Guide to Acrylic Etching

**WhiteBoy88** · 08-11-2006, 02:45 PM

The cheapest way to get LED's is ebay; you might get a few dead ones out of a hundred or so, but it's worth the price.

I'll ask him about his shading, but I think it's just learned skill.

Stealth · 08-14-2006, 02:30 PM

Thanks a lot, Haven't found those LEDs on ebay but I have other places to look too. Any word on the shadowing?

SacredTbag · 08-15-2006, 02:06 AM

hey guys, found the thread again :)

that's not too bad for a first time etch. but like i said, you need to use an etcher instead of an actual dremel for it. you get finer lines, and it's much easier (although time consuming) for the shading.

as to how i do the shading, i hold the etcher very lightly in my hand, and let the weight of the tool do the work. you'll have to go over the same area quite often, but the end result is worth it. that way you can get different levels of shading, not just the BAM! kinda 'dremel' shade.

once i find something that goes along with my new Lian-Li, i'll have a new etch up in here ;)

**WhiteBoy88** · 08-19-2006, 09:25 PM

In my efforts to make good stuff easier to find, this thread has been moved to Tricks, Tips, & Tools and officially Stuck.
Posted some links to and a pic of the "Dremel Engraving Tool" (aka "etcher") in the guide; made titles easier to read with the Portal Blue forum skin.

Stealth · 08-21-2006, 05:02 PM

*W/ head hung Stealth cries in shame* I did use a dremel etcher (yes the same one featured in the picture on pg1 of this thread) Hence my crying, you thought I used a dremel roter!!! I am sad but trying to get better. Both of those etchings were only tests like you recommended; very light you say? Okay I will make the process as painstaking and grueling as possible LOL.

Well thanks a million for stopping in with the advice on shading I know White said you were really busy!!

SacredTbag · 08-22-2006, 02:09 AM

yeah, it takes a very long time to do the shading. especially when it's detailed like those on the first page. couple of those took 8+ hours to complete.

thnx for 'stucking' muh thread. first stickie!

BigD6997 · 08-22-2006, 10:42 PM

well i got a huge thing of polycarbonate plastic for my wizzard case mod, ima put a boom headshot logo on there :)

deagle - - - Head - - ->

naggledown · 10-09-2006, 02:41 PM

wow you have to have a steady hand to do that dont you

SacredTbag · 06-03-2007, 05:08 AM

i've updated the tutorial. more of a face lift, but for now it works. eventually i'll try to get around to actually finishing it with the advanced techniques.

holy crap, i originally wrote that almost 2 years ago... WOOOOOOW!

i really wish i had my tools with me. i've got a nice case with an acrylic front bezel that's just dying to be etched.

SpydersByte · 06-03-2007, 11:08 AM

yea sacred I was actually going to write a guide to get more in depth into the part of it everyone is asking about.... "how do you shade"? lol. Your guide is very good to know what to do and how to get started, but gives little information on how to actually etch. Ill re-read it again and see what youve added. I guess I wont need to write my guide now.

I cant wait to show you my etches that Ive done. I just need to find a frikkin working camera. Im actually probably going to just go up to Best Buy and dropp 200 on a decent one.

Either way, pics soon. Prepare to be suprised at what a noob can do :)

EDIT: Please tell me how in the world you colored your etches. Send me a PM if you must.

EDIT2: Just came back from Best Buy with a brandy new Canon PowerShot SD1000.... niicceee :) w00t. Battery is charging, cant wait to take some nice pics!!!! It has a beautiful macro mode, which is one of the things I was really looking for. The dude at best buy took a pic of the bolt in the table from about 2cm away. He got close, and you could see the imprint and the machine marks on the bolt, then he digitally zommed in and you could see EVERYTHING, it was amazing, and still crystal clear. Now its mine :)

Comeon baby.... charge charge charge!!!

SpydersByte · 06-03-2007, 04:32 PM

Ok, this was my 3rd etch. I just got the camera charged so I was goin crazy just to take a pic. I fixed the levels a bit in Photoshop, but I didnt have the camera set up well to take a pic like this, I just snapped it. You can see the flash spot but whatever, I will take better pics soon as I figure out the camera.

As soon as I got the etcher I immediately did one simple etch of one of my own drawings just to see how the thing worked. I then printed out 2 pictures out of my DevianArt favorites that had good black and white shading, to practice.

This pic below was my 3rd attempt at etching. Id say it took about 3 hours on and off. Im pretty happy with it :) Especially considering Im a total noob at this, tell me what you think Tbag.

The way I took the pic and the editing I did with PS is making it look a little worse than it does in person :/ Ill have a better pic up when I start my own thread. I also took the image off the back a little prematurely. I was so impatient to just see what it looked like that I didnt really finish. My second try at etching still have the image taped to the back because I know Im not fully done with it yet. Ill have that one finished tonight though, Ive been neglecting it a bit.

btw, This was the original image:

when I get the cam all figured out I will probably make my own thread to show all my etches. That will probably be later tonight (if my girl dont make me come over :)) or tomorrow.

**Grez** · 07-10-2007, 01:37 PM

Looks sweet, man! BTW...I have that graphic and some of the related ones save on my HD! Nice to see someone turn it into an etch!

Hawes_4 · 08-23-2007, 01:45 AM

ok, I am new to the forum and am looking into doing my first etching. Now I was wondering if I could get a lil help on how to etch this hockey logo, like which parts would be best to etch in. I am looking at running a green led to illuminate the etch as well. So the initial logo is what I am looking at, minus the lettering. This will be displayed as a window on my xbox 360 and will be the exact shape of the logo itself.

any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hawes_4 · 08-23-2007, 09:32 AM

I just made some mock ups of what I want the finished product to reflect when the green led is shined on it. I am leaning towards #3.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/b...sy5/Etch_1.jpg

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/b...sy5/Etch_2.jpg

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/b...sy5/Etch_3.jpg

**Grez** · 08-23-2007, 09:52 AM

#3 for sure, man. You've done a good job creating a pattern that will only require general etching. In other words, you won't need to etch in a unidirectional way for part of the etch and then change it up elsewhere to create contrast (although you could still do that if you wanted to fill in the area behind of the trees...or better yet, just lightly sand that area to haze it, which would be a nice contrast as well).

Welcome to the forums!

RcRon7 · 08-23-2007, 10:28 AM

I like three also, the contrast should look great as an etch.

Here is my first ever attempt at an etch. I did this last winter on a scrap of acrylic I had. I don't think I could ever etch some of the stuff in this tread. I just don't have that kind of artistic skill.

**Grez** · 08-23-2007, 11:09 AM

Yeah, me either, man. I have a good, steady hand, but no real graphics art skills. So my etches tend to be a little more "2D." My brother is the one who can draw. I'm good at layouts and the overall visual scheme of things, but the actually ability to draw something with a feel of realism is beyond me. The etches that TBag and Spydersbyte did on here just boggle my mind.

Hawes_4 · 08-23-2007, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grez

#3 for sure, man. You've done a good job creating a pattern that will only require general etching. In other words, you won't need to etch in a unidirectional way for part of the etch and then change it up elsewhere to create contrast (although you could still do that if you wanted to fill in the area behind of the trees...or better yet, just lightly sand that area to haze it, which would be a nice contrast as well).

Welcome to the forums!

so by doing the sanding behind the trees, will it light up green very slightly? cause all the parts in the #3 pic will be quite solid won't it?
I will be using the dremel rotary tool and not the ethcher, because the picture really doesn't require fine detail like the amazing etches in this thread. You all do quite amazing work.

**Grez** · 08-23-2007, 12:33 PM

Yes, it should cause it to be somewhat highlighted, but it will be subtle. The rest of the etch should be very evident (the more plastic you disturb, the more it refracts the light). You will get the etch to really light up if you side-light your acrylic panel (that is, mount LEDs so that they shine directly through the panel by setting them parallel to the plane of the sheet).

Hawes_4 · 08-23-2007, 12:48 PM

Thank you for the help,
I was thinking on putting a black backing on the acrylic to really emphasize the etch itself, and directing the led along the side as you mentioned.
I will be sure to post any attempts/completed pics. Now to get my hands on some acrylic sheets.