How to etch borosilicate glass?

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

Okay, this has got nothing to do with electronics (that I know of), but I'm desperate, and there are a lot of smart people in Parallaxforumland, so someone may know the answer.

What do you use to etch borosilicate glass?

All I want to do is produce a frosted design using an adhesive-backed vinyl stencil that I cut with my sign-cutting machine. The usual glass etching creams (containing ammonium/sodium bifuorides) from the art supply store won't touch this kind of glass. I watched a youtube video that demonstrated molten Drano (sodium hydroxide) reacting with glass. That's not only extreme but just plain scary. Would Drano dissolved in water work? Any other ideas? What should I add to create a paste that stays in place and won't run off? I've even tried a bake-on glaze, but it forms a skin as it dries that pulls up with the stencil.

This is for a birthday gift, and the clock is ticking.

Thanks,
-Phil

Sorry, moderators, for being so OT. But this is the only forum I do. Did I mention I'm desperate?

Post Edited (Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)) : 9/6/2009 6:12:53 AM GMT

skylight

Not sure if its the same stuff, but have you tried the security kits that allow you to etch your car number plate onto your windows?

Beau Schwabe

Phil,

Do you have access to a sand blaster? - I know this method works, but you might need to double up on the thickness of your stencil.

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Beau Schwabe

IC Layout Engineer
Parallax, Inc.

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

Thanks for the suggestion, Beau, but I don't have ready access to a sandlbaster. I'm sure it would work if I did, though, since I've got some polyester material that's a lot tougher than the vinyl.

-Phil

Leon

Hydrofluoric acid might work a lot better than those etching kits, but it's very nasty. A solution of NaOH won't work, you need molten NaOH. I'd find someone with a sand-blaster; I think that plating shops usually have them.

Leon

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Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
Suzuki SV1000S motorcycle

Manetheren

A lot of glass companies can do this. My dads owns a sandblaster and if you ask they will sometimes frost the glass for you. There are also a couple of acids that will work on any glass that they might be able to get access to and etch it for you.

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Tia'Shar Manetheren

SRLM

I can't offer advice on chemicals, but harbor freight has sandblasters for cheap: www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93221

I know it's not a perfect solution, but it's something to consider.

science_geek

you can make a sand blaster out of a pop bottle, its crude but it took the paint off my go kart for me. what you do is drill a hole in the cap and a hole in the bottom. the bottom hole is where you put the output from an air compressor. the cap end will shoot out sand, i say the cap end will, cause its easier to change a cap to change hole size then to change a bottle. fill the bottle up about half way with sand. finish up by hot glueing the bottle to the air compressor nozzle to prevent sand coming back at you(it hurts really bad) then just fire away. like i said crude but it works

skylight

just watch for the high voltage static charge build up! that hurts as well

BradC

Leon said...
Hydrofluoric acid might work a lot better than those etching kits, but it's very nasty.

Let's call that the understatement of the century.

Hydroflouric acid will most certainly work, but get it on your skin without the correct survival kit and your chances of survival are pretty minimal. Nasty just does not do it justice [noparse]:)[/noparse]

We lost a guy a few years ago who was not adequately trained in contact treatment. It's not a nice way to go.

Check the Safety portion of this en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrofluoric_acid

Having said that, it will do what you want standing on its head with one arm tied behind its back.

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lt's not particularly silly, is it?

T Chap

Just get some spray paint out and call it a day. Thought that counts with birthdays. Tell them it is very delicate glass and not to touch it.

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

Todd,

That's pretty much what I've done. I went back to the bake-on glaze and used Con-Tact paper as a mask. It has a less aggressive adhesive than the vinyl, and I can pull it off quickly before the glaze completely skins over. I also simplified the design significantly, so there'd be less touch-up to do, and removed from it all the little "islands" of masking that might not pull up cleanly (e.g. the little triangle in the letter "A"). Despite the glaze being brushed on and not self-leveling, the results came out pretty good. Once baked, the glaze is dishwasher-proof. 'Still not as good as etching or sandblasting, but adequate.

Thanks to all who contributed suggestions! Next time, I'll be sure to read the label to see what kind of glass I'm getting. The etching cream actually works great on non-borosilicate glass.

-Phil