Step 5:
The Nameplate was a real learning process. Even though there are great resources here and elsewhere, none didn't advise me on the most hardest thing about it - was fitting the plate to the hole already drilled in a cabinet and getting it to align up right.
I did it exactly backwards and made a lot of work for myself. But I will tell you the simpler method I will use next time:
1. Don't drill any holes in the wood cabinet until AFTER the plate is done then fit the holes to match the plate - not vice versa.
2. Draw up the plate as you want it to look like. Turn the drawing into a negative and the reverse the image. Print it from a LASER printer only (the ink is thermally set) not an ink jet. Print on GLOSSY PAPER, NOT on a transparency as some point out. The transparency melts and shifts your image around. BAD. Once you transfer the ink to the copper plate, use a sharpie to touch up any areas that didn't transfer well. This works surprisingly well given how thin the marker line is.
3. Etch the very clean plate using whatever method you want (other references exist her on this site, but the Muriatic acid/Hydrogen Peroxide worked great here. 30 minutes and it was a sweet job! Safety Here! Use gloves and eye protecction. Muriatic acid is strong and can damage your cornea in the blink of an eye. Pun intended!
4. Then paint flat black model pain (thinner based enamel) into the etched areas & let dry. Then come back over it with400 or less sand paper to take off the excess paint and touch up with a paper towel lightly treated with mineral spirits.
I did it exactly backwards and made a lot of work for myself. But I will tell you the simpler method I will use next time:
1. Don't drill any holes in the wood cabinet until AFTER the plate is done then fit the holes to match the plate - not vice versa.
2. Draw up the plate as you want it to look like. Turn the drawing into a negative and the reverse the image. Print it from a LASER printer only (the ink is thermally set) not an ink jet. Print on GLOSSY PAPER, NOT on a transparency as some point out. The transparency melts and shifts your image around. BAD. Once you transfer the ink to the copper plate, use a sharpie to touch up any areas that didn't transfer well. This works surprisingly well given how thin the marker line is.
3. Etch the very clean plate using whatever method you want (other references exist her on this site, but the Muriatic acid/Hydrogen Peroxide worked great here. 30 minutes and it was a sweet job! Safety Here! Use gloves and eye protecction. Muriatic acid is strong and can damage your cornea in the blink of an eye. Pun intended!
4. Then paint flat black model pain (thinner based enamel) into the etched areas & let dry. Then come back over it with400 or less sand paper to take off the excess paint and touch up with a paper towel lightly treated with mineral spirits.
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