My first pedal build

[LaoWiz]

I actually just did some pnp transfers last night. I just needed to go to 100, 200 grit to get a decent transfer. THe toner on my printer is low so my transfers
kinda sucked. Spent hours today with nail polish.

[Jwar]

I used model paint and it works great. The PNP shit seems like it doesn't work very well at all. I had to use an iron on it for like 40 minutes to get any transfer. I read somewhere you can use photo paper as well. Is there any truth to that?

[LaoWiz]

I used model paint and it works great. The PNP shit seems like it doesn't work very well at all. I had to use an iron on it for like 40 minutes to get any transfer. I read somewhere you can use photo paper as well. Is there any truth to that?

People have had good results with ink jet photo paper running through a laser printer. I did it once with magazine paper and it came out great. It seems like every time I etch the results are different. I did well tonight with a couple of boxes. I was going to do a small batch of 2 fuzzes but it took me all night to do two and they aren't even done.

[Boxbie]

So after several false starts of ironing on the design, it not sticking properly than having to spend a chunk of my life sanding it clean again, I have a rough transfer now that I'm going to etch even though its crooked and dodgy. I figure the chance of the etch working is low enough that its not worth getting too anal about this one.

So i can just use a sharpy to fix the bits that didnt transfer properly?

[Jero]

Sharpie might work. Nail polish or a paint pen would prob be better.

[Jwar]

You didn't invert your graphics. Doesn't the etchant eat everything that isn't painted?

[Boxbie]

You didn't invert your graphics. Doesn't the etchant eat everything that isn't painted?

Yes! behold what I hope it will look loke approximately....

Nail polish it is. I fear the fine detail will be eaten, but hey, this is an experiment.

[Jwar]

You didn't invert your graphics. Doesn't the etchant eat everything that isn't painted?

Yes! behold what I hope it will look loke approximately....

etch2.JPG

Nail polish it is. I fear the fine detail will be eaten, but hey, this is an experiment.

LOL! I realized I was wrong this afternoon. I etched my Robot Devil and it look pretty cool.

I've been having fun etching.

[Boxbie]

What an afternoon!
I ended up sourcing hydrochloric acid and peroxide from an industial chemical supplier.
I mixed up a vat of 2:1 and dipped my first pedal.
Z0mg!!!!! Within 5 seconds it was bubbling furiously as toxic fumes bellowed upward from the vat! I dunked it in water to cool it, and dunked it in the acid again.
It was crazy meth lab shit.

It burned thru the pnp mask within 5 seconds, and the nail polish i touched it up with in another 5. hmmm

The reaction was way too fast.

So the next one I diluted the acid mix with a few litres of warter. This time it took ages to get the acid to work. Finally I got a reasonable etch, but it looks like it ate thru a casting layer, and its blistered in lots of spots.

The black bit is kinda smudging, but I dont want to sand through it. I think I'll spray it with clear.

Thanks for watching!

[Jwar]

This shit works great http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2102868

No mixing or anything.

[Boxbie]

Thanks for all the help guys.
I'm 75% happy with the etch, and it sounds great.
Thanks for looking in on my first pedal building foray!