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I wanted to make a nice handsome label plate for the Jacob's Ladder, so I decided to experiment with brass etching. Basically, I followed the steps outlined here except I used PCB etching fluid (ferric chloride) instead of doing it electrolytically, since I had a bunch on hand.
First I designed the plate using OpenOffice Draw, remembering that the dark places here will be the raised, shiny sections after etching. Also, I finally remembered to reverse the damned text. This was then printed on a laser printer onto ink jet glossy photo paper. Why? Cause that's what the internet brain trust has figured out works best. This was placed pigment down onto the brass plate and ironed at a very high temperature for a minute or two. After that, it was soaked in water and the paper was carefully rubbed away, leaving just the pigment stuck onto the brass.
The plate was put into the ferric chloride to etch. I did this in a double-boiler type arrangement to speed up the process, stopping by to swish it around regularly.
After etching, the pigment was scrubbed off, leaving this. The level of detail was excellent.
I then cut out the plate using my jeweler's saw, and spray painted it black. After that dried, I very carefully sanded the surface with some fine paper, to remove the paint on the raised, un-etched sections.
Handsome? It's goddamned spectacular. I'm very, very happy with it. Next time I'll make sure the etching is a bit deeper -- I suspect electrolytic really is the way to go if you're doing this a lot. But over all, it worked great. Absolutely worth the effort.
First I designed the plate using OpenOffice Draw, remembering that the dark places here will be the raised, shiny sections after etching. Also, I finally remembered to reverse the damned text. This was then printed on a laser printer onto ink jet glossy photo paper. Why? Cause that's what the internet brain trust has figured out works best. This was placed pigment down onto the brass plate and ironed at a very high temperature for a minute or two. After that, it was soaked in water and the paper was carefully rubbed away, leaving just the pigment stuck onto the brass.
The plate was put into the ferric chloride to etch. I did this in a double-boiler type arrangement to speed up the process, stopping by to swish it around regularly.
After etching, the pigment was scrubbed off, leaving this. The level of detail was excellent.
I then cut out the plate using my jeweler's saw, and spray painted it black. After that dried, I very carefully sanded the surface with some fine paper, to remove the paint on the raised, un-etched sections.
Handsome? It's goddamned spectacular. I'm very, very happy with it. Next time I'll make sure the etching is a bit deeper -- I suspect electrolytic really is the way to go if you're doing this a lot. But over all, it worked great. Absolutely worth the effort.
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I remember ad circulars being cited as especially good paper for this too (such as grocery store ads in the mail or newspaper).
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Also, did you receive my series of lengthly emails about that other thing?
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You might try liver of sulfur for the counterstain. It's what silversmiths use for chemically blackening recesses, but I don't know if it works on brass.
Man, that's *sweet*.
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