Etched enclosures

[lmorse]

I am having issues with getting a good toner transfer on an enclosure.

I have created 2 boxes previously with great results. However I am having little success with the current enclosure...

• I spent a long time sanding the box down with 220 grit
• I cleaned the enclosure with acetone and water and soap
• I have tried 5 different kind of papers (photo paper and the backing of sticky labels)
• I have tried ironing for between 14-30 minutes
• I have tried various combinations of the above, sanding down after each unsuccessful attempt, sometime wiping with acetone, sometimes only soap and water, sometimes just a clean rag
• I am using the same batch of toner as the last enclosures

Results have been patchy. What toner does transfer can easily be scratched off with a fingernail. The last one I did for 30 minutes and the transfer was worse than one, using the same paper, for 22 minutes.

I was wondering has anyone had issues with too much preparation of the box, or keeping it under the iron for too long? Or maybe this box has something in the aluminium that is preventing good transfer?

Does anyone have any other suggestions? I have been at this one enclosure for 2 days now trying to get a good transfer.  

[lmorse]

ooops, sorry all, just realised this is the Pictures thread, wrong place.

[deadastronaut]

i never understand why people iron for ages..

the box gets f...g hot real quick, and the toner melts really quick too..

i place my transfer down, put an iron on it and leave it for 10-15 seconds (to bond so it wont move) ,

then.. i start to move the flat iron over the surface.....then i use the tip of the iron over

edges, and criss cross the whole thing....couple of more flat iron sweeps...done..

leave box to cool a little, then peel off whilst still warm...clean image. sorted..

all in all about 2-3 mins max from start to fin..(once iron is hot )

maybe your toner cartridge is running out?...and becoming thinner..maybe!.

[Filip]

This is my very first build, my very first etch and my very first reversed etch.

I read about a technique using painters tape to cover up the area that I did not want to etch. So I covered the top of the pedal with tape and started cutting out my flash with a scalpel. It survived the etch really well but when I took of the tape I realized I had cut so deep with the scalpel the lines showed through. I thought it looked kind of nice so I went with it and here it is now.

[lmorse]

Looks cool

[hylandren]

I am having issues with getting a good toner transfer on an enclosure.

I have created 2 boxes previously with great results. However I am having little success with the current enclosure...

• I spent a long time sanding the box down with 220 grit
• I cleaned the enclosure with acetone and water and soap
• I have tried 5 different kind of papers (photo paper and the backing of sticky labels)
• I have tried ironing for between 14-30 minutes
• I have tried various combinations of the above, sanding down after each unsuccessful attempt, sometime wiping with acetone, sometimes only soap and water, sometimes just a clean rag
• I am using the same batch of toner as the last enclosures

Results have been patchy. What toner does transfer can easily be scratched off with a fingernail. The last one I did for 30 minutes and the transfer was worse than one, using the same paper, for 22 minutes.
I was wondering has anyone had issues with too much preparation of the box, or keeping it under the iron for too long? Or maybe this box has something in the aluminium that is preventing good transfer?
Does anyone have any other suggestions? I have been at this one enclosure for 2 days now trying to get a good transfer. 

I agree that ironing that long may be causing a significant number of problems.
I had a lot of the same issues you are having until I stopped using PNP blue and did two things:

1. I switched to this guy's methods: http://music.codydeschenes.com/?page_id=2035
I instantly started getting cleaner etches and sharper lines with the presentation paper he recommends. The paper is cheap, easy to get, and once in place almost bullet proof! As per the recommendation in his tutorial, I sanded with a scotchbrite type of pad, and the resist stayed in place! Seriously.

2. I go over everything I don't want to be etched with nail enamel. I can't stand even small accidental etching pits, and using the nail enamel has pretty much eliminated them for me. 
Hope this helps.

[glops]

Don't think I'm going to paint this baby....

[bloxstompboxes]

Beautiful. How did you get the texture on that?

[glops]

The texture in the etched areas most likely are from doing the etches withe the enclosure face up. I pour the acid on top and then spread it with a chip brush. I do this several times so its basically etching unevenly where different parts of the enclosure are getting burned longer. At least I think that's what's going on...

[deadastronaut]

Cool. Looks like. A luna surface...

Unpainted etches do have a certain industrial charm....

[italianguy63]

My .02..

I use DA's ironing technique too.  Works for me.

I use HP brand presentation paper.  Cheap-- works well.  Releases easy with water.

I go over everything with a paint pencil (instead of nail polish)-- The paint pencils come in different shaped tips, so you can do big areas or really tight areas depending on the tip you use.  Keeps the "shadows" way down.  Worth the extra effort and expense.  I tape over the big areas with blue masking tape.

I think if you go into an image correction software package-- you can select "gamma correction" and it will darken the darks-- hence dump MORE TONER.  I make sure the blacks are really black and not just dark grey in the image file.

MC

[hylandren]

I think if you go into an image correction software package-- you can select "gamma correction" and it will darken the darks-- hence dump MORE TONER.  I make sure the blacks are really black and not just dark grey in the image file.

Yes n Self Destroyer's etching tutorial, he says to print at the highest density possible. IMHO, that is uber important.

[Pettol]

 

Don't think I'm going to paint this baby....

No! You should leave it right there. Very cool.

[glops]

Don't think I'm going to paint this baby....

No! You should leave it right there. Very cool.

Definitely, not painting it! Thanks, dudes.

[iq01221]

Zombie chorus, I hope U like it:

Guts:

Post-etching:

[Trippy Demon]

After some failures I didn't do etching for a while until Deadastronaut mentioned not to iron for too long... So done that and much tighter etches, just need to put more work in sanding the top smoothly, but I also like the roughness the etch gets from the scratches from lazy sanding...

[thomasha]

hi guys,
my newest etch:

Now, let's paint it!
Thomas

[edy_wheazel]

 Triple Wreck

[bluebunny]

my newest etch:

Etch??  It looks like it's hand-carved by pixies!      Lovely work.

[duck_arse]

chased by an aztec? too much.