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Photo-etched parts

feddersenmark
 

Does anyone have any experience with the Micro-Mark Pro-Etch System? Does it work to satisfaction? Is it over-priced? Are there better systems? Are they selling you a bunch of extra crap you don't need? Any advise is welcomed. Thanks.  Mark Feddersen  Denver, Iowa
Tim O'Connor
 


My favorite has been the "Peter Aue" system. It's remarkably easy to use,
very cost effective, and the results are quite spectacular. :-)

Tim O'Connor


  > Does anyone have any experience with the Micro-Mark Pro-Etch System?
  > Does it work to satisfaction? Is it over-priced? Are there better systems?
  > Thanks.  Mark Feddersen  Denver, Iowa

gtws00
 

Where can you find information on the "Peter Aue" System?

George Toman
Pierre Oliver
 

The "Peter Aue" system is simple.
Peter, who's a friend and a member of this list, is a German fellow who likes to dabble in photo-etch design. He has designed most of the sill steps I offer as well as the running boards.
Present him with a desired item and if it turns his crank he'll look into getting it made. Simple.
Pierre Oliver
www.elgincarshops.com
www.yarmouthmodelworks.com
On 12/31/15 9:06 AM, gtws00@... [STMFC] wrote:

 

Where can you find information on the "Peter Aue" System?

George Toman
mwbauers
 

This may be similar to the MicroMark version…

http://www.circuitspecialists.com/et20.html

$60

Now for anyone thinking of volume use of this method, consider this….

http://www.prototrains.com/etch1/etch1.html

from..

http://www.prototrains.com/index.html#equipment


Best to ya,
Mike Bauers
Milwaukee, Wi

On Dec 31, 2015, at 8:06 AM, gtws00 wrote:

Where can you find information on the "Peter Aue" System?

George Toman
Jack Burgess
 

I have one and have used it several times. You need to have a way to make the necessary drawings…I use a CAD program. The first time I used it, I was making some larger brass pieces (about 3/8”x1/4” actual size) and it worked fine. The next project was for the levers on the ends of an HO side dump car and most were quite small. I had problems with getting consistent etching on both ends of the pieces…one end would be fine but the other end would over-etch. At the same time, I etched a very fragile weathervane for a friend modeling in G scale and it came out fine.

 

The process is quite straight forward and covered pretty well in the instructions. Which part of the drawing is filled with black can be confusing…the parts need to be clear/white and the spaces between the parts filled with black. They don’t suggest widths for the frets holding the parts together but I used about .020" wide on .010” stock.

 

They do give you a pretty good set of materials and tools. You’ll need a much better apron (their plastic one is worthless) and a yellow light bulb is nice to be able to see while doing the darkroom stuff. Once the artwork was done and aligned, the brass and cardstock cut to size, etc., it took about 3 hours for the “darkroom” laminating and etching portion of the work including cleanup.

 

Jack Burgess

 

 

 

Does anyone have any experience with the Micro-Mark Pro-Etch System? Does it work to satisfaction? Is it over-priced? Are there better systems? Are they selling you a bunch of extra crap you don't need? Any advise is welcomed. Thanks.  Mark Feddersen  Denver, Iowa
mwbauers
 

Will this improve the chore of making the negative ???

http://www.pcbfx.com/main_site/pages/direct_etch/the_8min_pcb.html

Best to ya,
Mike Bauers
Milwaukee, Wi

On Dec 31, 2015, at 8:30 AM, 'Jack Burgess' wrote:


I have one and have used it several times. You need to have a way to make the necessary drawings…I use a CAD program. The first time I used it, I was making some larger brass pieces (about 3/8”x1/4” actual size) and it worked fine. The next project was for the levers on the ends of an HO side dump car and most were quite small. I had problems with getting consistent etching on both ends of the pieces…one end would be fine but the other end would over-etch. At the same time, I etched a very fragile weathervane for a friend modeling in G scale and it came out fine.



The process is quite straight forward and covered pretty well in the instructions. Which part of the drawing is filled with black can be confusing…the parts need to be clear/white and the spaces between the parts filled with black. They don’t suggest widths for the frets holding the parts together but I used about .020" wide on .010” stock.



They do give you a pretty good set of materials and tools. You’ll need a much better apron (their plastic one is worthless) and a yellow light bulb is nice to be able to see while doing the darkroom stuff. Once the artwork was done and aligned, the brass and cardstock cut to size, etc., it took about 3 hours for the “darkroom” laminating and etching portion of the work including cleanup.



Jack Burgess







Does anyone have any experience with the Micro-Mark Pro-Etch System? Does it work to satisfaction? Is it over-priced? Are there better systems? Are they selling you a bunch of extra crap you don't need? Any advise is welcomed. Thanks. Mark Feddersen Denver, Iowa
Jack Burgess
 

That is basically the process that the Micro-Mark system uses and that portion of the work is straight forward. My point was that the instructions could have had better way to ensure that the negative will be correct with the spaces black and the "parts" clear.

Jack Burgess

-----Original Message-----
From: STMFC@yahoogroups.com [mailto:STMFC@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 31, 2015 6:36 AM
To: STMFC@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [STMFC] Photo-etched parts

Will this improve the chore of making the negative ???

http://www.pcbfx.com/main_site/pages/direct_etch/the_8min_pcb.html

Best to ya,
Mike Bauers
Milwaukee, Wi

On Dec 31, 2015, at 8:30 AM, 'Jack Burgess' wrote:


I have one and have used it several times. You need to have a way to make the necessary drawings…I use a CAD program. The first time I used it, I was making some larger brass pieces (about 3/8”x1/4” actual size) and it worked fine. The next project was for the levers on the ends of an HO side dump car and most were quite small. I had problems with getting consistent etching on both ends of the pieces…one end would be fine but the other end would over-etch. At the same time, I etched a very fragile weathervane for a friend modeling in G scale and it came out fine.



The process is quite straight forward and covered pretty well in the instructions. Which part of the drawing is filled with black can be confusing…the parts need to be clear/white and the spaces between the parts filled with black. They don’t suggest widths for the frets holding the parts together but I used about .020" wide on .010” stock.



They do give you a pretty good set of materials and tools. You’ll need a much better apron (their plastic one is worthless) and a yellow light bulb is nice to be able to see while doing the darkroom stuff. Once the artwork was done and aligned, the brass and cardstock cut to size, etc., it took about 3 hours for the “darkroom” laminating and etching portion of the work including cleanup.



Jack Burgess







Does anyone have any experience with the Micro-Mark Pro-Etch System? Does it work to satisfaction? Is it over-priced? Are there better systems? Are they selling you a bunch of extra crap you don't need? Any advise is welcomed. Thanks. Mark Feddersen Denver, Iowa

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Posted by: Mike Bauers <mwbauers55@wi.rr.com>
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Jon Miller <atsfus@...>
 

On 12/30/2015 9:42 PM, Tim O'Connor timboconnor@... [STMFC] wrote:
My favorite has been the "Peter Aue" system. It's remarkably easy to use,
 very cost effective, and the results are quite spectacular. :-)

    I will second that.  Peter's work is some of the finest I have ever seen!  For me it was decals.

-- 
Jon Miller
For me time stopped in 1941
Digitrax  Chief/Zephyr systems, JMRI User
NMRA Life member #2623
Member SFRH&MS
Bruce Smith
 

Mark,


You obviously missed my clinic at Cocoa Beach last year, which was on using this system to photo etch at home :)


Bottom line is that it works well if you are careful and treat the chemicals with the respect that they are due.  It is only useful for making smaller sheets (3" x 5" is about the maximum and smaller than that is better).  


Pretty much everything in the kit is needed, although as noted the quality of things like the apron and gloves are not great and so I used my own.


SAFETY FIRST!  If you get this kit, please, please read all of the instructions and treat the etchant and other solutions with a great deal of respect.


Regards

Bruce Smith

Auburn, AL

From: STMFC@... on behalf of feddersenmark@... [STMFC]
Sent: Wednesday, December 30, 2015 10:55 PM
To: STMFC@...
Subject: [STMFC] Photo-etched parts
 


Does anyone have any experience with the Micro-Mark Pro-Etch System? Does it work to satisfaction? Is it over-priced? Are there better systems? Are they selling you a bunch of extra crap you don't need? Any advise is welcomed. Thanks.  Mark Feddersen  Denver, Iowa
al_westerfield
 

Mark – In the January 1982 issue of RMC I illustrate photo etching which may be more detailed than the Micro-Mark instructions. – Al Westerfield
 

Sent: Thursday, December 31, 2015 10:39 AM
Subject: Re: [STMFC] Photo-etched parts
 
 

Mark,

 

You obviously missed my clinic at Cocoa Beach last year, which was on using this system to photo etch at home :)

 

Bottom line is that it works well if you are careful and treat the chemicals with the respect that they are due.  It is only useful for making smaller sheets (3" x 5" is about the maximum and smaller than that is better). 

 

Pretty much everything in the kit is needed, although as noted the quality of things like the apron and gloves are not great and so I used my own.

 

SAFETY FIRST!  If you get this kit, please, please read all of the instructions and treat the etchant and other solutions with a great deal of respect.

 

Regards

Bruce Smith

Auburn, AL

From: STMFC@... on behalf of feddersenmark@... [STMFC]
Sent: Wednesday, December 30, 2015 10:55 PM
To: STMFC@...
Subject: [STMFC] Photo-etched parts
 


Does anyone have any experience with the Micro-Mark Pro-Etch System? Does it work to satisfaction? Is it over-priced? Are there better systems? Are they selling you a bunch of extra crap you don't need? Any advise is welcomed. Thanks.  Mark Feddersen  Denver, Iowa
Steve Stull
 

I will third that statement.  I have purchased both decals (ATSF Dyno 29) and grab iron jigs from Peter. He is excellent in both communication, and quality of product.
Thanks for your efforts Peter.

Steve Stull



On 12/30/2015 9:42 PM, Tim O'Connor timboconnor@... [STMFC] wrote:
My favorite has been the "Peter Aue" system. It's remarkably easy to use,
 very cost effective, and the results are quite spectacular. :-)
peteraue
 

Since my name was mentioned several times, I feel I need to speak up.
My recommendation for photo-etching: Do the design and the artwork yourself and find a qualified supplier to do the etching for you. I have been working with such a supplier for a number of years and his technology is vastly superior to what you can do yourself. It may take a bit longer to get parts and it may be a bit more expensive but you avoid all the problems of very hazadous chemicals and you can get parts that you'd never be able to etch yourself.
My own learning curve was very long and quite expensive with a lot of bad parts, but I am fully responsible for evry one of them. My supplier has yet to make his first mistake.
Peter Aue
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