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Lloyd E. Sponenburgh[_3_]

fired this volley in
:

I was testing a new batch of CuSO4 solution for electrolytic etching
on a scrap piece of brass. The result is he

Mike, as is the case with ferric chloride and copper, although the CuSO4
etch is gassless, produces regions of 'depleted' plating solution (in
this case, overloaded with zinc salts and copper that hasn't yet joined
up with a free sulphate radical).

I suspect, too that there are small convection currents rising from the
surface that might cause "cells" much like the granularity you see in
thinned aluminum paint, when it's stirred.

In any etching I've ever done that required completely uniform action, I
agitated it with a fish tank aerator and an air stone (if the stone was
compatible with the solution). Sometimes etching "face down" will also
benefit when there are heavier-than-water things crashing out of solution
during the process.

LLoyd