Acid Etching

[Jerry Berg]

I'm going to try my hand at some acid etching here and I have some questions.

1. Where can I obtain mica flakes for acid etching and is there any particular grade I should be looking for.

2. In what part of a design is acid etching most appropriate, the boarders, letters or other parts of the design. Could I acid etch letters then water gild leaving a bright outline, similar to glue chipped? What are your best suggestions.

I have done my homework on the process and am prepared, just need this extra info.

Thanks, Jerry

[Danny Baronian]

Jerry, check with local chemical or casting suppliers in your town. In the past I've purchased from Douglas &Sturgess in San Francisco. You don't need much, but if you have a few pounds of it you can sort it into fine, medium and coarse with various metal screens that are purchased from the hardware store. Put a small quantity in a coffee grinder to break it down more if need be and grade it yourself. But either clean the grinder well, or better yet use it for anything but food.

Many times I'll use acid etching in place of glue chipping because it's faster, more controllable and easier to sell in my area as the customer is after a more contemporary look.

Use it in any area you want, or in any area you would glue chip, including letter centers. It can be water gilded the same as glue chipping without having to double gild as in glue chipping.

Danny

[Mike Jackson]

Jerry,
After Rick Glawson passed away, we started this list of hard to find sign supplies:
http://www.theletterheads.com/supplies/index.htm


I saw a couple of links to mica flakes on the list, towards the bottom.

Mike Jackson

[Jerry Berg]

Thanks Danny and Mike,

I guess I'll try out some letter centers as I'm working on a project that I was going to chip. I'll do a test of the different grades to see what is going to most suit my needs. I'll check out that list of suppliers as well.

Thanks again, Jerry

[Doug Bernhardt]

Jerry, It would be worth taking a peek at antique work or "Best" Rick Glawson's Pier Pale Ale piece to see how it was done (regarding the where to and not etc) but the "Panel/Crest" that says something like "Brewed" is acid stippled with mica flakes. A very cool effect. That job was all done by hand and the stippling and chipping are there so he could see what he was bright lining. I'm sure he considered the effect just a little bit too;=)

[Jerry Berg]

Doug,

I just took a look at the Pier Ale peice, and I'm thinking that acid etching seems to work out better in the less prominent areas. So I'll use the acid etching in another part of the design and stick with my chipped letters. Rick did a nice brown mottled background on that too I noticed. Hmmm... Ideas.

Thanks, Jerry