[Tutorial] Making a Multicolor Etching!

[station]

Wow Slade, You're an inspiration. Can't wait to try out your techniques.

[Hupla]

one more question slade, or anyone who knows the answer, what exactly is the difference betwern wet and dry sandpaper? Does wet sandpaper just have less grit?

[ThomasD]

Wet-to-dry sandpaper is bult so that it can be used when wet (to lubricate and prevent loading.)  It also works when dry, but often not as well.

Dry sandpaper may not withstand getting wet (either the backing disintegrating or the adhesive holding the abrasive failing).  Dry sandpaper may also have lubricants intended for specific uses, eg. stereated paper.  But these lubricants may then intefere with certain finishes (stereates are essentially fatty acids (wax like substances) and are known to foul up water based lacquers.)

[Hupla]

Wet-to-dry sandpaper is bult so that it can be used when wet (to lubricate and prevent loading.)  It also works when dry, but often not as well.

Dry sandpaper may not withstand getting wet (either the backing disintegrating or the adhesive holding the abrasive failing).  Dry sandpaper may also have lubricants intended for specific uses, eg. stereated paper.  But these lubricants may then intefere with certain finishes (stereates are essentially fatty acids (wax like substances) and are known to foul up water based lacquers.)

Ah it all makes sense now. Thanks. Now off to etch

[Slade]

Wet-to-dry sandpaper is bult so that it can be used when wet (to lubricate and prevent loading.)  It also works when dry, but often not as well.

Dry sandpaper may not withstand getting wet (either the backing disintegrating or the adhesive holding the abrasive failing).  Dry sandpaper may also have lubricants intended for specific uses, eg. stereated paper.  But these lubricants may then intefere with certain finishes (stereates are essentially fatty acids (wax like substances) and are known to foul up water based lacquers.)

Thanks for writing that clarification  .
Hupla, when you watersand the enclosure, the water must be flowing over the surface so it drags all the metal and sandpaper rests, leaving the surface clean and soft for the etching work.

[G. Hoffman]

Wet-to-dry sandpaper is bult so that it can be used when wet (to lubricate and prevent loading.)  It also works when dry, but often not as well.

Dry sandpaper may not withstand getting wet (either the backing disintegrating or the adhesive holding the abrasive failing).  Dry sandpaper may also have lubricants intended for specific uses, eg. stereated paper.  But these lubricants may then intefere with certain finishes (stereates are essentially fatty acids (wax like substances) and are known to foul up water based lacquers.)

Thanks for writing that clarification  .
Hupla, when you watersand the enclosure, the water must be flowing over the surface so it drags all the metal and sandpaper rests, leaving the surface clean and soft for the etching work.

Adding a couple drops of dish soap to your water will keep the sand paper from getting clogged up too quickly as well.


Gabriel

[Hupla]

thanks guys. Im hoping to etch 2moro so well see how well your techniques translate then. if all goes well i should have some pictures up 2moro

[456or7strings]

Fernando:

What do you recommend to use as an etchant?

(And thanks for the tutorial - your work is an inspiration!)

- Art

[Slade]

Thanks, Art.
I use ferric perchloride, but I think any of the same etchants you use for the PCBs will do the job, maybe at different exposition times.
Greetings.

[Hupla]

Thanks, Art.
I use ferric perchloride, but I think any of the same etchants you use for the PCBs will do the job, maybe at different exposition times.
Greetings.

Hey Slade. I tried my first toner transfer just now. It didnt work out so great the first time. My paper is different to yours. The back melts alot so i put some paper over it and when i go to peel it, it doesnt come off like yours. I have to woke it and peel the paper off with my nail, and then all i have left is the toner.

On my first go too much tone didnt transfer so i sanded it and had another go. The first time i forgo the cleaning with the lighter fluid but not the second time.

I also left it for longer this time and it looks like it might be a success. *fingers Crossed* Im letting it soak now so the paper comes off easier.

Ill continue this post somewhere else if you dont want all of this in your thread. Just let me know.

Thanks again slade.

[Slade]

Ill continue this post somewhere else if you dont want all of this in your thread. Just let me know.

Thanks again slade.

Just keep on posting here, so we all will know how that's going and if you have more questions you can ask here 

Greetings.

[Hupla]

Just thought I would show you how the etching went for me slade.

This is after the toner transfer. The photo paper I used left behind some lining which covered the parts without toner aswell.


So i had to scrape it all away. Its a step I'd like to get rid of ha


Turns out the ferric chloride etch's away the lining that was left over but very slowly so it still needs to be scraped away.
This is how it turned out.


And here it is painted and with holes drilled


And Here she is all finished.


Thanks very much for your tutorial. I wanted to show these pictures an example of how following it can give you a great looking pedal (to my eyes anyway ha)

And there are more pictures if anyone is interested http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/diyuser/hupla/

( I apologies, im excited its my first build )

[Slade]

Wow!!!!
Really nice first etching!!!! Congratulations, Hupla, just keep on working on your techniques, suddenly you'll find the way that suits better for you
Thanks for showing your work to us.

Regards,

Fernando.-

[Hupla]

Wow!!!!
Really nice first etching!!!! Congratulations, Hupla, just keep on working on your techniques, suddenly you'll find the way that suits better for you
Thanks for showing your work to us.

Regards,

Fernando.-

No problem slade. Thanks for gettin me started on this. I think etching looks the best.

[glenn.b]

Sure wish I could view this with an iPhone !

[Hupla]

Sure wish I could view this with an iPhone !

You cant? I can view these pics on my phone and its alot worse than an iphone

[glenn.b]

Forgive me, I was not clear.  What I meant was I'd like to view the whole tutorial on one of the sites listed here, but for some reason cannot navigate there/ download this file onto my iPhone .  As far as pics go, these ones on this post all look great on my phone.

[Hupla]

Forgive me, I was not clear.  What I meant was I'd like to view the whole tutorial on one of the sites listed here, but for some reason cannot navigate there/ download this file onto my iPhone .  As far as pics go, these ones on this post all look great on my phone.

Oh right im sorry. Well it is a PDF file. Can I phone's open PDF files?

[deadastronaut]

man that work is cool.....love it...
could i use actetate  on an eddystone die cast box?...
they seem a bit cheaper quality than the hammonds....

ive been doing my pcbs with clear acetate and they come out really well...no paper to rub off etc...

also i use the white clear ferric chloride instead of the brown..will this be ok...?

excellent work man..really inspiring.......lets see some more pedal porn pics!....ha ha..

rob. uk.

[G. Hoffman]

also i use the white clear ferric chloride instead of the brown..will this be ok...?

That's probably not Ferric Chloride, then, but some other etching chemical.  Ammonium Persulfate or some such.

At a guess, any toner transfer method would work.  I tried it with Press n' Peel Blue, and it worked fine.  The one thing I did find is that, when you fill any holes in your toner transfer you might have, you need to be more careful about how you fill them.  On circuit boards I use a Sharpie (permanent marker) and it works great.  The same is was not true etching a 1590BB.  I've got no idea why the difference.  You could try a clear nail polish or something - I'm guessing that would work.  However, to save a bit of time, I covered the sides of my box with a good clear packing tape, which worked great!


Gabriel