How to etch perspex

Letter 8079

How to etch perspex

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Hello!

What tool do you acid etch with?
Can I etch on perspex?
You see I want to re create the effect of the trails of an ice skater's path along the ice.

Jade Hill
- Nottingham, UK

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Jade,

You'd have a helluva time trying to acid 'etch' acrylics as they are all very acid and alkali resistant.

What about using a mini-drill and 'scoring' a pathway? Heck, experts often make up full design 'drawings' of trees, etc., via mechanical etching and then illuminate the bottom edge so that the etched markings stand proud.

And if you make a mistake, ah, you'd have to buff away the scoring if it's not too deep.

An acrylic supply house, ie Perspex in your case, might be able, should be able to give you name of an artist who does this type of work and then you could ask him/her.

Cheers !

Freeman Newton
- White Rock, B.C. Canada

... a retirement mecca, they say, close to the U.S. border

October 22, 2009

Dear Jade,
I'm not sure if this information is applicable to the effects you wish to produce, but there is a artist Kaori Maki who produces prints using perspex and paint stripper.
Quotes from book 'Installations and experimental printing'

1 Dry and smooth the surface of the perspex
2 Pour paint stripper onto the plate; metallic tools or coardboard must be used to control the liquid.
3 leave the plate in the sunlight or if necessary use a heat gun or hair dryer. It will start reacting by bubbling
4 Leave to dry. best one week.
5 make sure all the bubbles are open, break with needle if necess
6 wash plate with cold water, remove slime
7 print as etching

David Brown
- Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, UK

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