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What should sculptor use to electrolytically etch phosphor bronze?

Q. I'm a sculptor and want to etch info on my work.

David Kawecki
metal sculpture finishing - San Francisco, California, USA
February 14, 2008

A. Try vinegar [in bulk on eBay or Amazon] diluted with water(1:1); you can add some copper sulphate [on eBay or Amazon]too (50 gm to a liter of solution). Object must be connected to +, stainless steel to - (of battery charger [on eBay or Amazon] as current source). Hope it helps and good luck!

Goran Budija
- Cerovski vrh Croatia
February 16, 2008

A. I am by no means a professional, in fact I am still researching for my 1st etching project. But I read a good tutorial about a guy etching brass and you should be able to etch bronze in the same fashion.

steampunkworkshop.com/electroetch.shtml

Hope that helps.

Good Luck,
Sean

Sean Begley
Student - Nashville, Tennessee, USA
February 16, 2008

Q. I am looking to etch the surface of silicon bronze wire and rod in production quantity. The surface should be "pebbled" when the process is complete and look as if it has been sand blasted with a fine media. What acid or combination would work best?

Mark Snelling
- Shelburne, Vermont USA
April 1, 2013

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