Etching with salt water and electricity

[Geiri]

Instructions here

I tested this method and it friggin' works! I've been afraid of etching for a long time because it usually involves using chemicals and stuff that I'm not up to.

My method to mask the enclosure is to spray it black and use my laser engraver to engrave away the paint, exposing the metal, which will be etched. In my case, I'm using a solid state laser (as opposed to a Co2 laser) and it doesn't seem to do as a good job of taking the paint off perfectly so the etching results aren't perfect. Once I invest in a proper Co2 laser, I'll be able to get super clean masks, getting clean etching as well.
If you can do the same vinyl method as the instructions suggest, then that will work great as well.

I used a 12V 1A power supply that I had laying around and soldered the negative wire to a big nail. I then taped the positive wire to the inside of the enclosure. Since the enclosure is sprayed on the outside, I put it upside down to prevent the inside of the enclosure from etching as well.

Here are some sample photos:





So you can see the middle isn't as good because it didn't etch as well there (because of the paint).

Sorry the photos are upside down, I don't know why!

[Ciaran Haslett]

Geiri this is brilliant!!!

I can't/don't want to use chemicals either.  Working in a school and 2 young kids at home made etching a no go for me.  This on the other hand....

I wonder if you can still use permanent markers to touch up areas as seen in other etching methods?  And will suspending the enclosure off the bottom of the tub be any help.

I'm definitely trying this.  I've access to a Trotec Speedy 300 C02 cutter at work that I'm being trained on.  I'm all over this!!!

[Travis]

This is fantastic!! Instead of taping the wire to the enclosure, I would solder the wire to a 6-32 screw and then just screw that into the enclosures. Pretty much all of the enclosures use 6-32 screws, so you could probably reuse it over and over

[Beaker]

Hi Asgeir, good to see you back.

This is amazing! I now remember doing this in a science lesson when I was at school. Somehow I have managed to forget about it for forty years, so thank you for reminding me.

[Geiri]

Ciaran - I bet you a permanent marker will work! As long as the enclosure doesn't have holes, it'll stay afloat in the water

Travis - Good point and easy method, I'll try that next, thank you!

Beaker - Oh it's been a while since I posted anything here hah, I keep checking the site out every now and then though! This is kind of a fun experiment so I recommend trying it

[Marbles]

Too advanced for me :D
Good to see you're doing so well. My apologies to other builders from this site that I haven't discovered yet, but it's very motivating to see a fellow european from this forum displaying his stuff at Namm.

[pyreweb]

This is very interesting to see, and good to know that there is an alternative to the corrosive chemical option. How much do you think the process would damage the vinyl mask? If not a lot, do you think the same mask could be used again and again? For labels like Level and Tone, for example.

[Beaker]

My guess is no. Vinyl tends to stretch easily, and the glue on vinyl stickers is usually very stcky so peeling them off will probably stretch and distort the mask making it useless for re-use.

If you can source vinyl sheet with a low-tack glue though, it should be possible.

[rocket88]

using this method will not effect the vinyl at all.

this is a good alternative to doing an etch with either Ferric Chloride or Sodium Hydroxide. the think to keep in mind that its not the fastest method out there. the higher the voltage of the battery the faster it will etch, but do NOT touch the water you will get shocked.

i've done this before and it works great, and I'm going to try Sodium Hydroxide, but personally i prefer Ferric Chloride.

[Beaker]

I know that the etching process will not damage the vinyl in any way, but from my experience with the stuff, trying to peel it off and re-apply it will.