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Thread: How do you do your etching?

  1. #11
    Keepin' it Metal .Maleficus.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you do your etching?

    Awesome, thanks man!
    RIP Bucko

  2. #12
    Keepin' it Metal .Maleficus.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you do your etching?

    I suppose I will post a picture of my second attempt.

    Can you guess what it is?

    RIP Bucko

  3. #13
    some custom title eh Cannibal23's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you do your etching?

    i had been concidering some etching. was thinking that if you had the grout remover attachment for your dreml that you could ajust the hight and maybe use the end mill bit so that your depth would always be consistant. i dont know if that has an effect on the acctual image once its lit up though. any thoughts?
    - The stone knows not why the chistle cleves it
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  4. #14
    ATX Mental Case Kumo's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you do your etching?

    Oh very nice, the gravity gun. Looks well done.

  5. #15
    Keepin' it Metal .Maleficus.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you do your etching?

    Thanks, it took me quite a while, and I'm still not quite happy with it yet, so I'm going to keep cleaning it up and I'll post more pictures when I'm sure it's done.
    RIP Bucko

  6. #16
    Life is like an analogy...
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    Default Re: How do you do your etching?

    ive used a very strange method to etch. it hasnt been for any mods, but just to see what happens.

    what i do follows a tiny bit of kumo's prep stage... print out a "mirrored" picture. beyond that its a little different.

    once i have the picture printed, i cut out any spaces that will end up etched, and then tape it to the plexi. then i spray a thin coat of paint on and let it dry. then i remove the paper and leave it for another day just to make good and sure that everything is dried real well. then i take a razor or another little scraper tool i have (i might take a picture if you guys want me to) and i get a large ruler (like one of those big 5 foot long ones used for woodwork).

    here comes the fun part. i take the ruler and line it up at the top of the etching (the very top part). i make a straight scratch following the ruler, making sure only to scratch the painted part. i make it light too because the scraper can dig in real far, and you dont need to take out of lot of material to get a frosted look. i then move the ruler down just a tiny bit, and scratch another line in where there is any paint. i keep scratching and moving down until ive gotten to the very bottom, and theres no more to do.

    this method works well for me, and if its done cleanly, it almost makes it look like the image has been crystalized into the plexi.

    you can also double this up and do both horizontal and vertical lines, to get that extra bit of definition and accuracy. you can play with the depth too.... as in maybe making the scratches deeper as they get closer to the center of the etching. this can give sort of a 3D look.


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  7. #17
    Case Wizard
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    Default Re: How do you do your etching?

    Doesn't your method sound sort of like how a CNC machines work?

    Would it be too much to ask for you to post some pics? I would love to visually see it.

  8. #18
    Life is like an analogy...
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    Default Re: How do you do your etching?

    unfortunately it would be a wee bit too much to get some pictures of the actual product. they were test panels and i hacked them to bits while discovering the faults of dremel tools. i have one little bit left thats too small to give a good effect. it probably wouldnt even turn out in a picture.

    ill see if i can find another piece of plexi somewhere and give it another shot though. it does look very good if you do it right.


    Quote Originally Posted by Slug Toy
    im pretty sure i was your car, but i was into mah music and didnt think too much of it

  9. #19
    ...What? progbuddy's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you do your etching?

    I would personally use a swiveling exacto knife (idk where the heck I got it...). It does give you better curves and lines.
    Coffee is love, coffee is life.

  10. #20

    Default Re: How do you do your etching?

    I do my etching like dis... Yes, print out what you want to etch, mirrored and taped to the outside of plexi so the etch is on the inside of case window.

    Queen Alien Etch - My Master Piece- More like a tattoo huh - done with a engraver - Wish I took a better pic, its actually perfect - About 3 hours with breaks


    Etch For Mom - gotta luv er - done with engraver and roto zip - about an hour


    For Chits n giggles - done with engraver, roto zip using different bits - oh 3 er 4


    My Old PC - done with rotozip large bit - less than an hour


    HERES THE TRICK, Unless your a tattoo artist (I Was) this will be hard. Holding a regular engraver is easy if you can follow the lines. Holding a 36000 Rpm Roto zip is like holding a Gyrating Football - Good luck you now have my secrets....But, There is an easier way muah huh huh huh.......Priceless

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