Printable View
Hello! Absolute newbie to both 3d printing and this forum. I am in the process of making some custom brass golf markers, where I am going to etch a logo onto them. Is it possible to print a logo onto brass, and then etch it you think?I am thinking about leveling the bed with a sheet of brass on my printbed, and print directly onto it. I have a Flashforge Finder :)Thx in advance!
what are you planning to print with ?
and how would you etch it ?
Can't see any real reason you can't do it - just don't really see how it would work.
I would print pla with my flashforge finder directly on to brass. Then submerge the brass in ferric chloride to etch it. The pla would prevent the chloride to etch where its printed. I have absolutely no idea if it could work.
Ah - in that case, no it most likely wouldn't work.
FDM 3d prints are notorious for their porosity.
Because you are using a round bead which isn't perfectly cylindrical, there are pretty much always gaps - very very small gaps, it's true, but large enough for water, and presumably acid to penetrate.
It is highly unlikely that you can print a perfectly sealed layer of plastic onto a brass sheet. Particularly if it's a thin and flexible sheet - any flex will detach the plastic.
You might - and it's a pretty tenuous might - be able to do it with a flexible filament. they tend to squash better and if you printed one hot with some over extrusion, it's possible you could get a watertight seal.
Get some flexible filament and try it.
It wouldn't work if you print it with your flashforge finder on to brass.
the impossible quiz
Consider this; you are basically looking for a resist in the form of a print. So add a step... us the print as a mask (negative) and spray your resist after the print is in place. Remove the print and etch.
Getting the print to stick to the brass will be another challenge. Maybe a you need glue but it will have to function with the resist somehow.