[Jewelry making - Article 00443] - [Orchid] Dip n' Etch

[Sherry]

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    Continue from:
    [Orchid] Working with Titanium 
    http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive/200501/msg00342.htm

>      Someone on this thread mentioned hydrofluoric acid's use as a
>     glass etchant: If you're looking for a safe alternative, try Dip
>     n' Etch solution, which is sold through many bead and lampwork
>     suppliers (i.e., beadcats.com). It's reusable and relatively safe
>     (don't drink it), it smells like burning caramel, and it works
>     beautifully. I use it to create matte finishes on seed beads.  

    Folks, I have to take this topic up even though I usually just read.
    I have been making lampwork beads for 9 years and I etch a lot of
    them. I am working on an article for Lapidary Journal on this and in
    the process did a lot of research on Ammonium BiFlouride (Ammonium
    Hydrogen Flouride) which is what is in Dip-n-Etch. I also work with
    chemists, who were horrified to find that you can buy products like
    Dip-n-Etch at Michael's. HF acid will seep into your body and attach
    itself to calcium in any form it can find. That means if you spill
    it on your finger or are wearing a glove with a pinhole in the
    fingertip, it will seep in and DISSOLVE the bone in your finger. If
    you spill enough on you to cover the back of your hand, it can kill
    you. If it can't find enough calcium in the area of the spill, it
    will take enough of it from your system that your heart will stop -
    nerve synpases need calcium to communicate and without it, the
    nerves stop controlling things like your heartbeat. Go to google and
    do a  search on HydroFlouric Acid or Ammonium BiFlouride and read
    some of the horror stories! 

    Years ago the only glass etch product most lampwork suppliers
    carried was Jack Frost, and when Dip-n-Etch came out many
    lampworkers touted it as 'safer than Jack Frost'. This misconception
    is very dangerous and sadly perpetuated. 

    The precautions to take include wearing gloves, face shield, and
    long sleeves, if possible work under a hood, and next to a sink.
    Keep Calcium Gluconate gel on hand and apply to any area you have
    spilled Dip-n-Etch on, go directly to the emergency room. This gel
    can be purchased from Attard's Chemicals
    http://attminerals.com/other_items.htm 

    Always get a material data safety sheet for any chemical product you
    work with. If not from the manufacturer, then from a web site like
    http://www.astrochemicals.com/18018.htm - [this one is Ammonium
    BiFlouride MSDS info]. 

Sherry
www.SherryPloof.com

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