Thread: making homemade etchomatic stencils..?

Originally Posted by epd

Reverse print your logo with a high resolution lazer printer onto white photo paper. Clean steel with acetone and iron on logo.
Build diy etcher put ferric chloride on a qtip apply to steel, rubbing alcohol off ink afterwards.
Volia, etch.
I tried photomask and all kinds of other methods, this worked out the best for me.

Btw, Michael (Mist) shared this method with me, its how they do circuit boards sometimes.

Eric.

That's down to the letter how I do it, Q-tip and all!
I also use the first part of transferring any pattern to metal for later cutting it by a saw, really good for intricate patterns.
I've also used different stencils,I cut them by hand and attach them to a piece of filt that in turn is attached to a piece of metal.
Dip it in the etching solution and power on, quick and dirty!

Originally Posted by epd

I found its all in the paper, I bought the super expensive photo paper the first time, not knowing it was designed to hold onto the ink better. The cheapest paper worked the best. Either way, if it takes 3 tries to get it perfect its still a lot cheaper setup than photoresist stencils, an exposure unit ect. All with good results.
If I was making blades for a living I'd drop 500 on the professional equipment, but Im just a backyard warrior lol.
Eric

I think you must be right.

I used expensive photo paper, and the plastic film on the top surface of the paper came away with the lettering most times, needing a prolonged soak and tweezers to get it off. I'll try cheap stuff next time!

I did eventually change to a circuit-board makers product, though - spray on emulsion coat. Sprayed onto the metal. The negative was easy-peasy - just reverse-printed onto draft film and laid over the dried emulsion coat. A quick exposure to UV light, remove the neg and a wash to remove the unhardened bits of the emulsion (only the bits not screened by the neg remain - the UV hardens it) and the rest could be done in ordinary lighting with etching solution - cheap ferric chloride, like you said.

Regards,
Neil

I have used the film process with films, chemicals, and exposure unit that I bought online. The type of film has pores in it, that close when exposed. It took a lot of experimenting to get the exposure time right, as well as the developing solution, and even then, the results weren't great.