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Finding
an original brass nameplate isn't always easy, and while
reproduction nameplates are available for many of the
more popular engines, those of us with less common equipment
are often left empty handed. If you're missing the original
nameplate, or your original is badly damaged, there
is a fairly straightforward process for making your
own reproduction nameplate, and one that looks identical
to the original. Called photo etching or chemical milling,
the process involves chemically removing metal around
an image mask to leave raised letters and images.
The
Etching Process
In commercial photo etching, transferring the image
to the metal requires photo-sensitive chemicals, ultraviolet
light and chemical developing of the image prior to
etching. I was not going to get into another $300 project
to produce a $10 part, so I searched for an easier method.
The
hobby electronics field provided the answer with a product
called Press-n-Peel Blue (PnP) toner transfer paper,
an emulsion coated mylar film that you copy your artwork
to using any laser copier. This material is used for
making intricate printed circuit boards, which are etched
the same way as a nameplate. The toner from a laser
copier transfers to the PnP film, and the emulsion on
the PnP Blue lets the toner easily transfer to a metal
plate using a simple cl..egrees F, so I floated
the etching tray in a larger pan of hot water to warm
the etching solution.
Pour
the etching solution into the tray with the plate to
a depth of about 1/4 inch and gently agitate the solution
for 20-40 minutes. The depth of etching varies with
temperature, agitation and time. On my nameplate it
took about 20 minutes to get nice raised lettering and
an etching depth of about 0.004-inch to 0.005-inch.
Rinse the plate in running water when finished, trim
it to size and sand/file the edges smooth. The etching
solution can be reused, but it will be slower each successive
time as more of the chemical becomes tied up with dissolved
metal.
If
you want the background of the finished plate to be
dark, instant gun bluing solution or paint works well.
Gun bluing can produce a very nice patina, depending
on how it is used. Finally, polish the raised portions
of the plate with brass polish or 1,500-grit sandpaper,
stamp in your serial number and other desired data and
clear coat. That's it. It might take a bit of time to
get your artwork the way you want it, but once you have
a pattern to work from the rest is just following a
process, working it until you get it right. And once
you get comfortable with the process you can be creative
with the etching, making thin spots, nicks and scratches
in the PnP Blue mask to produce a used look that duplicates
the wear and tear of use. I guarantee you will be impressed
- and you'll have done it yourself.
Contact
engine enthusiast Jeff Conner at: 8269 Dunham Road,
Baldwinsville, NY 13027, or e-mail:
jconner2@twcny.rr.com
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