Hola!

Was wondering if anyone on this forums or if anyone knows someone who does costum made photo etch? If so let me know.
Thanks!!

I've read the theory somewhere out there on the web, but I never tried it. I'll try to look it up.
Though I was tempted to do this more than once, it involves acids and other stuff that damages your health, messes up your work table and ruins your clothes... if you're as sloppy as I am !
Most of all: I never saw it done by someone else. Otherwise I'd probably have tried it already !

Jan

Anders,
Here it is. I re-read the article, and I must say it looks quite a challenge. If you give this a try... let us know how it went !!!

http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/models/rms_tips/rmsfaq.6.html#q1

Hola Jan!

Thanks for the link, it sounds quite complicated but not impossible. However, Im not going to try it my self, I'd rather have someone who knows what they are doing do it! I know, its not the spirit of the adventurous modeler but hey, I'd like to live to the age of 30

I share your opinion here. I'm lightyears ahead into messing with resins, silicones, putties, fillers and solvents, but I won't touch THIS stuff - for now.
Not only because it's nasty (and probably smelly), but it's also hard to find. I woulnd't know where to order the photo-sensitive sprays, where I could make a positive film, where to find the acids, the basic rules of designing the patterns, where to find the right metal alloys,...
Now if someone from our Armorama family has done this before... I'm all ears ! You still may be able to convince me !

Hi,

For those that want to try most of the stuff can be find on electronics hardware shops, the guys that have electronics as a hobby use it a lot for making circuit boards.

HTH

DOH ! Why didn't I think of that before. And besides that, they can probably give some practical "how to" guidelines, too ? !
I still may give that a try - after I finish the Sci-Fi campaign !
Jan

Here is another decent link on photoetching at home. I haven't tried it either. I have enough trouble with the sets you can buy...

Photoetching link

I did a Google for "photoetch at home" and found a bunch of good links.

I have done photo-etch ONCE... what a mess! I used Micrografx Designer to create some fined detailed artwork lettering and some railings for a balcony and wrought-iron table. I printed this to film, and brought the CD it to a production shop. They turned this into the two color positive that I used to expose the metal (i used bright sunlight... it ate through the metal in no time!)

It took me several tries to get it right, and I think I spent about $150 on something I could have bought in a store for around 1/3 that price! So-- unless you are going to go "commercial" with this, and do high volume work, just buy the goods and save time and money (not to mention the smock I ruined... the acid ate holes all over the place!).

If you're interested, there is a company that does custom PE. Genesis Industial Castings