water. This is the procedure for etching pcbs with picture paper, but having doubts here. Cold water might allow the toner to harden faster... or cooling it off might make the toner come off? Just used hot water, also the first few times and could see air bubbles under the paper appearing immediately when the the box hit the water. I normally leave it like that for 15 min and have a cup with the remaining water. You can add more boiling water to soften the paper faster.

The first few tries I did cut large air holes in the black areas, later to be filled with paint like described in MarkM tutorial. I didn't do that the last time because having large holes in the paper makes the toner come off faster. My transfer was the size of the box, no black cutouts, just the holes in the white areas punched in with an Exacto knife.



Then the trick is to roll off the wet thick paper from the box, from the inside to the outside. This all should go very easily until you reach a thin white transaparant film over the box. The uncovered areas can be cleaned easily. But the film over the toner can beleft on as extra protection, where the board should be bare, you can rub off the film with fingernails of guitar pick (someone sugggested that)






After first, basic sanding


After a lot of sanding. Wanted to get the impurities out first before spraypainting the lettering again





if you might try, post your findings, improvement still to be made.
zj

[Hiwatt25]

Man, that's crazy that you posted this.  I was just designing a piece for my Ross Compressor so I could try etching an enclosure with my photo paper.  Weird.



Here's hoping it works.

[$uperpuma]

interesting method... did you prep the box much before you started?

[markm]

interesting method... did you prep the box much before you started?

I was wondering the same.
Interesting method for sure and sure is less costly than the PNP.

This is my take on the Creampie (this is the PG version) 

[$uperpuma]

Maaaaaaaaark! (parental tone)
RIGHT ON! (sophomoric guitarist tone)

[markm]

 

[KerryF]

Awsome Mark! 

And also zjokka. 

[luap77]

Looks good, however I can see some bleed through. The main problem with direct toner transfer is that you do have defects which are usually due to insufficient toner density & less than 100% coverage from the printer (print a black square on a clear transparency and hold it up to a light). PNP blue gets past this by having the blue emulsion layer fuse onto the toner and provide a filling effect - i.e. when you use PNP blue you transfer the toner to the surface + the emulsion layer adhering to the "upper" surface of the toner; and so, transferred pattern is blue and not black.

I've tried numerous experiments with picture paper and always get the speckles and defects due to the fact that you are at the mercy of how much toner you can lay down & how continuous the coverage is...although it is cheaper! For good quality I stick to PNP blue, and I also cover large areas that are to remain unetched with enamel paint - which is a great resist material. This way you get no defects in these areas. There are some members here who are producing etched boxes far better than I am (I'm 95% of the way there with this technique) who may be willing to share some of their own tricks.

All the best,

Paul E

[markm]

I agree with what Paul E says.
Maybe the graininess could be dealt with by touching up with paint as well.
PNP isn't perfect by any means however, it is user friendly. 

[zjokka]

interesting method... did you prep the box much before you started?

I followed MarkM's method in the gallery for everything. Sanded the box first, but didn't do as perfect a job as in the tutorial. Had no lighter fluid so cleaned it with acetone before doing the transfer.

This is how it came out without punching the holes:


very first attempt with the old iron and using pressure rather than movement


old and modern iron lot of pressure and movement


I really think the sanding could have been done better.

Looks good, however I can see some bleed through. The main problem with direct toner transfer is that you do have defects which are usually due to insufficient toner density & less than 100% coverage from the printer (print a black square on a clear transparency and hold it up to a light).

Another thing I forgot to mention is that I let is etch for about 15 minutes, which is way too long according to the tutorial, but I saw nothing happen. I used chloric acid and hydric peroxide. I had the impression that this takes longer than ferric based etchants, so let it sizzle a little longer. When you pulled out the box with the etchant dripping off I takes a while for the etched off surface to go black! Maybe it's a good thing that the etching is deep.

Man, that's crazy that you posted this.  I was just designing a piece for my Ross Compressor so I could try etching an enclosure with my photo paper.  Weird.
Here's hoping it works.

let me know how it turns out

thanks all for the comments,
working on the lettering now, more soon

zj

[JimRayden]

Although the etch looks pretty nice, I think the first attempts looked wicked! Like the stompbox had been tuck up in a very moist basement for thirty years.

---------
Jimbo

[Big Red]

I used regular paper for my first (and only etch) and it seemed to work out pretty well. I'll see if I can post some pictures

edit: here we go

it took forever to etch, a lot longer then Markm's walkthrough.
as you can see the E and V are a little spotty, but it doesent really bother me

[JimRayden]

it took forever to etch, a lot longer then Markm's walkthrough.

Strange, I had the same problem. I don't think it's a matter of cleaning the surface, since I used acetone to rub it beforehand. Still after forty minutes, all I had was a grayish surface with very light relief.

---------
Jimbo

[markm]

it took forever to etch, a lot longer then Markm's walkthrough.

Strange, I had the same problem. I don't think it's a matter of cleaning the surface, since I used acetone to rub it beforehand. Still after forty minutes, all I had was a grayish surface with very light relief.

---------
Jimbo

What are you fellas using for etchant?
With FC, even 3 minutes can be too long 
Looks good though Big Red!

[JimRayden]

I've tried with both FeCl3 and Sodiumperoxidisulfate. Both darn slow.

I did have a bit of that yellow foam with FeCl3 but nothing spectacular.

----------
Jimbo

[$uperpuma]

FeCl3 here... the fizz can be exciting sometimes definateky need to keep an eye on your heat though... that will cause the etch resist to break down... the Giger Box and the Catalyst both took about 15 minutes and they are deeper etches than are absolutely necessary...

[zjokka]

I used regular paper for my first (and only etch) and it seemed to work out pretty well.

Wow that's even more cheapo than me! Looks great!

I used HCl + H2O2. Had the impression that it took longer so let 17 min. Was a bit too long but not too bad. More fumes than with pcbs but not too bad. Real bubbly adventure this time but cold outside, hot etchant and usually throw in a bt extra H2O2 in the mixture I have on the shelf to really kick off the reaction

The really critical mistake was trying to sand it clean before applying the paint. Now some of the depth of the lettering's gone and I ended up with a very vintage used look 

Couln't resist using two colours. Went ok just wish I had sanded more carefully. next time maybe.




more pics on my blog!

[Big Red]

What are you fellas using for etchant?
With FC, even 3 minutes can be too long 
Looks good though Big Red!

awww shucks . thanks for the great walkthrough markm.
I used ferric chloride from 'the source by circuit city' the Canadian 'equivalent' to radio shack

[zjokka]

What are you fellas using for etchant?
With FC, even 3 minutes can be too long 
Looks good though Big Red!

awww shucks . thanks for the great walkthrough markm.
I used ferric chloride from 'the source by circuit city' the Canadian 'equivalent' to radio shack

What is too long and what are the effect of too long etching? Is it that the etchant start eating through the toner?

I would have thought the longer the etch, the deeper, the clearer the lettering. Up to some point off course. I made the mistake of sanding a lot before painting, so although the etch was quite deep, I flattened it out.

zj

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

If an enclosure is aluminium, you shouldn't have to add any hydrogen peroxide to the hydrochloric acid! because, HCl will attack aluminium directly.
Mind you, with only HCl I expect the reaction will be slower & hydrogen bubbles will form that might get in the way of the etchant. Ferric chloride seems like overkill, though!