[Jewelry making - Article 00123] - Re: [Orchid] Etching detailed patterns

[Laura Wiesler]

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>         Hi David, Could you tell us your process- how you take your
>     laser copied type and transfer it onto the metal? Also, does this
>     work with an inkjet printer? Thank you! Best Regards, Kate Wolf in 
>     Portland, 

    Kate -- Just to add another voice to the mix -- this is the
    methodology I was taught, and while it's not something I do often (I
    don't do much etching), it worked for me:  (it's pretty low-tech,
    really) -- 

    1.   Use a laser printer to create the resist, as the toner is what
    does this job -- the kind that is the powdered toner that you don't
    want to get onto your clothes. 

    2.  If you are planning to use words or letters,  you will actually
    need a mirror image of the words that you want to etch (you can copy
    them onto a piece of acetate and then take this & turn over & use 
    with the original artwork you are going to use.) 

    3.   Clean your metal -- make sure there is no grease on the surface,
    or it will interfere with the resist sticking to the metal;  make
    sure that the last substance used will leave it with an alkaline
    surface  -- I believe paint thinner will do this for you. 

    4.  Print your artwork, using this laser printer on acetate -- and
    the most important is to make sure that there are NO fingerprints on
    the sheet anywhere -- otherwise they will show up on your etch.  (If
    you buy your acetate a sheet at a time from someplace like Staples or
    Office Depot, pick it from the middle, put it between sheets of paper
    or in a folder immediately, and only touch the corners with your
    fingertips.) 

    5.  To transfer the artwork from the acetate to your metal -- use an
    iron on the cotton / linen setting.  Use a burnisher to rub the
    acetate to ensure a good transfer.  I also use a small piece of
    masking tape at the top to keep the acetate in position on the metal
    until after I have determined that the transfer has worked properly. 
    After you iron the transfer on, let it cool before you take the
    acetate off.  You can lift it slowly, to make sure that you have
    gotten all of the powdered toner down, and re-heat it on the iron if
    you've found that it hasn't worked.  (I usually put the iron handle
    into a vise and use the ironing surface to put the metal on with the
    acetate on top.) 


Laura
lwiesler AT att.net 

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