Melodie
2009-02-01, 12:41am
Didn’t think this was going to be a darned book but evidently I’m in a chatty mood. :lol:
I thought I would post not so much a tutorial but some helpful hints for those making copper bead caps, it seems to be very popular at the moment. I don't claim to be an expert on any level and these tips won't be for everybody but they might help a few. I’m posting it here in the tutorial section since it has a better chance of being seen in this area. There may be some people already working on tutorials (and I don’t want to step on toes) so all I’m posting are some helpful tips I’ve discovered as a way of giving back to the community. If you have a tip you would like to share PLEASE feel free to add it to this thread. I would love for this to be a collaborative thread. :love:
****************
Finding the center of your disks.
I originally posted this elsewhere a few days ago but thought I'd add it here as well. There is many ways to do this but for a really quick approach I created a bullseye (there are 42 to a page) that can be printed on transparency paper (Wal-Marts sell the paper) that might be helpful. I converted it into MS Word as a .doc so people don’t have to have any special program to print it. Well … you do have to have a program that will open a .doc document. Please feel free to email me your email address and I’ll send it to you.
I cut one of the bullseyes out and hold it over my disk until I see it’s centered and then use an x-acto knife to pierce the center of the bullseye. This leaves a tiny indent in the disk that you can further deepen with either a transfer punch or anything else that has a sharp point or just dot it with a marker. I have also done this where I taped the disk to the bullseye and punched the center but find it easier to do the final punch with a mark on the actual disk.
If I am doing anything ½” or smaller I simply use my transfer punches (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=3577) and an inexpensive disk cutter to mark the centers. I originally bought an inexpensive cutter but soon found I wanted something a bit better, especially when cutting niobium. I was going to give it away until I realized that the better cutter flairs out on the bottom so you can not use it to hold the previously cut disk firmly in place. The inexpensive cutter does not flair out so I can place it over my disk and it holds it snugly while I use my transfer punch to mark the center. I’d also like to add that I don’t hit my transfer punch with a hammer, I simply push down hard and twist. I have better luck centering my hand punch over a small indent in the disk rather than the larger one that is created by hammering the transfer punch. That’s just me though, others might find it easier the other way. If you don’t have the transfer punches then you may be interested in the bullseye for all sizes.
The bullseye looks like this. You could also simply right click on the pic and save it to your computer.
155019
***************
Acid etching copper
Laurie (aka lldesigns) has a great tutorial on copper etching in her blog that also includes fantastic information from Kristi about how to handle the ferric chloride and then dispose of it. I’m not sure if she would approve of me listing her blog link direct so you can find the link to her blog in this thread, towards the bottom of the page, in one of her posts.
http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116666&page=2
Baskets
You will need something to use as a “basket” to place inside your etching container. My etching container is a small plastic bowl with a screw on lid. I’m sure you can buy premade baskets somewhere but I make my own plastic mesh baskets using the clear plastic canvas you can find in the craft section at Wal-Mart. I also picked up some clear plastic circles at a fabric store but they might have them at a place like Michael’s as well. Fig#1
I cut the circle to fit inside the container, lean on the side of being too small rather than a snug fit. #2 I then cut a length of plastic canvas the height I want the basket. #3 You can use fishing line to “sew” the pieces together, here I used a black elastic beading thread so you can see it better. #4 Once you “sew” the canvas all the way around snip off the extra and add a few “stitches” going up the side. #6 I also cut a handle and add it as well, make sure you put enough “stitches” to make the handle very secure, you don’t want a weak handle. #7 I’ve done this with a handle going from one side to the other but often found it to get in the way when placing objects in the basket so I then made some with simply a tab for a handle.
155020
155021
************
PNP Blue Paper
I think it was Sharon who mentions PNP Paper in this thread (trying to give credit where credit is due.)
http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106703&highlight=etch
As soon as I saw what it was I had a Duh! moment. Many, many, MANY moons ago I worked in the Artwork Generation lab for a company that created circuit boards for large computer companies. We developed films for the boards to be etched so this overall process is somewhat familiar to me. I’ve been experimenting with the PNP, available through Techniks (http://techniks.com/) or Thompson Enamels (http://www.thompsonenamel.com/products/supplements/resist.htm) in a smaller quantity, and would like to pass on a few tips. I noticed that Techniks is stating on their site now that the paper might not work with some newer Brother printers so you might want to buy a smaller amount of PNP if you are not sure your printer will work. I have a HP laser so I knew mine would work just fine. I’m not sure if anyone is working on a tutorial for using PNP so I’ll just stick with some helpful hints. There is free information out there, and instructions on the Techniks site, on how to use this paper anyway so no need for me to repeat it.
Tip#1
You need clean copper! You can clean it a number of ways but I just give it a quick few seconds etch to get all the crud off. However you do it, just make sure the copper is very clean before applying the PNP paper, this step makes a world of difference.
Tip#2
Don’t try to do a whole sheet of PNP at one time, simply cut out a small square and tape it to a normal sheet of paper.
This stuff works better if used soon after printing so just print out what you will need for that particular work session. I create my designs and first print them out on regular paper to see how big a piece of PNP I will need to cover them. Tape the cut PNP to a regular sheet of paper in the correct spot. Make sure you have enough excess that the tape won’t interfere with the design. Also, you need to know how your printer feeds the paper to know where to tape the piece of PNP. I know that for my printer the taped PNP has to be upside down and to the right when loaded in the printer. Just do a simple check on your printer to see how it feeds. Mark an X on a corner of a blank piece of paper, load it in the machine (taking note of how you placed it) and print something. When it comes out see where the mark is compared to the printed info and adjust as needed.
155022
Tip#3
Design – make sure if your design needs to be centered on the disk that you have something on the design to use as a reference for centering your disk. If your design is random then this really doesn’t matter. This paper is dark blue so you can’t see through it like a transparency. You won’t be able to tell if your design is centered properly or not. I create a reference circle around my design, a little bit larger than my disk, to use for centering. When I lay the PNP paper down on the table I can place my disk on top and gently move it around, using an x-acto knife, until the disk is centered in the reference circle. You don’t want to scratch your PNP so do this gently. Once centered, I hold the disk in place with the x-acto and place a piece of tape over the disk and press it down onto the PNP. After that it’s safe to lift the knife and place another piece of tape to finish covering the bottom. It takes practice … don’t give up. This is what a reference circle might look like.
155024
#3b - If my design already has an outer border I will just make it wider so I can use it as my reference circle. Crappy pic but you get the point. The outer circle is just slightly larger than the cut copper disk.
155023
Tip#4
The temp of the iron is critical. I have one of those fancy smancy infrared temperature readers that Alton loves so much but when it came to this it really wasn’t much use. I just made up a few pieces and started some trial and error. Didn’t take long to get my settings right.
Remember NO steam! I set my iron on the hottest setting first and it was a disaster. After that, I moved it to the halfway mark in the cotton area and started playing from there. My final setting was just a touch lower than half but I doubt seriously every iron is the same so you really need to play with this. The first transfers I made I left the iron in place for just a minute or two, this did not give good results either. I finally started leaving mine in place for about 9 minutes and so far get pretty decent results. I’ve also found that if you move the iron around at all the design can move or smear. My iron happens to have an automatic shut off so I got around this by unplugging it halfway through and plugging it back in. Seems to have worked for me. I would definitely recommend dedicating about a half of a sheet of PNP paper as research waste so you can find your perfect settings. I reuse the same blanks to experiment with, clean them with acetone to remove the PNP film and then I give them a quick few second etch batch again to make sure I have a good clean surface to experiment on again. How clean your copper is can make or break this whole process.
Tip#5
Fill in the blanks … I still occasionally have a small area that doesn’t seem to transfer so I fill in these areas with nail polish and a very tiny paint brush. I also make sure to cover the edges of the disks if the design calls for there to be an outer band around the design.
************************
That’s about it for now ... thank goodness!! :roll: I’m sure I’ll see some things that need to be adjusted later. Please excuse any typos or other errors … result of ditching English class when young. :roll:
I hope others will chime in with their tips as well. I could seriously use some help with doming the caps when the center has already been punched. Mine sometimes seem to be higher on one side than the other so I’d appreciate any advise I can get. :grin:
Here are a few of my recent etched caps.
154749
155025
I thought I would post not so much a tutorial but some helpful hints for those making copper bead caps, it seems to be very popular at the moment. I don't claim to be an expert on any level and these tips won't be for everybody but they might help a few. I’m posting it here in the tutorial section since it has a better chance of being seen in this area. There may be some people already working on tutorials (and I don’t want to step on toes) so all I’m posting are some helpful tips I’ve discovered as a way of giving back to the community. If you have a tip you would like to share PLEASE feel free to add it to this thread. I would love for this to be a collaborative thread. :love:
****************
Finding the center of your disks.
I originally posted this elsewhere a few days ago but thought I'd add it here as well. There is many ways to do this but for a really quick approach I created a bullseye (there are 42 to a page) that can be printed on transparency paper (Wal-Marts sell the paper) that might be helpful. I converted it into MS Word as a .doc so people don’t have to have any special program to print it. Well … you do have to have a program that will open a .doc document. Please feel free to email me your email address and I’ll send it to you.
I cut one of the bullseyes out and hold it over my disk until I see it’s centered and then use an x-acto knife to pierce the center of the bullseye. This leaves a tiny indent in the disk that you can further deepen with either a transfer punch or anything else that has a sharp point or just dot it with a marker. I have also done this where I taped the disk to the bullseye and punched the center but find it easier to do the final punch with a mark on the actual disk.
If I am doing anything ½” or smaller I simply use my transfer punches (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=3577) and an inexpensive disk cutter to mark the centers. I originally bought an inexpensive cutter but soon found I wanted something a bit better, especially when cutting niobium. I was going to give it away until I realized that the better cutter flairs out on the bottom so you can not use it to hold the previously cut disk firmly in place. The inexpensive cutter does not flair out so I can place it over my disk and it holds it snugly while I use my transfer punch to mark the center. I’d also like to add that I don’t hit my transfer punch with a hammer, I simply push down hard and twist. I have better luck centering my hand punch over a small indent in the disk rather than the larger one that is created by hammering the transfer punch. That’s just me though, others might find it easier the other way. If you don’t have the transfer punches then you may be interested in the bullseye for all sizes.
The bullseye looks like this. You could also simply right click on the pic and save it to your computer.
155019
***************
Acid etching copper
Laurie (aka lldesigns) has a great tutorial on copper etching in her blog that also includes fantastic information from Kristi about how to handle the ferric chloride and then dispose of it. I’m not sure if she would approve of me listing her blog link direct so you can find the link to her blog in this thread, towards the bottom of the page, in one of her posts.
http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116666&page=2
Baskets
You will need something to use as a “basket” to place inside your etching container. My etching container is a small plastic bowl with a screw on lid. I’m sure you can buy premade baskets somewhere but I make my own plastic mesh baskets using the clear plastic canvas you can find in the craft section at Wal-Mart. I also picked up some clear plastic circles at a fabric store but they might have them at a place like Michael’s as well. Fig#1
I cut the circle to fit inside the container, lean on the side of being too small rather than a snug fit. #2 I then cut a length of plastic canvas the height I want the basket. #3 You can use fishing line to “sew” the pieces together, here I used a black elastic beading thread so you can see it better. #4 Once you “sew” the canvas all the way around snip off the extra and add a few “stitches” going up the side. #6 I also cut a handle and add it as well, make sure you put enough “stitches” to make the handle very secure, you don’t want a weak handle. #7 I’ve done this with a handle going from one side to the other but often found it to get in the way when placing objects in the basket so I then made some with simply a tab for a handle.
155020
155021
************
PNP Blue Paper
I think it was Sharon who mentions PNP Paper in this thread (trying to give credit where credit is due.)
http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106703&highlight=etch
As soon as I saw what it was I had a Duh! moment. Many, many, MANY moons ago I worked in the Artwork Generation lab for a company that created circuit boards for large computer companies. We developed films for the boards to be etched so this overall process is somewhat familiar to me. I’ve been experimenting with the PNP, available through Techniks (http://techniks.com/) or Thompson Enamels (http://www.thompsonenamel.com/products/supplements/resist.htm) in a smaller quantity, and would like to pass on a few tips. I noticed that Techniks is stating on their site now that the paper might not work with some newer Brother printers so you might want to buy a smaller amount of PNP if you are not sure your printer will work. I have a HP laser so I knew mine would work just fine. I’m not sure if anyone is working on a tutorial for using PNP so I’ll just stick with some helpful hints. There is free information out there, and instructions on the Techniks site, on how to use this paper anyway so no need for me to repeat it.
Tip#1
You need clean copper! You can clean it a number of ways but I just give it a quick few seconds etch to get all the crud off. However you do it, just make sure the copper is very clean before applying the PNP paper, this step makes a world of difference.
Tip#2
Don’t try to do a whole sheet of PNP at one time, simply cut out a small square and tape it to a normal sheet of paper.
This stuff works better if used soon after printing so just print out what you will need for that particular work session. I create my designs and first print them out on regular paper to see how big a piece of PNP I will need to cover them. Tape the cut PNP to a regular sheet of paper in the correct spot. Make sure you have enough excess that the tape won’t interfere with the design. Also, you need to know how your printer feeds the paper to know where to tape the piece of PNP. I know that for my printer the taped PNP has to be upside down and to the right when loaded in the printer. Just do a simple check on your printer to see how it feeds. Mark an X on a corner of a blank piece of paper, load it in the machine (taking note of how you placed it) and print something. When it comes out see where the mark is compared to the printed info and adjust as needed.
155022
Tip#3
Design – make sure if your design needs to be centered on the disk that you have something on the design to use as a reference for centering your disk. If your design is random then this really doesn’t matter. This paper is dark blue so you can’t see through it like a transparency. You won’t be able to tell if your design is centered properly or not. I create a reference circle around my design, a little bit larger than my disk, to use for centering. When I lay the PNP paper down on the table I can place my disk on top and gently move it around, using an x-acto knife, until the disk is centered in the reference circle. You don’t want to scratch your PNP so do this gently. Once centered, I hold the disk in place with the x-acto and place a piece of tape over the disk and press it down onto the PNP. After that it’s safe to lift the knife and place another piece of tape to finish covering the bottom. It takes practice … don’t give up. This is what a reference circle might look like.
155024
#3b - If my design already has an outer border I will just make it wider so I can use it as my reference circle. Crappy pic but you get the point. The outer circle is just slightly larger than the cut copper disk.
155023
Tip#4
The temp of the iron is critical. I have one of those fancy smancy infrared temperature readers that Alton loves so much but when it came to this it really wasn’t much use. I just made up a few pieces and started some trial and error. Didn’t take long to get my settings right.
Remember NO steam! I set my iron on the hottest setting first and it was a disaster. After that, I moved it to the halfway mark in the cotton area and started playing from there. My final setting was just a touch lower than half but I doubt seriously every iron is the same so you really need to play with this. The first transfers I made I left the iron in place for just a minute or two, this did not give good results either. I finally started leaving mine in place for about 9 minutes and so far get pretty decent results. I’ve also found that if you move the iron around at all the design can move or smear. My iron happens to have an automatic shut off so I got around this by unplugging it halfway through and plugging it back in. Seems to have worked for me. I would definitely recommend dedicating about a half of a sheet of PNP paper as research waste so you can find your perfect settings. I reuse the same blanks to experiment with, clean them with acetone to remove the PNP film and then I give them a quick few second etch batch again to make sure I have a good clean surface to experiment on again. How clean your copper is can make or break this whole process.
Tip#5
Fill in the blanks … I still occasionally have a small area that doesn’t seem to transfer so I fill in these areas with nail polish and a very tiny paint brush. I also make sure to cover the edges of the disks if the design calls for there to be an outer band around the design.
************************
That’s about it for now ... thank goodness!! :roll: I’m sure I’ll see some things that need to be adjusted later. Please excuse any typos or other errors … result of ditching English class when young. :roll:
I hope others will chime in with their tips as well. I could seriously use some help with doming the caps when the center has already been punched. Mine sometimes seem to be higher on one side than the other so I’d appreciate any advise I can get. :grin:
Here are a few of my recent etched caps.
154749
155025