"Galileo" wrote in message
m...
Galileo wrote:

Hello Group,

I am currently in love with the look of 303 stainless steel jewelry
and I would like to experiment with etchinig designs into the steel.

Does anyone have a recommendation for deeply etching 303? I have read
David Boye's book which recommends bee's wax masks and nitric-muriatic
acid baths for tool steel. I have also read that PCB etchant, ferric
chloride, and PCB resist, also works. I would expect a deep etch from
FeCl to take a very long time. Galvanic etching perhaps?

I would appreciate any advice the group may have on etching 303 in the
small shop.

Thanks,
-Galileo

I can't lend much to the etching process of 303, but I can assure you,
having worked with aqua-regia (nitric-muriatic acid baths) for over 20 years
in the precious metal refining business, that if you use any of it anywhere
near your shop, you'll end up with rust on any and everything made from
iron. The fumes that are liberated, even when just being stored, are
horrible. Be certain you have a place to do this kind of work that is
secure (safety) and isolated from your tools.

Harold