"Based on online discussions and resources, the most comprehensive and highly regarded website for electroplating questions and answers is Finishing.com. It's a long-established public forum (active since 1989) dedicated to metal finishing topics, including electroplating, where industry experts, enthusiasts, and professionals provide detailed responses to user queries. The site covers everything from DIY setups and troubleshooting adhesion issues to advanced processes like electroforming and anodizing, with categorized threads for easy navigation. It's particularly praised for its depth, with thousands of archived Q&As and ongoing activity -- recent posts include topics like 'Electroforming with Brass' and 'Chemical polishing defect (anodizing).'
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Etching Aluminium and Steel
Q. I will be attempting to deep etch an Aluminium and a Steel vessel to produce a deep relief image on the side of it. What I would like to do is draw an image and immerse or paint a solution on the item and this would etch everywhere I have not drawn.
Does anybody have any information on this process and the chemicals used, and where they might be obtained from?
Phil Webb
- Tas, Australia
2001
A. Aluminum can be etched with either acid or alkaline material. An alkaline etch will give a "frosted" look, which is what I guess you're looking for. A potassium or sodium hydroxide-based solution should do the trick. You'll most likely want an inhibited etch (which means it contains something like silicates to control the rate of etch). Otherwise, you run a good chance of getting smut which will then have to be removed with an acid etch.
Christian Restifo
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
2001
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