I have the jist of etching now

tramcar trev

tramcar trev

all manner of mechanical apparatus...
If I were an immodest chap I'd say I may have mastered etching but its just been a bit of trial and error and a lot of photo resist film experimented with.... but the main trap I have found is the exposure time, 3 mins is what I used for these little plates, if you expose for the reccomended 5 -7 mind the film under the black part of the artwork semi exposes and is very hard to remove during developing and tends to also remove some of the fine detail.
These came out quite nicely though, ( about an hour in ferric chloride = 10 though depth) even the flourish at the bottom is great. I'm going to design a builders plate to put on my trams now - just have to rip off a suitable design and modifiy it :rolf::rolf::rolf:
Bluddy hard things to photograph though.....

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I reckon the're damn good:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
 
PaulRhB said:
Very nice Trev, what size are they? I guess it's brass sheet rather than pcb by the look of it.
A how to would be interesting too if you have time, been a few years since I did hand etching for pcb's at school :)
Click to expand...

See ETCHED PARTS in painting, weathering & lining. It took ages to find - I wish there was a search facility - It's Ross' post but Trev has a detailed reply on how to:thumbup:
 
Really good Trev. Any chance you could do an idiot's guide for people like me?

Rik
 
Yep, done though I refer to the inexperienced as amateurs rather than idiots. I did use brass sheet... have a look here: http://trevs-tramway.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/etching-for-amateurs.html and here; http://www.gscalecentral.net/tm?m=206268&high=etch

Sizes etc will become apparent....around postage stamp size....

I did this out of necessity rather than cost, plus the fact that it gives me the capability to make all manner of signs and plates etc. For my next trick I'm going to try making filled enamel tram stop signs using red, white and black enamel to fill the background of etched tram stop signs. Cloisonne I believe the techniques is called...... I made DIY decals but unless you have access to UV resistant ink they fade in a few sunny days.
 
Another tip; I thought I could expidite the artwork production by simply creating a B&W image but you really do have to go thru the step of creating a monochrome bitmap (using "Paint"). If you don't then the area that you want clear will actually print out as very pale grey and you want as clear as possible on your transparencies especially when fine detail is involved.

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this is a straight JPG file note its grey background

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this is a monochrome bit map - clear background. Both are flipped or mirrored images to allow the "emulsion" side to be closest to the photo resist.....
 
You've reminded me I really must get back to finishing the etchings I was making for an N gauge project I started a few years ago! Same sort of technique although I was using "iron-on" style resist film rather than photo-resist.
 
The resist I am using has 3 layers, an outer layer each face that is a clear film... the inner layer is the resist layer.... I apply it using a laminator... rest 10 mins, expose, rest 10mins the peel off the outer film and develop ( I have tried developing with the clear film intact) this stuff is negative resist, ie the area exposed to light stays on the film while the unexposed is developed off.... I have liquid that is positive resist..... for complex work I will have to use both....
both from eBay ; http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10-Photo...tronics_R2&hash=item3a6e57718d#ht_6902wt_1330

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Photores...128?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item46034ffba0
Simple nameplates etc are easy peasy using this gear.....
 
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