I have recently started learning to etch and i am wondering about the possibility of etching multiple pieces at the same time.
Is that doable? Ive done some You Tube and Google searching and havent come up with any thing.
You can etch several pieces at the same time. You would hang them from several rods across the top of the tank. What matters is the area of what you are etching - more stuff, more power. Just do a couple to see how it works. Pay attention to the stuff that cumulates on the sheets of metal - I like to use a feather to brush off the extra. Look at the how to do information on etchers anonymous.
judy
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Hi Daniel,
Here’s a quick pic of a setup I used so students could etch their pieces individually during a workshop I taught at Snow Farm.
I used two 6g rods of copper as bus bars, which allowed us to run current using a 30V @ 0-5A variable power supply. The ends of the bars are raised up off of the plastic containers on each end by a small block of wood so they don’t melt into the containers. This setup allowed each student to etch their piece by hanging them from a copper lead off the positive rod. There was a corresponding copper blank hanging from the negative.
They used Sharpie oil paint markers as a resist, but you could use others. We used a super saturated salt solution with 1/4c of citric acid added per gallon. These 4 containers used a gallon. The citric acid chelates/binds with the copper that’s being etched away allowing it to fall as solids to the bottom of the container. This makes cleaning out your bath much easier as this solution can be used indefinitely with the occasional addition of salt.
I have a larger dedicated container in my shop with a salt water bath to etch larger pieces with a larger sheet of copper as the negative along with the power supply. I use the 6g copper bars and wooden blocks for this as well. The 6g copper can be purchased by the foot, off of a roll, from big box stores.
Judy has shared great info. You’ll get a cleaner etch if you keep an eye on your pieces and remove excess copper build up. You’ll also want to keep an eye on your resist to make sure it’s not breaking down. If it is carefully pat it dry and touch up with the Sharpie oil paint marker. I’ve found a slower, longer etch is cleaner vs a faster/higher amp etch which is more unpredictable.
Let us know how it goes.
Etching is so much fun!
Pam
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