Etched flarecut sculpting plate
- Thread starter Ron Smith
- Start date
FANCYGUN
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Interesting Ron
It almost looks like it is raised carved as opposed to in the metal.
I think you should redo the whole thing as the tweezer scratch destroys the whole professional quality of the darn thing
It almost looks like it is raised carved as opposed to in the metal.
I think you should redo the whole thing as the tweezer scratch destroys the whole professional quality of the darn thing
CRW
Elite Cafe Member
Ron,
I would like to say a big THANKS for joining into this Flare cutting series. You have been a big help to me and this etched work is Awesome.
I would like to say a big THANKS for joining into this Flare cutting series. You have been a big help to me and this etched work is Awesome.
eastslope
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Ron, I know in another post that you were going to dip this in Ferric Chloride. Can you describe the process, the amount of time, and where you can get ferric chloride? Will Muratic acid do the same thing? Is is a durable finish, like a french grey? Will you darken with black paint also? Wow, I sure have alot of questions. Thanks for all of your great help, Seth
Steve223
Elite Cafe Member
Very cool Ron i really like that style
Ron, you have such a nice sense of style. The shapes of the leaves are just great. Thanks!
Mike Cirelli
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
That looks great Ron. I'm also curious about the acid used and amout of time in the bath.
Roger Keagle
Elite Cafe Member
Ferric chloride is used to etch printed circut boards, and thus gotten from Tandy or Radio Shack and such...use it to etch my knife blades...time and concentration is various, depends on the effect you want...on pattern welded steel I dilute 2:1 and use crocus cloth to polish back after it turns black...about 60 seconds...once it turns black, the etching seems to stop, so longer will not do any more it seems.
Ron, this is a bonza piece of work mate.....wish I could work out how...need to re-read all the threads I guess....
Ron, this is a bonza piece of work mate.....wish I could work out how...need to re-read all the threads I guess....
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I don't leave it in the Ferric Chloride but about 15 to 30 seconds. You don't want a heavy etch. You just want to kill the shine. You will get this finish with a fine rust blue, so that is why it looks so good on a blued pistol and it jumps right off there and is very bold. There is a lot more potential for these techniques than I have shown, and you will find ways to put things together that will be your own invention. It is a fun style and you can do it and make some money with it. I think Roger answered the other questions pretty good.
Seth,
Muriatic acid works if you want the french grey finish. It doesn't have as aggresive an etch however. I didn't black this. It is not necessary, and as a matteer of fact, it tends to cheapen the look on this style. It pretty much speaks for itself I think, and that is the beauty of it. I just pour the Ferric chloride into a container that is a little bigger than the plate and lay it in there, wait a bit and take it out. I used tweezers to get it out and that is the reason for the scratch, which I wouldn't do on a real job.
This style will work on vat bluing too, you just may not get the same value due to the difference in rust blue and vat bluing. It will still look good, and you can go through the regular process for french grey.
I prefer rust blue because it is an d does the most for engraving, leaving the velvity look that engraving really looks good on.
Ron S
Seth,
Muriatic acid works if you want the french grey finish. It doesn't have as aggresive an etch however. I didn't black this. It is not necessary, and as a matteer of fact, it tends to cheapen the look on this style. It pretty much speaks for itself I think, and that is the beauty of it. I just pour the Ferric chloride into a container that is a little bigger than the plate and lay it in there, wait a bit and take it out. I used tweezers to get it out and that is the reason for the scratch, which I wouldn't do on a real job.
This style will work on vat bluing too, you just may not get the same value due to the difference in rust blue and vat bluing. It will still look good, and you can go through the regular process for french grey.
I prefer rust blue because it is an d does the most for engraving, leaving the velvity look that engraving really looks good on.
Ron S
bronc
Elite Cafe Member
Ron,
Beautiful work. This is simple elegance at its best. Thanks so much for sharing with us.
Stewart
Beautiful work. This is simple elegance at its best. Thanks so much for sharing with us.
Stewart
Scratchmo
Elite Cafe Member
It's kind of an optical illusion if you look at it that way. When I cut portraits in dies, I like to pull it out of the vice now and then and check it with lighting from the bottom side of the die. That way, the light shines on top of the head, so it 'tricks' your mind into shifting it from incuse to relief. It's kind of like looking at those 3D posters. It's just the way you look at it.
This style of flare cutting works really well for die work and mantling on wax seals as the design will be raised in the finished coin or seal. Ron, I love this style, I'm just curious what size is the plate?
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