etched aluminium enclosure - ideas for filling the holes?

[darron]

i've seen a lot of awesome pedal posts here. some of my favourites have been for the etched boxes, so i decided to try one for myself!

i used pnp blue, and ferric chloride to etch a box (mxr type, bought from jaycar electronics). sanding was done with 300, 600, then steel wool. i cleaned the box with a bit of metho.

i don't want to submit the layout i made, but i drew a vector image in flash. this is just a true bypass box. the detail i got was fantastic:



there were a couple places where it didn't stick, but i covered these up with an etch resistant pen.

now, i know my design at the moment looks like a crappy rip-off of www.moollon.com 's style. that's what i'm after (,but less crappy in the future i hope)! by the way, there eye on the dragon looks crappy because that's where the led will go (:

i want to somehow stain or spray the engraved area and leave the rest with a shiney finish. does anyone have any ideas how to do this? i'm thinking if nobody can suggest something, then next time i will just use thinner lines...

thanks for any ideas in advance (:
p.s., i'd be VERY interested to see anyone else's new work, perhaps done in different styles.

[robbiemcm]

That is just stunning, good job..

[birt]

well i used to print etches so i'll tell you how that is done, maybe it can help.

normally you use ink made for that purpose and smear it all over the drawing. than you scrape it of with a straight piece of hard cardboard. after that you use loads of pieces of phonebook paper to wipe the etching as clean as possible. you do this as flat as possible so you don't get the ink out of the traces but the area around is shiny again. this gives you a beautiful black and silver (alu) drawing. this process is easier if the metal is quite warm. normally at this point you would print the drawing but in your case you just cover it with a clear coat.

the problem is that the ink is really greasy so the clear coat wouldn't stick. i don't really know how to solve that but i'm sure someone can find a solution to this problem. i hope i helped a bit.

(this is an etching of david bowie i made a few years ago: http://users.pandora.be/vandijckheffen/bert/bowie-ets.jpg , i've got better ones but they are not online)

[darron]

well i used to print etches so i'll tell you how that is done, maybe it can help.

normally you use ink made for that purpose and smear it all over the drawing. than you scrape it of with a straight piece of hard cardboard. after that you use loads of pieces of phonebook paper to wipe the etching as clean as possible. you do this as flat as possible so you don't get the ink out of the traces but the area around is shiny again. this gives you a beautiful black and silver (alu) drawing. this process is easier if the metal is quite warm. normally at this point you would print the drawing but in your case you just cover it with a clear coat.

the problem is that the ink is really greasy so the clear coat wouldn't stick. i don't really know how to solve that but i'm sure someone can find a solution to this problem. i hope i helped a bit.

(this is an etching of david bowie i made a few years ago: http://users.pandora.be/vandijckheffen/bert/bowie-ets.jpg , i've got better ones but they are not online)

hey. that bowie etching is interesting! it's hard to see the actual metal underneath it, but i like how you sort of did a photo using lines. thanks for the ink idea, that might stain it nicely (:

i tried a paint that was recomended to me by the guy at the local hardware who suggested what you did. i took it home a nd tried it, realising that the paint had no chance of sticing to the aluminium. it was a water based acrylic! how stupid of me to just trust him.

any ideas of what the ink may be called or a generic name?

thanks heaps (:
you have been very helpful!

[Quackzed]

you could try metal paint, then wipe/scrape it off and wet sand when it's dry... or maybee some sort of primer... ink seems perfect excepting that paint won't adhere to it...

[gez]

Car body-filler.  It shrinks if I recall, so it would need to be slightly proud.  Once dry, machine sand (with lung protection).

[darron]

Car body-filler.  It shrinks if I recall, so it would need to be slightly proud.  Once dry, machine sand (with lung protection).

body filler! another fantastic idea! thanks! i was thinking along hte lines of automobiles, i was going to try engine spray, since it's sort of an etching priming spray. i'll give tht a shot also, along with the ink.

other than that i was thinking of running a lighter along it and blackening it (not a smoke free lighter) and wipe the surface. this didn't seem a good idea for doing pedals in large uanities though.

thanks for the ideas so far guys!

[markm]

 
look here perhaps.....
http://aronnelson.com/gallery/album24

[stm]

Congratulations, looks really good.

I have two questions regarding the etchimg method:

1) Did you submerge the enclosure in ferrich chloride, or did you apply the etchant locally (with a cotton or something like this)
2) How long did it take to etch? I know this depends on the etchant temperature and how fresh or weak its, but nevertheless an idea of longer, the same or less than etching a PCB would be helpful.

Cheers.

[birt]

well i used to print etches so i'll tell you how that is done, maybe it can help.

normally you use ink made for that purpose and smear it all over the drawing. than you scrape it of with a straight piece of hard cardboard. after that you use loads of pieces of phonebook paper to wipe the etching as clean as possible. you do this as flat as possible so you don't get the ink out of the traces but the area around is shiny again. this gives you a beautiful black and silver (alu) drawing. this process is easier if the metal is quite warm. normally at this point you would print the drawing but in your case you just cover it with a clear coat.

the problem is that the ink is really greasy so the clear coat wouldn't stick. i don't really know how to solve that but i'm sure someone can find a solution to this problem. i hope i helped a bit.

(this is an etching of david bowie i made a few years ago: http://users.pandora.be/vandijckheffen/bert/bowie-ets.jpg , i've got better ones but they are not online)

hey. that bowie etching is interesting! it's hard to see the actual metal underneath it, but i like how you sort of did a photo using lines. thanks for the ink idea, that might stain it nicely (:

i tried a paint that was recomended to me by the guy at the local hardware who suggested what you did. i took it home a nd tried it, realising that the paint had no chance of sticing to the aluminium. it was a water based acrylic! how stupid of me to just trust him.

any ideas of what the ink may be called or a generic name?

thanks heaps (:
you have been very helpful!

that bowie etch is a print

i've got a can of etching inks but it just says Graphic ink black :p

[darron]

look here perhaps.....
http://aronnelson.com/gallery/album24

i've seen this pedal before, but i always sort of assumed that the dull grey (maybe it's black in life?) backing was jsut a result of taining from the FC.. this is pretty much what i originally had in mind. i sanded the enclosure down with a block before etching to make sure its flat to sand further later. the pedal appears to be sprayed with a silver colour? is that a primer or a paint that will tone later? i don't really know much about paints.

thanks for the link. it's got to be one of the best tutorials that i've ever seen. i might make a photo-tut myself when this is all complete (:

Congratulations, looks really good.

I have two questions regarding the etchimg method:

1) Did you submerge the enclosure in ferrich chloride, or did you apply the etchant locally (with a cotton or something like this)
2) How long did it take to etch? I know this depends on the etchant temperature and how fresh or weak its, but nevertheless an idea of longer, the same or less than etching a PCB would be helpful.

Cheers.

you are right, i failed to mention what i did! i mixed the FC from a powder; about 50/50 by volume, not weight. you'd probably get better results if you mix it more precise. i used a ear bud clearner thing (cue tip in usa i think?) to apply it. the process actually took me about 2 hours since i didn't just submerge it and let it adgitate. i had about 4 reapplications in total, though i constantly applied a little bit more every 10 mins or so and smudged it around a bit. i mixed the sollution with cold water, though it got very hot very quickly once mixed! this was my first experience with the etchant. i know 2 hours seems like a long time, but these grooves are DEEP! especially compared to the thin layer of copper that you would wipe off a pcb.

sadly, the photo isn't a good portrayal of my results. the flash showed up every little imperfection from the etching and my brushed finish (omni directional). hopefully i'll have some good results after i try some new techniques in colouring

[markm]

look here perhaps.....
http://aronnelson.com/gallery/album24

i've seen this pedal before, but i always sort of assumed that the dull grey (maybe it's black in life?) backing was jsut a result of taining from the FC.. this is pretty much what i originally had in mind. i sanded the enclosure down with a block before etching to make sure its flat to sand further later. the pedal appears to be sprayed with a silver colour? is that a primer or a paint that will tone later? i don't really know much about paints.

thanks for the link. it's got to be one of the best tutorials that i've ever seen. i might make a photo-tut myself when this is all complete (:

Which pedal are you referring to here?

[$uperpuma]

yeah I'd say hand paint the etched areas then sand it down to where the paint is only left in the grooves... Mark's Tutorial is te besst around for all things etched...

[disto]

wow thats looking good!!!

im not sure if anyone else has thought of this but rubbing in paint and careful wiping of the excess should leave paint in the etched area but not on the smooth area, perhaps leaving it to dry a while (but not fully)! dont quote me on this i have never seen an etched pedal or tried etching, but if there is enough of a recess in the etched area paint should be left.

[Connoisseur of Distortion]

all of my attempts at etching enclosures have been pretty lame. i use photo paper transfers, though, and need a ton of heat to make it work. unfortunately, heat is not the best method for aluminum boxes!

might need to buy some PnP... but i hate waiting for stuff! 

[markm]

wow thats looking good!!!

im not sure if anyone else has thought of this but rubbing in paint and careful wiping of the excess should leave paint in the etched area but not on the smooth area, perhaps leaving it to dry a while (but not fully)! dont quote me on this i have never seen an etched pedal or tried etching, but if there is enough of a recess in the etched area paint should be left.

I don't have too much faith in that working all that well.
If the box is sanded flat AND the etched portions are cleaned well (i.e. all corroded aluminum is cleaned from the etch portion with a toohbrush or soft wire brush) any paint you put on it will stick better in the etch rather than right to the top AND provided you do not use too aggressive a paper (600 grit and up), chances are, things will be fine and dandy. The top will clean up nice and the etch will be left happily full of color!
I don't think ink will have the same resistance to the outside elements as paint will but, I'm a paint kinda guy anyway.

[darron]

wow thats looking good!!!

im not sure if anyone else has thought of this but rubbing in paint and careful wiping of the excess should leave paint in the etched area but not on the smooth area, perhaps leaving it to dry a while (but not fully)! dont quote me on this i have never seen an etched pedal or tried etching, but if there is enough of a recess in the etched area paint should be left.

that was the first thing that was suggested to me. no such luck. first i tried with a rag, then with a soft sponge to wipe the excess as smoothly as i could, but it would just begin taking in the areas that i needed painted before it got all of the sruface reasonable clean (even if i were to sand it later).

all of my attempts at etching enclosures have been pretty lame. i use photo paper transfers, though, and need a ton of heat to make it work. unfortunately, heat is not the best method for aluminum boxes!

might need to buy some PnP... but i hate waiting for stuff! 

this is actually my first experience with pnp blue. before hand i was using an etch resist pen for personal stuff, and actually getting horrible results!
as for heat, it took me about 6 shots to get that right! and even the final result was a bit stuffed up and needed touch ups. take a look at the 'c' in where it says 'effects loop' and one of the scales towards the top. all the other little blemishes where it was etched was where the pnp didn't transfer and i used a pen. i like the idea now though of doing the transfer and masking it later with a paint and/or tape. i've purchased a bottle of crafts acrylic which should survive an etch i hope (: also i have some electrical tape.

ohh yeah, back to etching. i tried varying temperatures. i found that too hot and hte pnp would bubble really badly. too cold and it just wouldn't transfer! i couldn't find a nice temp in the middle ): ... so. towards the end i'd wait for the iron to cool down, and begin with it at as close to room temperature as possible. begin the ironing and turn the dial to the max. keep applying pressure and the pnp will reach the hottest it can get, but because it was done gradually it won't bubble at all. has anybody else thought of this? is there a better way perhaps? i didn't use paper between the iron and the pnp blue towards the end.

[Unbeliever]

That looks so good I'll forgive you for using confusing smilies that are around the wrong way.

[darron]

That looks so good I'll forgive you for using confusing smilies that are around the wrong way.

ohh!! lol. that's a habbit that i got into around about the time that msn introduced the emoticons... i didn't want a cheap microsoft image representing my geeky ascii smile

[darron]

alright! some results (: (don't we all love seeing the actual pictures?)



i used a spray designed to spray aluminium/steel wheels without a primer. i'm actually happy with the results. the black faded out at the top near the nose and down the bottom, but i expected that before hand since it wasn't etched deep enough. i suspect that this was because i used a dabbing method rather than bathing the box. i may end up using 3mm leds also rather than 5mm.

thanks for your suggestions guys! now i have a better idea for optimum placement of the switch to accomodate a battery, and how large to make that ring around the switch. i'll try another box   in baithing and put osme pics up