Acid required to etch aluminum

Maybe try to etch it in vinegar [in bulk on eBay or Amazon] like the other kiddies do, and have your mommy tell us how it worked? :-)

Hello David. Sorry, for the satire -- it's certainly not your fault, and it was very unkind of me. But this chemophobia on the part of your *COLLEGE* is so ludicrous that I lost it :-(

Drano (pure NaOH) and oven cleaner (nearly pure NaOH) is under the kitchen sink in most homes today, where it's used by absolutely untrained people by the millions daily, almost none even wearing eye protection. It's probably in a dozen janitors' closets at your school as well.

... and you're not allowed to use, under supervision, for your coursework in aluminum etching in *COLLEGE*, the accepted aluminum etchant?! Get your tuition money back.

Apologies and Best of luck.

A. It will be slow, but very safe. Use bicarbonate of soda in water heated to 130 to 150° F. Make a saturated solution. Put in a couple drops of liquid dish soap per quart of solution, the cheapest stuff made. The high priced stuff has skin conditioners that will not help. I would guess about 5 minutes at 150° F for a fine etch, longer for a medium etch.

A. Hi, Jude. Yes, ferric chloride does etch aluminum. Please search this site for "etch aluminum ferric chloride" and, with patience, you'll find a number of reports from people who are using it and what they do. Good luck.

Regards,