If you’re interested to know about metal etching then you’ve come to the right place. Here, you’ll know the basics of this process. You can consider this as an introductory course or metal etching 101. Etching describes a process where a design or pattern is cut into the surface of the metal with the use of chemicals.
There are many people who have turned etching into a hobby because it allows them to create their own designs. And because etching also has industrial uses, companies offering professional etchings services also exist. With someone who wants to take up etching as a hobby or someone who is looking for a company that does etching, it’ll be useful for you to understand the process.
If you’re planning to take up etching as a hobby, then you need to do it safely. Because it involves the use of chemicals, accidents can happen and you can potentially hurt yourself. It’s also recommended that you buy your own etching tools. These tools will allow you to do etching in a safe and effective manner.
You also need to know the types of metal that you can etch on. You need to make sure that the plate of metal you’ll work on is thick enough. It’s easy to work on a thick piece of metal and it will also hold the etched design well. Experts recommend using a metal sheet with a 22-gauge or thicker. You can either use copper, brass, or nickel silver blanks. You can easily get pre-cut sheets or metal blanks from metal etching supply stores.
The next thing that you need to do is to choose the right enchant. An enchant is a chemical that is used to cut on the unprotected part of the metal to produce a design. Different types of metal require different types of enchant. This is because the different types of metals react differently to chemicals. So you need to make sure that your metal and your enchant are compatible.
If you’re using brass, copper, or nickel silver then you need to use ferric chloride as your enchant. If you want to etch on fine or sterling silver, then you need to use a ferric nitrate solution or nitric acid. You need to keep in mind, however, that these two enchants are more dangerous than ferric chloride.
If you’re using aluminum then you’ll need Kellers etch or hydrofluoric acid. You can also use a homemade enchant made with copper sulfate and sodium bisulfate.
Last but not the least, you’ll also need a resist for metal etching. The resist is used to protect the part of the metal that you don’t want to cut but the enchant. It can come in the form of ink or tape. The resist is also used to apply the design that you want to appear on the metal. Then you need to dip the metal in the chemical bath. The parts covered by the resists will not be eaten away by the chemical. The areas covered by the resist will serve as the high point of the design.