From what I have read Edinburgh etch needs to be kept warm while it does its thing.. What no one says is how to achieve this..any ideas George?
I use a sort of bain marie concocted from an old slow cooker with an inch or so of water on a keep warm setting, and then stand my etching solution in this. There are all sorts of interesting approaches using fish tank equipment (including bubblers and vibrating things) but I've never bothered as I'm too lazy to rig it all up!
Ahh.. I first went down the baby bottle warmer route, then the aquarium heater, then a vivarium heat mat..then my oversize (for 2 people) slow cooker. But couldn't figure out how to use it.. Brain too full of alternatives..lol so, what holds your etching solution, and what shape is it George? xxxx
Did I say how much I adore you..fount of all knowledge :)
It's just an old pyrex dish Fi. But I've also been known to use an recycled plastic takeaway container for smaller pieces, especially if I'm floating them.
Perfect George.. I have all of the above . tyvm sweet cheeks :)
I do a lot of etching (my main business is Custom Cool Etch, etched and patinated guitar scratchplates).
Lo - tech works for me every time :)
I use a hotplate set low with my etch solution in a pyrex dish (I have to use a ceramic/baking dish for larger plates).
I have tried various methods over the years - an aquarium heater and pump to agitate the solution, suspending the metal vertically etc, but this is my tried and tested method. I cover the plates with fablon, well burnished, and gaffer tape (not the cheap stuff) them onto polystyrene so they float. Every so often I push them around in the solution so the etched particles fall to the bottom, (I gave up on the pump and tubing as it's so messy, and the results didn't justify it).
I get a good clean etch nearly every time. If I'm doing small items I gaffer tape the polystyrene sticky side up and stick the items on directly, then float them.
A heated etch bath cuts the time down considerably - I can get a good etch on copper, bronze, brass and nickel in 15 - 20mins. Stainless steel etches even faster.
I keep separate solutions for each metal (although I do do copper and bronze together sometimes). Aluminium gets etched with a copper sulphate solution (ferric chloride causes an 'enthusiastic' exothermic reaction!)
Jane
Thanks for the info Jane..its something I've wanted to do for ages, but it always seems other stuff got in first.. Ferric and citric arriving tomorrow, but I'm the sort who likes a lot of info before I start :)
I did wonder about putting my ferric solution straight into my crock pot..then transferring it when cold into a plastic container for storage..could I use the crockpot for food afterwards?
I use a seconhand slow warmer from the charity shop. I also do a lot of etching. i would not use it for food afterwards. Keep it just for etching. Or a plasitic container like you get with a take away in and stand in a container of warm water.
Thank you all..I have successfully etched my first piece of copper! It was far easier and quicker than I thought possible, I like to get all my ducks in a row before I start new ventures and with your help I have :)
Im having great fun etching.. goodness only knows why it took me so long.. but I have anther question.. whats the best way to polish up etched copper...I have a dremel type thingy :)
I used to etch copper with ferric chloride about a million years ago to make electronics printed circuit boards, I'd seen all sorts of odd assemblies from a professional tank that was heated and had bubbles through it to keep the mixture stirred, but the best one was in my old physics teachers room; two photo developer trays, one smaller one inside a bigger one, the etch and board in the small one, then hot water from a kettle poured into the one around it. The small one was hooked up to a slow electric motor with an eccentric gear so it rocked it up and down slowly.
Best thing I found (and still find) for flat surfaces of copper is a rubber block with grit embedded in it, not too expensive either but can sometimes leave a pattern of lines so you might want to use this for quick cleaning then a finer grit and cloth for final polishing http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/abrasive-polishing-block-hx04e (http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/abrasive-polishing-block-hx04e)
Thanks Glenn
Done the rubber block thing.. husband is/was a cabinet maker so there are loads of used ones in the shed... need to get it shinier tho...
I'm not sure these are the same as cabinet ones or not ??? these ones also de-grease the surface ready to solder to, I used to get the copper very shiny with them as they are quite a fine texture too. Have you also tried pumice powder or rottenstone with a cloth and water?
I just use a bit of fine wire wool, or a medium to fine sanding pad. For jewellery I use a few of those abrasive wheels stacked together (I call them hedgehogs) on a flex shaft.
Jane
Thanks Janie. I've got some hedgehogs arriving and I'm doing the sandpaper/wire wool till they get here