Deadastronaut's Enclosure Etching Tutorial

[mcallisterra]

I etched my first one the other day and I agree - once I got the toner on ok, the rest was easy. Took me four attempts to get it on right though! I was getting rather frustrated.

[jubal81]

My one tip from my own experience is preheating the enclosure helps a lot with toner transfer. After I cut out the design, I line it up on the enclosure and use a piece of tape like a 'hinge.' fold it up and out of the way and heat the enclosure. Then, fold it down and commence to iron the bejesszus out of it for 4-5 minutes, putting extra emphasis on the edges.

[davent]

now to find some decent wet sandpaper that doesn't fall apart in 12 seconds, the stuff i have sucks

3M offers for their car autoshop series of product, sanding paper made for wet sanding, it's though, does'nt get clogged fast and will rince easily under water.

thanks for the heads up.  what kind is it, do you know?  is it the silicon carbide type?

NM, i think i was searching for the wrong thing.  i believe the correct type is aluminum oxide...

I've an always full tub of water that has 3m sandpaper in it for months at a time, stuff lasts and lasts and it cuts great, really good sandpaper.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

It's the toner transfer that always seems to screw it up for me. No matter how long I iron, I always loose a little bit of detail.

+1 

[mmlee]

Ever since I started using a Brayer I've had no issues with the transfer.



Prep box, put image on, heat with iron, use brayer, heat again, roll again and repeat once more for luck.  It usually works out.

[selfdestroyer]

Ever since I started using a Brayer I've had no issues with the transfer.
Prep box, put image on, heat with iron, use brayer, heat again, roll again and repeat once more for luck.  It usually works out.

That's a great tip. Thanks for the share.

Cody

[TNblueshawk]

now to find some decent wet sandpaper that doesn't fall apart in 12 seconds, the stuff i have sucks

3M offers for their car autoshop series of product, sanding paper made for wet sanding, it's though, does'nt get clogged fast and will rince easily under water.

thanks for the heads up.  what kind is it, do you know?  is it the silicon carbide type?

NM, i think i was searching for the wrong thing.  i believe the correct type is aluminum oxide...

I've an always full tub of water that has 3m sandpaper in it for months at a time, stuff lasts and lasts and it cuts great, really good sandpaper.

When I nitro'd my Tele I worked the holy hell out of my wet sandpaper including soaking it for a half hour and then proceeded to, what felt like to me, tear my rotator cuff's sanding with all types of grades and never had it fall apart. I went to a local auto zone and got all kinds of grits up to 2000. Worked a treat.

[pryde]

I use the 3M  wet/dry auto sandpaper as well. 250, 400, and 600 grit will cover all your needs.

Good tutorial. Really pretty much how I do mine as well. Here is a pdf link of mine:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bzpig6axmhhpltm/Enclosure%20Etching%20Tutorial%20JPGuitarworks%202013.pdf

[m-Kresol]

Ever since I started using a Brayer I've had no issues with the transfer.



Prep box, put image on, heat with iron, use brayer, heat again, roll again and repeat once more for luck.  It usually works out.

I'm totally going to try this. I'm done with a layout for my Zirconia and planing to etch the ZPSDX2 and Big Cheese too. thanks for the tip Marcus.

[m-Kresol]

Ever since I started using a Brayer I've had no issues with the transfer.



Prep box, put image on, heat with iron, use brayer, heat again, roll again and repeat once more for luck.  It usually works out.

I'm totally going to try this. I'm done with a layout for my Zirconia and planing to etch the ZPSDX2 and Big Cheese too. thanks for the tip Marcus.

Just as a follow up. I tried this just now and I got a perfect transfer first try in a fraction of the time. Seriously guys, get a roller like this! Thanks mmlee!

[mmlee]

Wow, that was fast. Glad it worked out! You can thank my girlfriend really, she likes doing printing using these things, she was the one that suggested it to me after my ironing woes.

Another thing, don't over etch. 'Just a little bit deeper' is probably not necessary (as I've found out from last nights etches, had some detail lost).

[CodeMonk]

Great tutorial!
I'm gonna have to give that another try.
Tried once, but my mistake in doing it (probably one of many) was using the same chemicals I use to etch boards, Muriatic Acid/Hydrogen Peroxide.
Bad choice there.
It boiled violently, smoked, and got VERY, VERY hot.
Not a mixture I would recommend.

[ggarms]

I've always used press n peel for this. Is he using str8 paper?

[CodeMonk]

I've always used press n peel for this. Is he using str8 paper?

At the beginning of the video, it says photo paper.

[irmcdermott]

Anyone else use photo paper? I've never had any luck with photo paper. For those of you successful with it, what are you using?