----- Original Message -----
From: "John Lutzon" <j...@hc.fdn.com>
To: "R N Hartman" <rhartma...@earthlink.net>
Cc: <meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 16, 2011 11:15 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Iron slice etching questions
Ron,
I'm sure many are thanking you--me, most of all.
Your post is a great comprehensive procedure for etching.
I now see my past problems--leaving the FC on for too long and not oiling
first.
Many thanks
John Lutzon
IMCA# 1896
----- Original Message -----
From: "R N Hartman" <rhartma...@earthlink.net>
To: "Michael Mulgrew" <mikest...@gmail.com>; "Shawn Alan"
<photoph...@yahoo.com>
Cc: <meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 16, 2011 10:37 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Iron slice etching questions
Hello Shawn,
The radio shack etchant is ferric chloride and it works very fast. It is
a deep etch and will give more contast and bring out detail you will not
get using Nitric. (We etched a Fredericksberg Hexahedrite for Richard
Norton once and brough out much Neumann line structure, and he was
overjoyed!) You want to polish your iron meteorite out to a mirror
finish (moreso than if you used nitric) Traditional nitric acid will
give a nice etch if you sand down to a #400. For preparing your
speciomen with the RS FeCl etchant you should go to #1200 or sometimes
#2400 grit. Your previous coating and and residual surface structures
will be gone at this point. Now hold the prepared surface under running
water and quickly coat the speciment with the RS etchant using a broad
brush (abou an inch). Dabbing may give uneven results as it sometimes
will bring out the pattern almost instantly. If your etched surface
turns dark you have over etched and you need to start over. When
satisfied, rinse quickly and thoroughly to remove any residual ferric
chloride. Then rinse thoroughly in at least a 90% Isopropyl alchhol. No
need to go to a 100% because once you begin to use it you have
contaminated it by a few percent water. If it seems stable, submirse in
a container of the ATF fluid. Here is the trick. Put into a oven and
heat until you see bubbles coming out of the cracks and fissures of the
meteorite. You will be surprised how much water is still in the
fissures. After a couple of hours let cool in the oven. During this
process the metal will have expanded and any bubbles of water and other
contaminants will have been purged from the meteorite and the fissures
will fill with the AFT and seal. It is failure to do this which
eventually leads to rusting as virtually noone goes through this step.
After cooling remove the meteorite and allow a very thin coating to
puddle on the surface, but wipe off any excess. Let dry for 2 or 3 days
naturally. (Preferably upside down in a box so as not to allow dust to
get embedded in the surface while sticky.) When dry you will have a nice
protective coating from the ATF fluid. Metal with ATF on it will not
rust. But be sure that you have treated the cracks and fussures.
Exact temperatures in the oven: Much higher than if you put in an iron
meteorite not in fluid (maybe 200+ degrees). The surface would turn color
and you may ruin it.
You need to experiment but don't cause an explosion or burn down your
house. I offer these suggestions as a guideline, but I DO NOT ASSUME ANY
RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS, and be careful when using any etchant.
Wear potective gloves so you don't stain your fingers. We have found
parameters that work for us - nothing rusts, not even ruster Campos! You
may have to adjust times and temperatures used with dufferent meteorites.
Good luck. Let me know how you do.
(Use of AFT fluid developed by Jim Hartman who first noticed in 2000 in
an auto wrecking yard that piles of junk iron that had had AFT fluid
dripped on it were shiny bright where the fluid had dripped.
.
See our article on eiching in the archives of the METEORITE TIMES.
http://www.meteorite-times.com/Back_Links/2002/November/meteorites_101.htm
(c) 2001 Ronald N Hartman / James C. Hartman
Ron Hartman
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Mulgrew" <mikest...@gmail.com>
To: "Shawn Alan" <photoph...@yahoo.com>
Cc: <meteorite-list@meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 16, 2011 5:41 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Iron slice etching questions
Hi, Shawn.
I use CLR on a Q-tip to remove rust, and rinse off the CLR with
isopropyl alcohol.
Rather than hassle with nitric acid solutions I use computer board
etchant that you can purchase at any Radio Shack
(http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102868). Dab
it on with a foam brush and rinse with warm water, followed by an iso
alcohol rinse and a couple hours in the oven to dry. After it's dry I
apply a light coat of automatic transmission fluid. I don't use
lacquer because if I don't want to seal anything in by accident, and I
prefer to be able to quickly re-clean if needed.
Here's a small Campo slice I recently rehab'd, it came out great!
http://api.ning.com/files/TTNq51g3PmEprv8cGklQmHxEnDH*40GU9qqeWlLVr3cNNcgRVd*HYBhyOcU19upJ1sNWmzTcdWSxWfxxyek*qZu-H3pLDerR/camporehab.jpg
Best,
Michael in so. Cal.
On Thu, Jun 16, 2011 at 3:40 PM, Shawn Alan <photoph...@yahoo.com>
wrote:
Hello Listers
For all of you that collect irons I have a couple questions. The first
one is I know some people seal their iron slices with a clear coat
lacker, now is this safe to do if done right, and if so, what is the
producted used. If someone wants to take it off the clear coat what can
be used? Could acetone be a good agent to take off the coating?
Second question what do people use to etch an iron. I have seen some
videos but nothing talks about the acid used or the strength or I must
have missed something. Also if there is some lite rust on the slice,
whats a good agent to clean off the slice before etching. Why I aske is
because I have an iron that is etched on one side and on the other side
its kinda etched with some cool looking saw marks but could be etched
more. I would like to have both side etched nicely and see what peoples
thoughts are.
Shawn Alan
IMCA 1633
eBaystore
http://shop.ebay.com/photophlow/m.html
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