Easy etched metal for pendants

To transfer an image to metal, you’ll need to use a material that will “resist” the dissolving action of acid. Where you apply the resist, the metal will be protected; everywhere else, the acid (ferric chloride) will etch the metal, leaving the protected metal in a raised image. 

One of the more versatile resists is a blue acetate film known as Press-n-Peel (PnP) paper. An image or pattern photocopied onto the matte side of this paper can be transferred onto metal. When planning your piece, remember that the pattern will transfer as a mirror image. If the direction of the pattern is important or includes lettering, consider what you’ll use the etching for, and adjust the orientation of the image or letters so that they will read correctly on the finished product. You may need to photocopy the pattern onto a transparency and then flip the transparency appropriately before photocopying the image onto the PnP paper.

SUPPLIES

• Brass, copper, or nickel sheet: 18-, 20-, or 22-gauge (1.0, 0.8, or 0.6mm)
• Press-n-Peel paper
• Iron
• Heat-resistant surface
• Bench shear or jeweler’s saw
• Rawhide mallet (optional)
• Bench anvil (optional)
• Scouring pads 
• Sandpaper 
• Rubbing alcohol 
• Black permanent marker (optional)
• Nail polish
• Contact paper 
• Styrofoam, 1 in. (25.5mm) thick
• Tape: double-sided or duct 
• Safety glasses 
• Apron
• Nitrile gloves 
• Glass dish or disposable plastic container, minimum 6 in. (15.2cm) square
• Ferric-chloride solution
• Plastic tongs (optional)
• Rubber cement (optional)
• Baking soda
• Acetone 
• Brass brush

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Transfer your artwork to PnP paper. Use a photocopier with a carbon-based toner to transfer copyright-free artwork or original designs from plain paper onto the matte side of the PnP paper. (PnP paper comes in 8 1⁄2 x 11-in. sheets.) The copier should be set to give the darkest image possible without smudging clear areas. The photocopied image on the PnP paper will act as a resist on the metal. The inks used in ink-jet printers generally do not work for transferring images with PnP paper. 

Pretest your iron. The optimal heat for transferring images with PnP paper is just below the temperature at which the backing film on the PnP paper begins to buckle. Since irons vary in temperature, it is critical to pretest your iron. 

Begin testing by setting your iron one or two settings below maximum. Place a piece of scrap metal on a heat-resistant surface, and place the PnP paper on the metal, matte side down. Iron the paper. When the paper buckles, turn the temperature down slightly. That temperature is the optimal temperature.

2. Cut and prepare the metal. Use a metal shear or a jeweler’s saw to cut a piece of metal that is slightly larger than your image or pattern. The metal must be flat. If the metal is not flat, use a rawhide mallet to flatten it on a bench anvil. 

Use a scouring pad or sandpaper to clean the surface of the metal. Rinse the metal with water, and dry it, taking care to handle the metal by the edges to keep skin oils off the surface. Wipe the metal surface with rubbing alcohol immediately before attaching the PnP paper.

3. Apply the PnP paper as a resist to the metal. Cut your image or pattern from the PnP paper, leaving a metal border at least 1⁄4 in. (6.5mm) wide around the image. Place the metal on a heat-resistant surface, and place the PnP paper, matte (image) side down, on the metal. Use a circular motion with the iron to apply heat evenly across the surface of the PnP paper. The metal plate will become very hot, and the image will become more pronounced through the PnP paper’s film backing as the transfer takes place.

4. Peel the PnP paper from the metal. When the metal has cooled, lift one corner of the PnP paper, observing the transfer closely to make sure the image has completely transferred. If it has not, apply the iron again until you are satisfied with the transfer. If there are still any areas of the design that did not transfer, fill in and touch up the image with black permanent marker or nail polish.

5. Prepare for etching. Cover the back of the metal sheet with contact paper, coating the edges with nail polish or another resist to protect them from etching.

6. Use Styrofoam to keep the metal afloat during etching. Cut a piece of scrap Styrofoam about the size of your metal and at least 1 in. (25.5mm) thick. Use double-sided tape or duct tape attached sticky-side out to adhere the back of the metal to the Styrofoam. 

Put on eye protection, an apron, and nitrile gloves before handling any acids. Make sure there is adequate ventilation in the area where you will be etching. See “Safety Notes,” above, for more information on handling ferric chloride.

7.  Etch the metal. Pour just enough ferric chloride into a glass dish or plastic container to allow the metal to float easily. Put the metal plate facedown in the acid. Gently rock the container to remove air bubbles from the surface of the metal. Cover the container and leave the metal for approximately 1 1⁄2 hours. A shallow etch for a metal clay texture plate can be achieved in 30 to 45 minutes. See “Etching Tips,” below, for resist-endurance times.

Clean the metal and remove the PnP resist. Wear nitrile gloves or use plastic tongs to remove the metal from the ferric chloride. Submerge the metal plate in a solution of 2 cups (473.2mL) water and 1⁄4 cup (59mL) baking soda to neutralize the ferric chloride. Rinse the piece in clear water and remove the tape. Remove the PnP resist with acetone and a scouring pad. Finish the piece with a brass brush and soapy water. This should remove all traces of the resist and any other stains. It will also polish and burnish the metal, giving it a smooth, attractive finish.

8. Try these applications for etched plates. The finished etching can be made into a jewelry item, such as a pendant, an earring or a plate to attach to a strip of leather as a bracelet. Anything you can do with sheet metal can only be made more beautiful by adding a pattern!

Another option: use an etched pattern as a texture plate for metal clay or polymer clay. If you have etched into brass or nickel, you can use the plate to roll-print the texture onto sterling silver.