aluminum etching

adric · Post by **adric** » Tue May 18, 2004 10:13 pm

I am starting with a limited understanding and no experience. As to the understanding - i have been told muiatic (sp?) acid works well and can be purchased at the home despot. contact paper is suposed to work well as a resist. what am i missing besides giving it a go? does it get hot? how did you keep it cool? how long should it take? if i snort the stuff will i die? I need all the usual stuff you guys spout to the stupid people like me.

Jeff W · Post by **Jeff W** » Tue May 18, 2004 10:44 pm

Greetings adric
to answer your questions
Yes muriatic and contact paper will work.
Yes it will get warm, cool it by rinsing with water.
For a war shield (32x51") the etching takes about 1 to 2 hrs depending on air temp.
Yes the fumes could be toxic, do this OUTSIDE or with LOTS of air flow.
Wear rubber gloves and a face shield.

You might have seen some of the shields at gulf wars, fools war and panhandle.

Try this site http://houseasgard.com/data/etch.html It is how we have done many war shields (32x51"). For small items you can imerse them in 50% water/50% muriatic(sp) acid and use spray paint for your resist.
Geoffrey

Alcyoneus · Post by **Alcyoneus** » Tue May 18, 2004 11:14 pm

Ferric chloride also works on aluminum, but muriatic acid is probably cheaper.

Gaston de Vieuxchamps · Wed May 19, 2004 12:44 am

Muriatic acid is sold as a pool supply so you can get it pretty cheap.

Master Geoffery didn't mention that he's etched over a dozen shields this way.

It's not a great picture but here is an example of how much detail you can get using the contact paper and X-acto method
http://houseasgard.com/ipw-web/gallery/ ... ldargaston
Baldar's etched body armour is at least 5 years old in that picture.

Here is Sir Azrec's Etched heater...
http://houseasgard.com/ipw-web/gallery/ ... 12/gw12_c5

And finally a collection of Varangian shiels, many etched by Jeff W
http://houseasgard.com/ipw-web/gallery/ ... 12/03gw_12

Gaston

adric · Post by **adric** » Wed May 19, 2004 6:23 am

Thanks guys! were any of you trimreians at fools war? ya'll brought the big shields but the AA never came up between fights.

Sasuke · Post by **Sasuke** » Wed May 19, 2004 7:41 am

Another method is to use a dremel and engrave the design. That is what Vermin did to decorate these I believe:
http://home.armourarchive.org/members/s ... ermin.html

Chris

Vermin · Post by **Vermin** » Wed May 19, 2004 7:54 am

Yeah....you CAN do it with a dremel.....

Keep in mind I only did it that way because my right shoulder was all torn up and I was outta work for a couple of months.....and I was going SERIOUSLY stir-crazy sitting in the house.

I worked with the armor and equipment I had on hand.

Etching is SOOOOOOOO much faster!!!!

VvS

Gaston de Vieuxchamps · Wed May 19, 2004 1:49 pm

adric wrote:Thanks guys! were any of you trimreians at fools war? ya'll brought the big shields but the AA never came up between fights.

Loegaire was there with his Varangian shield. I think he was the only archiver from here.

adric · Post by **adric** » Wed May 19, 2004 2:47 pm

OOOOO dremel "shudder". i thought i might be able carve the tent posts faster with dremel vs the tools- boy was i wrong. not only did it look like crap but went slower too. right tool for the job! Etching seems to be the way to go! I thought some knot work or animals or beastys would be fun on a lammelar vest. 250 dremeled plates would be murrder. oh well. there should be several ways to cut the production time after the inital plate is prototyped.

Loegaire mac Gilray · Post by **Loegaire mac Gilray** » Wed May 19, 2004 2:57 pm

Yeah, I was there - I used my v-shield until we did the Troy battle, then I swapped to my center grip and played the part of Ajax for Trimaris.

Other archivers from Trimaris that were there included Ceddie (aka Sir Cedric), Thorstenn, Ashton, and a lefty from Gunnar's household (I can never remember his name).

Here's a pic I shamelessly hijacked off of a yahoo group - it's blurry, but it's me

[img]http://www.visualinsites.com/foolswar.jpg[/img]

-Loegaire

adric · Post by **adric** » Wed May 19, 2004 10:20 pm

Hey - it's me too! Or rather my spear - again! I have seen about 25 pictures from FW and i can usually find my spear but never me! We (bloody ridge) were fighting with ya'll all day. I personally had a great time. sorry i had to miss the saturday nite party sceen as i heard it was great, but needed to get back home with easter and all. My spear is the all red one popped up in the crook of duke boru's arm. you can kinda make out part of my head too...

oh well - i look beter on radio any way :lol: