Harbinger One with Demo (first etch)

[das234]

I would love to hear about your process on etching. I have attempted it once and was not very susessfull with a deep etch like yours. Any info would help. Thanks

@ selfdestroyer:

-I used HP gloss presentation paper printed with samsung laser printer at 300 dpi
-Baked on the transfer with wife's iron using highest setting for AT LEAST 15 MINUTES. The enclosure was extremely hot when done (hot enough to make a blister I know
-Let this soak in water for 15 minutes and gently removed paper/wet pulp from surface. This took the longest and used only light rubbing pressure with my fingertip to teese off the material.
-Painted nail polish around edges very thick to protect alum on sides
-Used blue painters tape and taped on small toothpick off-sets on each corner on the face of the enclosure
-Used Radioshack ferric-chloride ~1/8" deep in bottom of flat, plastic plate.
-Sat enclosure face-down in etchant (toothpick offsets keep it slightly hovered into etchant)
-Mild agitation for 5 minutes and be mindful of aluminum temperature. If it gets hot to the touch, remove it and set it in plate of water to stop chemical reaction, then resume etching again for another 5 minutes, repeat until you clearly see relief in the aluminum.

This one took about 15 min total with this process. I think the difficult part is knowing when to stop for good as the etchant is reacting and its hard to tell how much it has eaten away
[/quote]

Excellent roadmap to success (I hope).  Did you do any protective coating or anything?  Or just leave it to age gracefully?

And, how did you mount the LEDs on there?  I like how you can barely see them until they're on.  Much prettier than my big ugly bezels.

[pryde]

@das234

No coating on it. just left it bare after etching. I think some people shoot clear over it to protect in and help it pop more so it might be worth trying

The LED's are just 3mm waterclears just stuck in the drilled hole with a dab of superglue, easy-peasy 
The key is to use the correct bit where the LED will seat into the hole very tightly then a dab of glue and your golden.

[das234]

Do you use/reuse the same etchant for aluminum as you do for copper?  I've read that you can reuse it on copper but not on aluminum for some reason.