The Armour Archive

I've been trying to figure out how to do the fancy brasswork and acid etching that some of you post that just makes me plain drool.

Here's the plan...

I was wondering if I used an borderpunch like some of these...

http://store.yahoo.com/scrapbooksuperstore/borderpunches1.html

to make a resist out of contact paper to use for the etching. It would be easy to do a running border for the length needed. I was thinking along the lines of the think clear shelf paper stuff and use muretic(?) acid. Would that work for mild steel and brass?

They are exactly what I use.

This is what I do.

Take a peice of paper.
stick a strip of duct tape to it.
Now put a second layer of duct tape over the first.

Now use the punches to go through both layers of tape and the paper underneath.

Now peel (carefully) the top layer of tape off the bottom layer. It should still be good and sticky because it has been on the other tape. Apply to well cleaned brass or whatvere you want to etch. Add whatever other resist you want for the rest of the areas you do not want etched and there you go!

You DO need a layer of paper to punch through as it will give the cuts a sharp definition. Just duct tape is a little too stretchy and you will get wonky details.

Certain kinds of masking tape also wrok really well and do not stretch at all.

For complex curves. cut the paper to the curve reuired. apply tape and then trim it to the paper, use the punch to follw the edge of the paper/tape to get curved edges.


Sasha