A couple etching questions

[jolly1423]

I'm looking into trying out some enclosure etching for the first time but I have a couple of questions before I invest. The main project I want to do is a plate that will screw onto the top of the enclosure. My first question is, will ferric chloride etch pretty much any metal? For example, I plan on using the housing from an old computer tower. And second, the material in question is only about 1mm thick, I want to etch words and a border which will get painted but could I etch an area all the way through so you can see the power coat below?

[mremic01]

Ferric chloride will definitely etch aluminum. I'm not sure if it will work with stainless steel, and it probably won't work if the metal is galvanized.

The etchings I've done have all taken a long time to get even a shallow etch. I can't imagine going all the way through the aluminum. Maybe if you keep it really warm. I also suspect that if you left it in the enchant long enough to go all the way through, it would probably start eating away at your mask and the actual etching would come out pretty funky.

[jolly1423]

That's quite helpful, thanks. I think I'll have to get some and experiment a bit. On this particular project 'funky' results wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, to a point. It may be a while until I get to it but I'll be sure to post any interesting findings.

[merlinb]

FeCl will etch copper, aluminium and brass. I don't think it will etch steel, but it will sure stain it.

To etch right through 1mm will take hours (IME), and will probably make a mess of the detailing since it will start to eat sideways as well as down. Might work with a very simple, large, crude design...

[jolly1423]

Well, if I could protect the rest of it some crude sideways etching could look cool. I want to get a nasty fossil look with a black silver vein powder coat behind it. I'm just going to have to experiment. For the lettering I want it to look clean like a typical etch, so I'll do the standard soak then clean it up and mask off those areas before doing a long soak on the middle design. What do you think would be the best thing to mask the rest with to hold up to the long soak time? Masking tape? Nail polish?

[merlinb]

I've never tried leaving it that long, but nail polish is pretty darn tough...

[deadastronaut]

steel?.. that computer case stuff is solid...i wouldn't think it would touch it...

stick with aluminium...if you can get that 1mm thin i think it might just go through, but a very strong solution and kept warm too....

but like merlin said it may eat it sideways too and ruin your lettering......try a test piece!...

[jolly1423]

Yeah, I'll go with aluminum. And the lettering is a ways away, even if it ate 2mm sideways it won't reach it. What's the standard strength?