I’m having difficulty maintaining a solidly resistant mask when I
etch copper and brass in ferric chloride using Press-n-Peel. Even
with a slow solution, the ferric chloride eats through the resist, so
that the area that is protected has pitting, similar to an aquatint.
Some surfaces remain completely masked. I want to be able to achieve
a deep etch in brass, to make a plate I can use in the rolling mill.
I also want to do more shallow etches using copper/silver bimetal.
I’ve followed the procedures I received with the P-n-P–as follows:
Clean copper or brass (water sheets off) HP LaserJet to print design
on p-n-p Iron set on 3 (polyester/rayon setting) Air cooled or
quenched before peeling mask off Tested by etching in half-hour
increments from 30 minutes to 3 hours: Test strip A in used, nearly
spent ferric chloride and Test strip B in fresh, full-strength ferric
chloride. Both etched through the mask, though A didn’t start to etch
through until about 2 hours.
I’ll appreciate any help other Orchid members have to offer.
Joan Hammond