Acid Etching Sheet Metal

The type of metal you are etching will determine which type of chemical bath you should use.

Acid etching sheet metal. You can use several types of acid to etch on a metal surface. Knives metal ornaments and tools are just a few objects you could etch using this technique. It s a great chance to be creative with different shapes and writing and transferring it onto whatever metal objects you want. Metal etching is an awesome technique that carefully removes the top layers of metal to create a visible shape.

An artist might use acid etching to cut sheet metal. You can etch stainless steel mild steel or high carbon steel. It is used for both industrial and artistic purposes. You can leave the burrs on the other side if you re etching a steel plate step 3 scrub the steel.

Copper can be etched with ferric chloride mixed in water to form weak hydrochloric acid. Choose the acid you want to etch the steel with. What kind of acid is used to etch metal. If you are etching steel dilute the acid 1 part to 3 parts of distilled water i used water for car batteries.

Stick the metal onto a length of tape face side up duh. File away any burrs on the side of the steel you plan to etch with acid. The strength of the acid generally determines how quickly the steel will be etched the stronger the acid the faster the process. Acid etching is a process that uses a strong acid to cut into another substance.

Materials your acid this will be determined by the type of metal you are etching though we generally recommend you use ferric. Mix with water at a 1 1 ratio. Immerse in etchant next you etch the. For example steel can be etched with hydrochloric acid nitric acid or sulfuric acid.

Ferric chloride works best on copper brass and nickel silver and stainless steel. These chemical compound work faster than acids. Chemicals that form acid in water such as ferric iron chloride or copper sulfate can also be used as etching chemicals. Which type of steel you etch will determine the best acid or chemical to use to etch it with step 2 remove any burrs on the edges of the steel.

Copper sulfate best for mild steels. Step 1 choose the type of steel you want to etch. There are also other chemicals that form acid in water such as copper sulfate cuso4 and ferric chloride fecl3. Either method keeps the acid from etching the edges.

Immerse the object in a container bath of the acid. Certain non acids that form acid in water such as ferric chloride fecl3 or copper sulfate cuso4 can also be used as etching chemicals. Apply maskant during this step you apply a masking agent to the workpiece in a predetermined pattern. Label it as you can use it numerous times.

Possible acids include muriatic hydrochloric acid hcl nitric acid hno3 or sulfuric acid h2so4. Use a chlorine cleanser on an abrasive sponge a wire brush. Mix it with. Clean surface before doing anything else you need to clean the etching surface with a deoxidizing or alkaline.