AT LAST!

Hi All,
Sorry for background, but you needed to see the holes in the brass sheet.

So, after about an hour in the room temp Ferric Chloride we have the basis of:
Rigging for sail nets, cargo net for warship sides, grating for ship deck - anything.

If you can scale it onto brass (or copper), you can DIY etch it!

The whole point of this simple series is to show that anyone (and believe me, with my restrictions I mean ANYONE), can take an idea, print it, put it onto brass, etch it and end up with a perfect personalised item for pennies.

After the initial setup costs we reckon this one cost about 35p, for an 80mm * 52mm item!
Surely less than commercial sources where you only need a few, or there are no comparable 'shop bought' items available.

Hope it helps someone else in the group.
By the way, the kitchen and my marriage are still intact - NEVER do this in your kitchen sink!

Next I'm going to try DIY Electroforming and see if I can make a gun barrel!

Andy

Develop or bust!

Hi All,

Now we're onto the developing part. Remove the remaining clear acetate sheet from the 'uv'd' board, it should just peel away by hand.

Place the whole board in the solution (remember, about a scoop to 100 ml of water) and wait for a couple of minutes (may need more, hardly ever less). GENTLY, rub the brass sheet with either an old toothbrush, or a soft modelling paint brush. Either way, you just want to rub the surface NOT SCRUB. The undeveloped film will be removed - leaving behind shiny brass to be etched away and film where we want to keep the brass intact.

Then dry the board and place under your UV lamp source again - this time for double the original exposure time. This will harden the resist and let you see any areas that you didn't clean properly with the toothbrush as 'discoloured' areas in the brass that should be etched away. If it's important, then use a scalpel, file etc. to remove the last of the film from those areas.

Next we're going to use a black sharpie to colour the edges of the brass sheet and any areas that either didn't have film on them or where a small part of the film is missing.

Good to go?

Now we're going to etch!

Andy

Hi All,

So onwards!

Picture shows super clean brass sheet, just basking in some washing up liquid water - to keep it wet.
Then, in line with the 'How to' we applied some photo sensitive sheet, then laminated it.

The other picture is showing the brass sheet after placing it into the plastic pocket (a la 'how to')
and exposing it for 65 seconds. If you zoom in you can even make out the fine grid lines from the mask.!

Next we'll go on to developing - get your washing oxy powder ready!

Hi Andy,

No worries mate!

Cheers, Ed

Hi Ed,

Many, many thanks for the thread link. Couldn't make it automatic, so very grateful for your assistance. Will contact stephen (Fireboat) to explain goof and ask him to remove it.
Again cheers
Andy👍

Hi Andy,

We have tried to add a link to this thread in your (How To)!
But, You will have to contact Stephen (Fireboat)!
So that he can delete the (How to) you don't want!

Cheers, Ed

While I'm trying to link to the 'how to' section, here is next step.

So you've cleaned the brass, it's all shiny and ready to go - WRONG!
See how the water has beaded up?
You must degrease, wash, clean or whatever so that water forms a continuous sheet, without beads when you run water over the sheet.

Andy

Hi Martin,

Tried at first and screwed up the original 'How to' - lost all links to PDF files and couldn't put them back!

So created new 'How To' and although there is a button for files and photos, there is nothing to add a link (that I can see).
I copied the model-boats.com/forum/77241 ready to paste it, but I'm blowed if I can work out how to paste it in and now there is a 'how to' with nothing in it apart from text that doesn't link to the pdf and one that does - trust me to screw up the Model Boats website.
If someone can guide me how to get the link in, get rid of the now useless 'How-to' and show me where the link post place is I'll be over the moon!
Many thanks

Andy

Hi Andy,

I think if you open this thread then go to the top of the screen to the search bar it should read model-boats.com, click in that and it should then read https://model-boats.com/forum/77241
Then click on it and when it is highlighted just copy and paste it in to the "How to"section.

Let me know how you get on.

Martin555.

forum/77241

🔗

Hi Martin,

Only problem is, I don't know how to do that!
Any tips greatly appreciated.

Andy