photo etching

[Lee]

Does anyone know of any links to articles on photo etching?

I saw an article in an automotive mag. about a 1/87th modeler (Kurk, I think) who lives in Holland who does his own photo etching. He models American vehicles from the '50's. His photo etched details makes everything else that I have ever seen look like toys. His 1/87th vehicles look like something you would see in 1/24th scale.

I have heard that it is a highly toxic operation and should not be done at home.

Anyone have any knowledge or experience?

[Christian]

I don't think photo-etching is a very dangerous undertaking, if you wear proper eye and hand protection anyway.

This is as comprehensive as it gets, unfortunately only in German: www.modellboard.de/thread.php?threadid=5371&boardid=18&styleid=1

[Lee]

[quote author=Christian only in German: 1[/quote]

Dem Blinden hilft keine Brille ;D

[Christian]

hilft, Lee, it's "help" afterall. Well, at least you can look at the photos. Have you tried to put some of that text through a translation engine (http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=en for example)?

[cfesmire]

Well this one may not be more comprehensive but at least it's in the more primitive of languages. No translation necessary. Sorry, only a narrative, no pics. But it does deal with the subject as it relates to modelling:
modeltech.tripod.com/etchingentry.htm

Actually it seems fairly simple given accurate artwork.

[Lee]

Just what I was looking for Chester. Everything that I have seen so far points to getting a laser printer for my computer.

I can see coping a picture into the computer of, say, the grill work of a vehicle. The using a paint shop like Adobe changing the picture into just black and white. The black being what you wanted to keep and the white is what gets eaten by the acid. There would have to be thin black connecting lines between all the pieces to hold every thing together. The cute trick is making a mirror image for the computer the print. Then it would have to be reduced to the correct scale and printed. Sounds simple enough. Now if I only live so long to get to this project.

[cfesmire]

Lee,
I see what you're saying about the artwork with the grill. I really don't believe this guy simplified things too much in the article. One could probaly, given the right tools including a laser printer, get going with the information provided. This seems to be an easier endeavor than the resin casting even. Which I, to date, am not ready to tackle, mostly because of my business schedule. Perhaps this winter I will try both.

[Lee]

Which would be better: photo etched parts to add to a model or photo etched pieces put on the model master before casting it in resin? The first would drive the price of the the kit up but may look better.

[cfesmire]

I agree, the addition of the photo etched parts would probably look better than putting them on the master first but then not having any experience in either, I couldn't tell which would be more expensive. There's something about having that little strip of detailed metal parts that seems to add a bit of class to a kit.

[Lee]

Putting a set of photo etched parts in a resin kit would probably come close to doubling the price. Even after having the artwork done the process of the actual photo etching is a multi step process. I hope to have some pictures soon from an old article in which the modeler built some '50s american autos with photo etched parts.

[cfesmire]

I've been in touch with my cousin who owns a commercial photography studio. He said he had some experience in the Navy with photoetching and is sending me some info. His opinion is that anyone, again provided good artwork, can do photoetching. Not much needed in the way of expensive tools. We'll see.

[Lee]

I found the article that I had referred to in another thread. In the Collectible Automobile June 1989 issue is a letter to the editors from a Henrik Praetorius of Virum, Denmark which included two pictures of his work with photo etching in 1/87 scale. Henrik's work of 15 years ago makes our work look like it came out of the dark ages. I am sending a copy of the letter with pictures via email to those that I know are interested. Anyone else wishes to see the article, let me know and I will be happy to email it to you.

Henrik did the windwings, chrome around the windows, windshield wippers beside the normal grill and lights.

[mrbst30]

I don't know if this is useful, since it looks like everyone has found some good online articles, but I figured I would let everyone see this anyhow.
I found an article of Photo-etching in my giant pile of Scale Auto Enthusiast Magazines. This article is from the August 1994 issue It is fairly in depth and even uses a then commercially available photo-etching setup. This was from the infancy of the digital age and explains how to get sharp images by more primitive means.
www.dementia.org/~mark/pe

[Lee]

Here is an interesting website where the author talks about his trials and errors in learning and building a photo etching business.

www.prototrains.com/

[cfesmire]

OK, I'm going to get started on this big time as soon as I can throw a few hours in a row together. I have all the equipment, chemicals and desire to jump right in. But in the meantime, this fellow has simplified it to the max. Need that very tiny part (see making detail parts thread) and don't know how to fabricate it? (skunk, how about those wheel spinners?) Check out this very simple p.e. tutorial:
modeltech.tripod.com/etchingarticle.htm