Etching Question

[MikeH]

I've read a lot on this thread about etching enclosures with PnP and such, but I was wondering: If your a pretty good artist (which I'd fancy myself to be) and handy with a sharpie, could you just draw on an enclosure with a sharpie the way you'd touch up a pcb before etching?

[John Lyons]

Yes, That will work fine. One thing to watch out for it that tiny holed of thin spots in you sharpie drawing will etch through. If you can find a fine point paint pen and or a fingernail polish coat for the heavier areas you will get a more bullet proof etching mask.
Sharpie works well but just throwing some ideas out there. Sometimes it takes a few coats of sharpie as well.

John

[markm]

I find that Sharpie ink, no matter how many coats you put on, is not durable enough to do enclosures with.
Ferric Chloride is much more aggressive on aluminum than copper. Between the bubbling and the heat created 
and just the fact that Sharpie ink doesn't stick all that well to aluminum anyway, you'd really be rolling the dice.
Sharpies for PCB etching are okay.
The only thing I use a Sharpie for when etching enclosures is to write my name and date on the inside when it's done! 

[jlullo]

I second Mark... I tried the sharpie method on an enclosure, and it didn't work in the least bit

[Pushtone]

Ferric Chloride is much more aggressive on aluminum than copper. Between the bubbling and the heat created 

markm is exactly right.

Etch a pcb and it looks like nothing i happening.
Etch an aluminum enclosure and it looks like the world is coming to an end.

This is why you can touch up a PnP trace with a sharpie but not an enclosure etch.

There is a pic in the Pictures thread of a "sharpie as mask" enclosure etch. I think it has moon and stars on it.
It is kinda cool by how rough, organic it looks, but no small details like lettering are possible.
Guess it depends on the artwork you have in mind. Any fine to medium lines or curves?

I'd go with the nail polish or paint pens idea.