Electrolytic Etching

GoldenMotor.com

wret

Active Member
Feb 24, 2014
355
65
28
Maryland
While contemplating methods of creating a head tube badge for my bike I came across some instructions for electrolytic etching. The fascinating part was that it could be done from a photographic image. There are several DIY's and youtube videos on the subject so I will only summarize here.

1. Start with or manipulate an image so that it has only two colors (black and white) and is the right size your your project. I worked up my own arrangement of the Indian logo.

2. Once you have everything they way you want it, you will need to create a mirror image and in negative. This can be done with the most basic graphics software, i.e., MS Paint.

3. Using a laser printer, print the image on photograph inkjet paper. Yes it works. I jammed the machine with some heavier stuff but the lighter weight paper works. You need to use glossy inkjet paper or purpose specific etching paper (E3 Etch).

4. Prepare flat metal object (brass in this case) by sanding with 600 grit paper.

5. Iron the image onto the metal with dry iron on high. I left the iron on about 3 minutes. Use a piece of cotton cloth between the work and the iron. Roll / press the work while its hot to make sure there is good contact and adhesion.

6. Let the metal cool completely. No peeking. Then submerge in water for a few minutes. Gently roll/peel the paper away and the toner is left adhered to the metal. If it appears that some of the areas aren't completely covered with toner, you can touch up with a paint pen.

7. Prepare an electrolyte solution. I used a couple tablespoons of copper sulfate (septic system root killer) which is appropriate for copper and brass etching. I read that some use regular table salt and others say this doesn't work well. You can store and re-use your solution indefinitely.

8. Connect a copper wire to the back of the metal piece and cover the whole back side with tape.

9. Use some pieces of tubing or other insulators at the corners to keep it from coming into contact with the metal pan.

10. Connect a DC power supply (charger or battery) negative to the pan and positive to the wire connected to the work piece. Submerge the piece etched face down. I found that with the piece very close to the pan my charger was overloaded and tripped out constantly. About an inch or so from the bottom seemed to work a lot better. Leave it turned on 1-3 hours depending on the etching depth you want.



What I intended was to clean it up, then spray paint the whole thing followed by some fine sanding and polishing to highlight the raised areas. Sometime during the polishing, I stripped off most of the paint and ended up with a nice blend of coppery color and an overall antique effect that I rather liked.

Here are the various stages of finishing:





 

Attachments

Last edited:

maniac57

Old, Fat, and still faster than you
Oct 8, 2011
4,484
22
0
memphis Tn
I want a nice brass skull etched sidecover badge for the clutch side, and something with some vintage looking script for the coil side.
Taking orders yet?
 

wret

Active Member
Feb 24, 2014
355
65
28
Maryland
I want a nice brass skull etched sidecover badge for the clutch side, and something with some vintage looking script for the coil side.
Taking orders yet?
You know, that gives me an idea.... :)

A little busy right now putting my bike together, but after that, maybe. I could definitely help you out with your graphics though. That goes for you too IW. I'm not a professional but I work with graphics a bit on the job, just industrial labeling stuff.
 
Last edited:

a_dam

New Member
Feb 21, 2009
351
0
0
Momence, IL
but I'm not sure how to create the surrounding edges of the badge.
Years ago I've played around alot with Microsoft Word's drawing functions. It does a suprising amount of cool stuff. Shapes and arrows. Lettering and Word Art. Things can be copied and manipulated as groups.

Check it out. After a short time you can make professional looking logos and such.
 

a_dam

New Member
Feb 21, 2009
351
0
0
Momence, IL
get it cut out of a sticker from a sign guy it will be cleaner
That would be nice, for sure. But the main idea of the OP's method is that you can do it yourself by using a laser printer. I've done a few homemade t-shirts and signs by hand cutting with an x-acto knife in various things to make templates for silk screening or spray painting designs. Getting a template from a printer would be awesome.

One time I etched in aluminum plate with muriatic acid. I cut the design from some thin wax-like material. It was sold in sheet form - I think it had something to do with canning (like pickles). The cut-out parts were etched by the acid really deep. I was surprised how well it worked.
The same thing might be achieved with the old-school lacquer sheet silk screening material.

Obviously this etching works with a laser printer. I would like to see the results with a solid ink printer.
 

curtisfox

Well-Known Member
Dec 29, 2008
6,041
3,935
113
minesota
Wow! This is awesome got to try it when I get home,got tired of tHe -20's temps and am in LA visiting my brother"................curt
 

forrestsmith

New Member
May 29, 2012
23
0
1
Cincinnati
Inspired by this post I thought I would give this a try, I love to tinker on things, that's why I have a Motorized Bike! I really like the idea of an arrow head So I drew my own in MS Paint, the actually Indian Head I barrowed off the internet and incorporated it into my design. In following the instructions the only thing I did different was I used a salt solution, about 1 1/2 cups dissolved in one liter of water, salt is a lot cheaper than the root killer (Copper Sulphate) For my badges I decided to make a aged look one and a more finished looking one, the aged look one is what I am putting on my bike. The hardest part for me was getting the paper off the Copper plate, not sure if it was my paper I used but I had to do this part over a few times. Its really a interesting project that you should give a try.




[
 

Maxvision

New Member
Jun 13, 2009
551
1
0
San Diego, CA
Well dayumn, wish I had read this post before I made my head badge. Instead of the laser printer method I had a sheet of vinyl stickers made.

Used muriatic acid diluted with regular tap water in a plastic container. Attached the + from a battery charger set a 6V to the badge and the - from the charger to a piece of sheet brass. Brass etched real deep in just a couple hours.

Has anyone tried to make the resist with an inkjet printer? Think it would work? Was a real biotch peeling the vinyl away from the really small lines. Lost a couple of lines but put them back in with a little paint before the etch.
 

Attachments

Last edited: