From XDP to "real" steel pieces (japanese swords and their fittings)

[lithium258]

Nice work! Would not have the patience required for the etching takes so long to varnish the bits you want to stay plain steel and then the polishing.

Ah varnish and needles, yes I know how to do that but thats very old school What I'm doing is transfering laser prints from paper to the metal pieces. It copies the design very crispy and nice, although sometimes it is really unbearable because the success:fail ratio is quite high, I guess about 1:20...only acceptable because the final look I can describe the transfering process in detail, if someone here needs it, a kind of tutorial but again I'm not sure if this will fit in a Xara forum Just let me know!

[Gamerprinter]

I've looked at an electrolyte system for etching graphics in metal - it only costs about $500 (trying to remember the name Max something). You create B/W art only (maybe grayscale too) on clear transparency. Cover your metal object with electrolyte fluid, place the transparency, clip the transparency onto the metal object with wired alligator clips to either end of the metal object, turn the machine on and using electricity and the fluid, you burn the image into the metal. This works for marking tools, personalizing keychains and things like that. Obviously Lithium258 is doing this with katana parts - which is cool. But as he states, it's relatively easy to do (and quick) if you have the right equipment.

[lithium258]

Well I have no fancy $500 stuff! it is a hobby so I would never expend so much money on it anyway. My setup is quite different: table salt, water and a battery charger. That's the etching setup. It eats the steel quite fast, say 20 minutes per blade side; about 30 minutes for a guard. As for transfering the designs: I print them in my laser printer on magazine covers --glossy/not too soft--, partially transfer the print with nail polish remover --acetone melts the toner, but it wont stick completly in a polished surface like a blade-- and finish with heating the piece on the stove flames and then applying pressure with a spoon The toner sticks to the metal incredibly well, enough to hold the salt water etching.

I produced a kind of little tutorial and post it in the off topic chat section of this forum.

http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...295#post439295