Some shots of my work bench and some work in progress. I should be ashamed of the "cluttered" workbench but the more workbenches I see the better I feel about mine. The brass brooch is about 2.5 inches in diameter with a pin arrangement on the back that allows it to be worn as a slide. The process is a ferric Chloride etch of about 2 hours. The image is transferred using the transparency method. A reverse image is copied on a transparency using a photocopier (jet printer will not do) and the piece is laid on a hot iron with the transparency on top. With some light burnishing, the image transfers to the metal which gives you a good start. Then, the image is touched up, the back is covered with tape and the piece is hung face down in a vibrating container of ferric chloride ( from Radio Shack). Two hours later, after a few checks, the piece is removed, brushed with a soft brass brush and sprinkled with baking soda to neutralize the acid. It's then ready for finishing and pin fabrication. Then...ready for a new home with a loving customer.
