Eileen Moylan

Jewellery Designer & Goldsmith Cork

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Etching with Acid Part 2

01.28.2011 by Eileen Moylan //

This is part two of a series on acid etching silver to see part one click here.

I’ve done all my research and gotten everything on my acid etching shopping list. The first thing I needed to do was to cut out and polish my piece of silver. The silver has to be perfectly flat, clean and grease free for the design to stick and the etching to work. I cleaned it with surgical spirits and then rubbed it with a very fine steel wool so the design will transfer to the metal.

Photocopied design
Photocopied design

I then prepared my design. For this test I am using letters of the alphabet so I can see exactly how clear and precise the etching results are. I have reduced the size to fit my silver and have reversed the colour so the letter is in white with a black background. This means that if it all goes well the white area will be etched and the black area will remain intact. The image also needs to be reversed so that it will read correctly when transferred onto the silver. I then photocopied this onto an acetate sheet. The design must be photocopied using a dry toner cartridge. A standard ink jet printer doesn’t work because the ink won’t transfer to the metal. I did the first nine letters in case I make mistakes. By the time I get to ‘Z’ I should have the process perfected!

Design and prepared silver
Design and prepared silver

The reason for photocopying it onto acetate is that the ink can be transferred onto the silver and act as a resist for the acid. Using a hot dry iron I heat the design directly on top of the metal until the ink melts on to the silver. I was a  bit eager and messed up the first one by taking it out too quickly and smudging the design. So I’m now on to the letter B.

What goes under the Iron
What goes under the Iron
Melting the ink onto the silver
Melting the ink onto the silver

This worked alright but there were still gaps where the ink didn’t take to the silver. I masked these areas with a red permanent marker. Apparently Staedtler markers work best to protect the silver. I also had to mask the edges and the back to I covered them with brown tape and touched up the tiny little gaps with nail polish. I don’t know if this is correct but brown tape and nail varnish were listed as good barriers for the acid so I figured I’d be extra cautious and use both!

Touching up design with marker
Touching up design with marker
Touching up edges with nail varnish
Touching up edges with nail varnish

So now I’ve the silver prepared I’m going to sort out the ferric nitrate bath. (In Part 3).

Categories // My Workshop Tags // Acid etching, Ferric Nitrate, Silver, silversmith, silversmiths techniques

Etching with acid

01.21.2011 by Eileen Moylan //

One of the great things about having more space in my workshop is that I can try out different silversmithing techniques. Since I have the place nearly set up I’ve decided to try my hand at acid etching.

Silver Irish Celtic Cufflinks

Acid etching is the process of using acid to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design. I plan to acid etch on silver but it can also be done on copper or brass. The chemical used to etch into silver is Ferric Nitrate. It comes in crystals that are then mixed with water.

Ferric Nitrate
Ferric Nitrate

The silver is cleaned and the resist (protective coating) is painted on leaving areas exposed to form the design. You can use lots of things as a resist. I will be using things like permanent markers, nail polish and brown tape. Once this is done the silver is submerged face down in the ferric nitrate solution and the acid goes to work eating away at the exposed silver. The design will be made deeper depending how long you leave the silver in the solution, so it is usually checked every 30 minutes. (Picture credit).

Acid Etching Process
Acid Etching Process

This little experiment isn’t going to be like one of those cookery demonstrations where after a little feeble mixing they declare here’s one I made earlier. If this doesn’t work you’ll see the pictures to prove it, so wish me luck!

I’m going to gather everything I need over the weekend so I should be ready to start next week.

Categories // My Workshop Tags // Acid etching, Ferric Nitrate, Silver, silver techniques, silversmith

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