I did quite a bit of electro etch, electro plate, and electro form back in the 70s and 80s. tips ... if you coat both sides in resist, you can do piercing by etching half way from both sides. We did use larger sheets to start. Sprayed photo etch both sides, then expose through a clear mask printed on laser transparency stock. I also used to use electro etch to make decorative stamping tools in hard tool steel directly. We actually made patterned rollers for the rolling mill to directly imprint sheet stock.
I've been meaning to add a comment for awhile. Kudos for using sodium nitrate. It's much better to use than copper nitrate whom some recommend. The copper ion is not required for this etching and less copper in the environment.
Hi, love all your videos ! Thank you! I have a question regarding the sterling silver. Do you have to leave so much silver uncovered ? since it eats the metal, isn't it a waste to loose so much ? would it be possible to cover it with scotch tape as well, in order to limit the wast a little ? since the silver is so expensive, and went up lately Thanks so much for all !! Teri
Great video! If you can, see if your camera has the ability to lock the focus. By having the window behind you, the bright daylight was causing the video to darken and lighten throughout your demonstration. Take the camera off of auto-focus. Again, great video.
Thanks Michael, yes autofocus is a pain but these were filmed extremely quickly, on my own so I didn't have time to do anything other than full auto. But I'm currently filming more in-depth tutorials with a multi-camera setup so hopefully I'll be able to get my phone to lock focus for those, without having to swap to my DSLR :)
Hi Kim! Im one of your viewers from the U.S. I love your videos! 🙂 I know the amount of Sodium Nitrate and Water used would depend on the size of the piece and container, but for those of us who are new to this, can you give a measuring ratio (Sodium Nitrate to Water) no matter what the volume? Like should it be 1:1, 2:1, etc?
This is so helpful, thank you! I’ve got a rectifier because I thought I was going to do electroforming, but I’m so scared of the chemicals that they’ve been in my garage for two years and I haven’t used the rectifier at all. This is just a solution you can dump out afterwards right?
Thank you fo video. I'm confused what exactly are you using, sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite? On a packaging writen sodium nitrite. But you say that you use sodium nitrate. Thank you.
Hi! Great Video almost ruined because the camera facing the window light and wondering autofocus,,, I hope next videos will be differ when you can stand facing the window and camera will be at your previous place )),other than that its an Amazing Helpful and Appreciated Video , Thank you))!
Good informative series of videos, thanks. Have you tried Ferric Nitrate? I have had success with this by floating the silver to be etched in a small container of Ferric Nitrate and water, 1:1 mix, and placing this in a larger container of hot water. Leave it for a few hours and you get a good deep etch. Resists are as you have already described. I have not tried this method with electricity yet, but having viewed your videos, I will once I have the equipment. Thanks again.
Hi, yes I've always etched with acids like ferric nitrate before but decided to give electro etching ago as I'm not keen on working with acids. But ferric nitrate definitely gives a cleaner etch than I achieved with the sodium nitrate! :)
Kim shows a bag of Sodium NITRITE, but then speaks of Sodium NITRATE and labels her containers that way. I believe there is a difference. Any comments?
Labeling on the package would have it to be sodium nitrite, not sodium nitrate as she is claiming. The UNC code 5.1/1500 is specific for sodium nitrite and used on transport containers, storage silos, transport lines etc. As nitrites are far more toxic than nitrates her "relaxed" handling of it is a bit scary. It is a food additive (hence food grade). It's found above all in some processed meats to inhibit microbial growth, and also in heat transfer media for the same reason. I think she got her bags mixed up
I did quite a bit of electro etch, electro plate, and electro form back in the 70s and 80s. tips ... if you coat both sides in resist, you can do piercing by etching half way from both sides. We did use larger sheets to start. Sprayed photo etch both sides, then expose through a clear mask printed on laser transparency stock.
I also used to use electro etch to make decorative stamping tools in hard tool steel directly. We actually made patterned rollers for the rolling mill to directly imprint sheet stock.
I've been meaning to add a comment for awhile. Kudos for using sodium nitrate. It's much better to use than copper nitrate whom some recommend. The copper ion is not required for this etching and less copper in the environment.
Thank you for sharing this experiment with us!
Loved the video. Can you please talk more about what is need in a rectifier or voltage controller. Can’t seem to find this information.
So happy I found you. Thank you
Thank you, I really want to try this. 👍
Hi, love all your videos ! Thank you!
I have a question regarding the sterling silver. Do you have to leave so much silver uncovered ? since it eats the metal, isn't it a waste to loose so much ? would it be possible to cover it with scotch tape as well, in order to limit the wast a little ?
since the silver is so expensive, and went up lately
Thanks so much for all !!
Teri
Great video! If you can, see if your camera has the ability to lock the focus. By having the window behind you, the bright daylight was causing the video to darken and lighten throughout your demonstration. Take the camera off of auto-focus. Again, great video.
Thanks Michael, yes autofocus is a pain but these were filmed extremely quickly, on my own so I didn't have time to do anything other than full auto. But I'm currently filming more in-depth tutorials with a multi-camera setup so hopefully I'll be able to get my phone to lock focus for those, without having to swap to my DSLR :)
Fabtastic tutorial!
Can you use the same power machine for electroplating?
Yes. A power supply is a power supply.
Hi Kim! Im one of your viewers from the U.S. I love your videos! 🙂
I know the amount of Sodium Nitrate and Water used would depend on the size of the piece and container, but for those of us who are new to this, can you give a measuring ratio (Sodium Nitrate to Water) no matter what the volume? Like should it be 1:1, 2:1, etc?
This is so helpful, thank you! I’ve got a rectifier because I thought I was going to do electroforming, but I’m so scared of the chemicals that they’ve been in my garage for two years and I haven’t used the rectifier at all. This is just a solution you can dump out afterwards right?
Anything that contains metal particles can't be poured down the drain but it can be evaporated or poured into cat litter then put in the bin. :)
Please, does anybody know, if I can use Etching Silver Pencil ,as if it was a Silver point to draw??
Thank you fo video. I'm confused what exactly are you using, sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite?
On a packaging writen sodium nitrite. But you say that you use sodium nitrate.
Thank you.
Do you need to adjust the amps as well as the volts?
Hi! Great Video almost ruined because the camera facing the window light and wondering autofocus,,,
I hope next videos will be differ when you can stand facing the window and camera will be at your previous place )),other than that its an Amazing Helpful and Appreciated Video ,
Thank you))!
So just nail polish and then scratch away the polish to the parts you want etched? That’s awesome!
what is the red color on the silver ??????????????
best bitumen diluted a bit in gasoline, paint over, dry and scratch the pattern, letters, it is possible under a microscope, and etch ....
Good informative series of videos, thanks. Have you tried Ferric Nitrate? I have had success with this by floating the silver to be etched in a small container of Ferric Nitrate and water, 1:1 mix, and placing this in a larger container of hot water. Leave it for a few hours and you get a good deep etch. Resists are as you have already described. I have not tried this method with electricity yet, but having viewed your videos, I will once I have the equipment. Thanks again.
Hi, yes I've always etched with acids like ferric nitrate before but decided to give electro etching ago as I'm not keen on working with acids. But ferric nitrate definitely gives a cleaner etch than I achieved with the sodium nitrate! :)
Kim shows a bag of Sodium NITRITE, but then speaks of Sodium NITRATE and labels her containers that way. I believe there is a difference. Any comments?
Labeling on the package would have it to be sodium nitrite, not sodium nitrate as she is claiming. The UNC code 5.1/1500 is specific for sodium nitrite and used on transport containers, storage silos, transport lines etc. As nitrites are far more toxic than nitrates her "relaxed" handling of it is a bit scary. It is a food additive (hence food grade). It's found above all in some processed meats to inhibit microbial growth, and also in heat transfer media for the same reason. I think she got her bags mixed up
Awesome Video! Thank you. Would this work for silverplated items?
Nice, after you finish use a coffe filter to clear your electrolytes. 😂
perfect :)
Suuuuuuuper :-)
Thanks :)