DIY copper etching tutorial

rings-things.com /blog/2011/12/28/diy-copper-etching-tutorial/ It is easy to etch your own designs into metal f or jewelry. T his tutorial will teach you how! (Check out our etching kit too!) Bef ore you begin, please read the saf ety considerations f or etching metal with chemicals blog post. Youll also probably want to read the design considerations f or etching metal blog post too! Now, here are the steps f or etching metal with f erric chloride: 1. Choose your metal(s). Ferric chloride works on copper, brass and nickel silver. It will not work on actual silver (f ine or sterling). Do NOT use f erric chloride on aluminum. Metal as thin as 24-gauge can be Rub b e r s tamp d e s ig ns e tc he d into b ras s s he e t me tal. etched just leave it in f or less time than you would f or thicker metal. If you want to etch both sides or etch really deeply, use at least 20-gauge metal. 2. Clean metal with Penny Brite (our f avorite) or an abrasive cleaner and scrubbie. T he metal must be very clean. Water will sheet of f (not bead up) on the surf ace when it is truly clean. 3. Apply resist. Stazon ink, Sharpies, toner transf ers there are many options! (Read the design considerations.) 4. Cover all areas that

4. Cover all areas that should not be etched with ink or durable tape. T his includes the back, sides and inside any holes. 5. Pour 3/4 1 of etchant into a nonreactive container (glass or plastic). If you are etching more than one type of metal, use a separate container f or each. If desired, add a teaspoon of citric acid to boost the etching action. 6. Attach metal to a styrof oam f loat boat and place in etchant. Suspending the metal into the bath with tape is another option. Just make sure the metal is submerged yet isnt touching the bottom of the container. 7. Allow to f loat f or 3090 minutes, depending on depth of etch desired. Nickel silver tends to take longer than copper or brass because it contains just 65% copper. (T he rest is nickel and zinc.)

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8. Scrub metal clean in a tub of water. Use baking soda to neutralize the acid if desired. Some people use a weak ammonia bath to really make sure the acid is removed. Cleaning all the etchant of f is important, as it will stain. T hats it! Youll probably want to patina the metal with liver of sulf ur or another oxidizer to really bring out the def inition in your design. Ferric chloride can be reused several times. Once it is exhausted (typically af ter about 3 uses), consult your local waste management system f or guidance on disposing of it. Happy creating! Use the print f riendly option to print these instructions with or without pictures! Questions are always welcome too. ~ Cindy

Editors Addendum: Many people have asked Where do you find these supplies? So here is a linked list of sheet metal and etching supplies: 66 copper sheet 6 strips of copper sheet f or etching, stamping, riveting, etc. Copper washers 66 brass sheet 6 strips of brass sheet f or etching, stamping, riveting, etc. Solid brass bracelets great

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bracelets great f or etching or otherwise embellishing 66 nickel sheet 6 strips of nickel sheet f or etching, stamping, riveting, etc. Ferric Chloride Roof ers use 19- to 27gauge copper sheet, but surprisingly the prices f rom most roof ing supply places are higher than our prices. Fortunately, you can of ten f ind lef t-over roof ing scrap at a local recycler, like Earthworks Recycling. T he size of reclaimed copper scrap can be random, so bring a measuring gauge and gauge conversion chart to make sure you get the size of scrap or remnants you want, such as 20-, 22- or 24gauge. For more tips about etched copper, brass or nickel jewelry: Various designers at Rings & T hings have etched jewelry designs

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