Ferric Chloride Etching Solution

Can someone give me one or more recipes (ratios) for mixing ferric
chloride with water for etching copper ? I’m looking for something
about the strength of the old Dutch mordant. Everywhere I look people
talk about mixing ferric chloride, but no one bothers to say what the
recipe is !

Brian Corll
Vassar Jewelers
1002 East Simpson Street
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
Tel.: (717) 691-0286

Brian,

I just buy ferric chloride, but needless to say I haven’t used it
yet.

Jennifer

If it’s the same stuff from Radio Shack (bottled), I was instructed
to use it straight from the bottle and return to bottle after use.
Works well and eliminates pouring extra down the drain.

Cyndy

Found it ! Two parts water to one part ferric chloride gives a 42
degree Baume solution. Now I need to compare that to other solutions
to come up with some etching times.

Brian Corll
Brian Corll, Inc.
1002 East Simpson Street
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
Tel.: (717) 691-0286

Brian,

I usually purchase mine premixed and can be purchased through a few
places.

  1. Electronic stores that specialize in building your own circuit
    boards

  2. http://www.zacryl.com/ My personal favorite because all they do
    is etching.

  3. The ratios vary with the strength you require, but I would make
    it 6 parts water, one part ferric chloride. Make a few tests. If it
    doesn’t etch quickly enough, add a little more ferric. The issue can
    be the water in your area.

-k
Karen Christians
M E T A L W E R X
50 Guinan St.
Waltham, MA 02451
Ph. 781/891-3854 Fax 3857
http://www.metalwerx.com/
Jewelry/Metalarts School & Cooperative Studio

I use the Ferric Chloride from Radio Shack undiluted. It can be
reused a number of times.

Alma

What I bought was from Dick Blick, but curiously the label contains
absolutely no as to strength of the solution in the
bottle. I guess I’ll have to call Blick’s product line on
Monday and see if anyone knows.

Brian Corll
Brian Corll, Inc.
1002 East Simpson Street
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

Found it ! Two parts water to one part ferric chloride gives a 42
degree Baume solution. Now I need to compare that to other
solutions to come up with some etching times. 

Thanks Brian. I was going from my old notes from college. Can you
tell me where you found this info? My recipe is for a 1 - 1 1/2 hr
etch with vibration. I haven’t made my own etch solution in quite
awhile, so it could be that the pre-mixed might be much stronger.

-k

Karen Christians
M E T A L W E R X
50 Guinan St.
Waltham, MA 02451
Ph. 781/891-3854 Fax 3857
http://www.metalwerx.com/
Jewelry/Metalarts School & Cooperative Studio

Hi

Forgive me for asking but what is the “old Dutch mordant”? And while
on the subject of asking, what does TSP stand for in the Prips
(Pripps?) flux formula?

kindly
michaela

Michaela,

Dutch mordant is a mixture of potassium chlorate, hydrochloric acid,
and water. No, Rembrandt didn’t use it. It wasn’t used until the 19th
century.

TSP is trisodium phosphate, available at Lowe’s or Home Depot to
help get the mildew of the grout in your bathroom tiles. :wink:

Brian Corll
Brian Corll, Inc.
1002 East Simpson Street
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

Karen,

One to 1-1/2 hour etch ? Wow ! I never had the patience for that.
Typical times are 3 to 15 minutes, depending of course, on the metal,
etchant, and etchant strength.

Brian Corll
Brian Corll, Inc.
1002 East Simpson Street
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

The feature of the slow etch is the incredible detail you achieve. A
faster etch is fine if you have large graphic areas and high
contrast. I tend to have a lot of very fine detail in my work, so
slow works better for me.

-k

Karen Christians
M E T A L W E R X
50 Guinan St.
Waltham, MA 02451
Ph. 781/891-3854 Fax 3857
http://www.metalwerx.com/
Jewelry/Metalarts School & Cooperative Studio

I use a 3 to 1 water to ferric chloride ratio and get the ferric
chloride from Radio Shack. It etches just as quickly as it does
straight out of the bottle, but lasts longer. I store my used etchant
in a separate container from the fresh stuff.

-Kelly

Dear All,

I want to etch gold & silver jewelry. Can someone give me the
details of the process and the reageants used to do this.

Thanks in Advance…
Dinesh

Discussions over this topic took place few times over the last few
years. You can retrieve the threads by running a keyword search.

Check out the following address to learn more:

http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive/