Beginner Series: Etching - Using Ferric Nitrate

Many of my pieces begin with a beautifully etched design. Over the years I have found what works best for me and thought I would share my process with you. This video focuses on using Ferric Nitrate to etch your piece once you have applied a resist. Refer to my video at • Beginner Series: Etch... to see just how I do that.
See my available pieces at torchstonejewelry.com/
MATERIALS NEEDED:
sterling silver sheet with resist applied
TOOLS/PRODUCTS USED:
Nitrile Gloves: amzn.to/3addYc3
A way to heat the solution (pot for hot water bath or crock pot)
Container for Ferric Nitrate Solution
Ferric Nitrate (at least 500g bottle)
2 containers for water
Baking Soda
Soft brush (I use a makeup brush)
Chopstick or other item to suspend piece
Timer
Warm Ammonia Solution for cleaning (recipe below)
Ultrasonic Cleaner (optional): amzn.to/3t1Dycq
Jeweler's Soft Brass Brush: amzn.to/3tcA870
Paper Towels
DISCLAIMER: Links included in the Tools/Products Used list are affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! Thank you for supporting my channel so I can continue to provide you with free content.
RESOURCES:
www.amazon.com/
www.riogrande.com
www.sciencecompany.com/Ferric... (For Ferric Nitrate)
AMMONIA CLEANING SOLUTION RECIPE:
2 cups water
2 tbsp. ammonia
1 tbsp. Dawn original dish washing liquid
Mix all ingredients together and store in a tight container. Best if used warm.
FERRIC NITRATE SOLUTION:
400ml of distilled water
300g of Ferric Nitrate
Always add crystals to water, NEVER the other way around. Best results when used warm.

[@kristibbradshaw]

That is so cool.

[@TheManWithTheHat]

Brilliant tutorial. Ive learned a lot, tried it, and had great results.

[@Jigloft]

love this. I will be trying this soon. thanks for the video !!

[@tammybaalman2429]

So glad you enjoyed it! I would love to see your results.

[@lenastiward8657]

Thank you Tammy!❤

[@DianneCulbertsonJacques]

Great video with superbly detailed content.

[@tammybaalman2429]

Thank you!

[@tonyvinesguitarsandmusic]

Fantastic! Thank you!

[@tammybaalman2429]

You're very welcome!

[@tonyvinesguitarsandmusic]

@@tammybaalman2429 :-):-)

[@davidmaisel8062]

Hi Tammy, thanks for the excellent tutorial and I love your designs! If you have spent feric nitrate solution one step you can take is carefully add sodium hydroxide to a neutral ph. The feric nitrate converts to feric oxide (rust) and you have a much less toxic solution.

[@tammybaalman2429]

Thanks for the tip!

[@karenmoore2287]

@@tammybaalman2429 I wish you would continue to make videos!! You are a GREAT teacher...very thorough. And love your designs!!

[@mothereartha7]

Wow so good , lm carving greenstone , l want to mix it up , with silver , l can’t wait to try your method, how to raise , the design, in such an elegant way. Bravo from tony b.

[@tammybaalman2429]

Thanks! Carving stones sounds very interesting. I would love to get into lapidary work, but my time is too limited. Good luck with the etching!

[@ameliasphotography3406]

Thank you so much for this video. I love the design! Did you create the design or did you download it? Are there any sites you would suggest to find similar themed designs? My family daughter lives in Washington state so I know she would love marine mammal theme.This piece is amazing! love your art.

[@artemineral4042]

Hi Tammy, love your video! Can I ask a few questions? 1. Why crystals and then water? What can happen? 2. Do I need ammonia solution to clean the piece? What can I use instead? 3. How many pieces can I etch at the time in the solution? Thank you!! More videos of etching metal please 🙏🏼

[@tammybaalman2429]

Hi! 1. Always add crystals to water. If you add water to the crystals, it can heat up and cause a bit of a reaction and spit. You can read this article for more information: sciencenotes.org/add-acid-to-water-or-water-to-acid/#:~:text=Why%20Add%20Acid%20to%20Water&text=Diluting%20acid%20with%20water%20is,gravity%20or%20density%20than%20water. 2. I use an ammonia solution because it cleans the oils off of the piece really well. Some people simply sand the piece to remove any oxidation and oils, but I have found ammonia works really well. 3. You can etch as many pieces as will fit in your solution. Just leave enough room around them so they don't touch. Hope this helps!

[@ristorinne5817]

Thank you for sharing your craftmanship and for a good tutorial. I´m a 59 year silver- and leather hobbyist and i have doing it for about 4 years now. Now i am going to try etching. My purpose is to make a silver cuff and i have the idea ready and printed on " press n´peel " paper. Also i have the silver sheet ready but i have not pressed the pattern on the sheet yet. My problem is this. I ordered Ferric Nitrate from UK because here in Finland, you are not allowed to buy it as a private person. I ordered it by mistake too little, 200g , and according the manual you get about 0,7 litres from that amount nitrate. I have problem to find a proper dish so that the nitrate solutions surface is high enough to cover the whole cuff that is 18 cm. My question is, does the silver sheet have to be flat or can i bend it round before etching? Thank you for possible answer. 🙏

[@alopli]

Hi Tammy, Great video! thank you Can I ask you how to you pass the image to the metal? thank you again

[@lindafountain7783]

I'll be trying this technique on silver after having great results etching copper with a different solution. Great video. I just have one question though. If you're cutting the shape out, why not mask out as much of the plate as you can so it remains intact? I normally also mask out the edges.

[@tammybaalman2429]

You certainly can mask out the remainder of the plate. It is just personal preference for me and there are times when I do mask out the rest of the plate. It really just depends on my design. I'm glad the technique worked for you on copper. You should have similar results with silver.

[@robyndepaul4399]

Hey Tammy! Thank you for the helpful video! Do you know if I can use sharpie to draw on my piece for a resist with ferric nitrate? I know that you can for ferric chloride and nickel, but was unable to find conclusive info about it working with this. Thank you!

[@tammybaalman2429]

Robyn, I'm so sorry for the late reply. Sharpie does not hold up at all in Ferric Nitrate. The Ferric Nitrate is much more aggressive and really requires a stronger resist. Vinyl holds up the best.

[@smuschlitz]

Love how beautifully detailed and dark your design turned out. The laminator trick really works great! I'm looking to invest in a Curio in hopes that the etching feature will eliminate such chemical use. Does the Curio not etch as well as this process? With the 5mm height allowance, and the 2mm deep cut blade, is it too much to hope my sawing, and chemical etching days are over, lol? If not the 18 gauge, do you think it would cut at least 22 or 24?

[@tammybaalman2429]

Thanks! I have a Curio as well and tried to etch with it but it barely leaves a scratch on the metal. There's just not enough pressure to get any depth. It certainly won't cut metal at all.

[@smuschlitz]

@@tammybaalman2429 Thanks so much for your help, and I look forward to watching more of your videos!

[@tammybaalman2429]

@@smuschlitz You are welcome! I hope to be doing more videos soon!

[@moondogceramics1249]

Hey Tammy, I used to etch my silver hanging 'flat' on the surface of the ferric nitrate, securing it with tape (making sure there are no bubbles on the surface of silver! Laying it face down also helps the silver parts to come loose and float to the bottom). Today I tried your method and I see deep vertical lines underneath the parts that are not etched, like drippings. Thank you for your video, but the hanging technique didn't work out for my piece, unfortunately! unfortunately...

[@tammybaalman2429]

That's interesting. I used to get the lines when I laid my pieces flat. I think the key in either instance is to either wipe the surface debris off more often or maybe even use a bubbler or some sort of vibration to keep the etchant moving. I have also seen people etch with the masking face up. I have tried that as well and get the best result, but it requires the debris to be removed much more often. It is a much cleaner etch with no striations at all. You should experiment with different methods and do what works best for you.

[@cutflower36]

Came out nice. Where do you get the metal pieces

[@tammybaalman2429]

Thank you! I get my sterling silver sheet from RioGrande.com.

[@lenastiward8657]

Could you put your container of etchant on plug in mug warmer?

[@suz665]

Thank you! 🌸🧁 What did you use for resist, please?

[@tammybaalman2429]

You're welcome! I have another video that explains the resist that I use. It is glossy magazine paper. You can find the video at kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZrIkIt5iLB4gJo. Hope this helps!

[@indiemarketclases2557]

hi, I´ve tried this tutorial, and was great the first time great, but the second time I tried the solution did not work, just engraved so little that when i used the 600 grit sandpaper to polish it a little bit the engraving was so superficial that disappeared... why would that be?

[@hermioneloasby9540]

Very useful Tammy, thankyou. If I only want to etch a small piece, could I use say 100ml of solution instead so I can buy less crystals?

[@tammybaalman2429]

Thank you Hermoine. Absolutely, you can make a smaller batch. I tend to use that much because I do a lot of cuffs. :-). You can also place the piece flat in your container instead of suspending it the way that I do. If you do that, you can either float it upside down so the particles drop to the bottom or lay it in the solution face up. With either option, you still need to brush the etched material away at regular intervals. You will find that you get a different "look" for each method.

[@hermioneloasby9540]

Thankyou for your help :)

[@tammybaalman2429]

@@hermioneloasby9540 you are welcome. Just let me know if you have any additional questions.

[@hermioneloasby9540]

Tammy, I am back with another question, it might seem silly... but if I clean any grease off the metal with acetone vs steel wool before etching, would it be possible to etch onto a polished surface? I’m hoping to made a wide ring band, im hoping to polish the metal first whilst it’s flat, then etch just a word in the middle, then solder? Then clean up the joint obviously. This is because I want to achieve a high shine polish on the silver but I’m concerned I could polish away the etch if it’s not so deep. Or is there a better way to do this? Thanks again for the help Tammy

[@tammybaalman2429]

@@hermioneloasby9540, not a silly question at all! The reason for roughing it up is to give the toner some tooth to hold onto. You can certainly try it, but I would do a test piece first. I would still use the ammonia solution to clean it, just use a soft toothbrush to "scrub" it. That shouldn't scuff up your metal. I do understand not wanting to polish away the etched area, especially if you have to aggressively polish it to get the high shine you are after. I'm very interested in your results! If you try it, would you mind posting back your experience and how it worked out?

[@Herothemiss]

Hiii! I’m a smith, but wanting to learn to etch so I can add more beauty to my pieces (without the ache of my hands from stamping all the dang time! Lol) my question for you.. what size gauge do you need for this? I usually get 22-4g - but seeing as you lost a bit of the sheet, what would you recommend for etching? Thank you I advance! Carrie

[@tammybaalman2429]

I typically use 20g. I have used 22g, but 20g is best.

[@Herothemiss]

@@tammybaalman2429 Awesome!! Thank you so much! 💫

[@LuniLadi]

Tammy, do you only use the ferric nitrate etching solution once? Can't it be saved similar to pickle and reused? Maybe add fresh ferric nitrate crystals to the old solution? And thanks for these concise, easy to follow, informative videos! Doreen PS Sorry, I paused the video to ask my question....and later you had answered. You do reuse...new question....about how long does the etching solution last? DO you add fresh crystals to old solution? Or always make fresh solution?

[@tammybaalman2429]

I use my solution over and over. I don't even add new crystals to the old solution. After a while the solution will not work as well. When it gets to that stage, I mix up a new batch. I think I used my last batch of solution for nearly a year! It just depends on how often you etch. I'm glad you are enjoying the videos! Let me know if there is something else you would like to see.

[@tatianaG]

@@tammybaalman2429 what is the ratio of ferric nitrate to water?

[@johnbirkel7626]

If we are using nickel plated steel, can we use the hot vinegar, salt, and battery trick for this? Will the toner transfer etch properly?

[@tammybaalman2429]

I haven't used that process before, so I'm not sure how well this would hold up. Ferric Nitrate is pretty aggressive, so I would think it would perform in a similar manner.

[@arcanemoonjewelry]

What kind of bottle are you using to store the ferric nitrate solution?

[@tammybaalman2429]

Just a heavy plastic water bottle. I chose that because it was deep enough to hold a 6" bracelet blank.

[@debbihenretty5596]

Tammy, I may have missed it but do you have the formula you use for the ferric nitrate solution?

[@tammybaalman2429]

Yes, you can find it in the description of this video. It is listed toward the bottom.

[@debbihenretty5596]

Tammy Baalman, Thank you....I hadn’t scrolled down far enough. Must have been lazy finger syndrome!

[@tammybaalman2429]

Well, it is at the very bottom so you get a pass. 😀

[@annneill1638]

Tammy, thank you for this video. I've tried etching with ferric nitrate a couple of times and don't get a deep an etch as you did. Will try your method! Question: Can you suspend more than 1 piece in the solution at a time? Do you have to ensure they don't touch each other? If so, how do you set that up?

[@tammybaalman2429]

You're welcome! I really hope this helps you. Yes, you can suspend multiple pieces, really as many as you can fit in your container. I do this by placing them in a row and connecting them all with a single piece of string. Put knots in the string at the top and bottom of each piece to ensure they don't slip. I have even suspended pieces back to back and never had an issue. Just make sure the side with the pattern to etch is is not covered in any way.

[@sororbudwiser]

Would anyone know the difference between the Iron (III) Nitrate Nonahydrate AR (Ferric nitrate) vs the Iron (III) Nitrate Nonahydrate LR (Ferric nitrate)? Which one should I be using for sterling silver? I'm confused with AR and LR standards...

[@tammybaalman2429]

I'm not sure of the difference and what I use doesn't specify which it is, it is just labeled as Lab Grade Ferric Nitrate and I get it from Science Company at www.sciencecompany.com/Default.aspx.

[@sororbudwiser]

@@tammybaalman2429 Thanks, Tammy

[@ladyphoenix266]

How long does the ammonia solution last for?

[@tammybaalman2429]

I use mine until it gets too dirty to see my pieces. If you are polishing your pieces, that will usually dirty up the solution the fastest.

[@laragonzalez4175]

Hi Tammy! Thanks for sharing these video : ) I just wanted to ask you a question. I tried this technique and i put the piece of silver on a flat position and with the design on the top. I let it like that for 20 minutes and with heat ( i bought a portable induction hob ) and it didn´t work at all. It just darkened the parts of the draw where the acid was supposed to etch. I used ferric chloride instead of ferric nitrate because i couldn´t find it. Don´t know if it was the position of the piece, not enough time / heat or the fact that i didn´t use nitrate...but if you have any advice or tip on what could have went wrong i would appreciate it! Thank you!

[@tammybaalman2429]

If you are trying to etch silver, you must use Ferric Nitrate. Ferric Chloride does not work on silver at all. I believe I list my source for the Ferric Nitrate in the description below the video.

[@laragonzalez4175]

@@tammybaalman2429 Ok thanks for your help!

[@laragonzalez4175]

@@tammybaalman2429 Hi Tammy! I´m trying again with ferric nitrate ...and i have a couple of questions to ask you...if you don´t mind! Can i use the formula more than one time? And if i want to get rid of it...where and how can i throw it without being dangerous?

[@tammybaalman2429]

@@laragonzalez4175, I'm glad to see you are giving it another try! I think I covered these questions in the video but if not, you can use the solution again and again. Over time, the solution will lose its effect depending on how much etching you do. I have had solution last for a year, but I'm not etching every day. As far as disposal, you cannot simply just throw it away or dispose of it down the sink. I have seen recommendations of pouring it into kitty liter (which is what I recommend) and then taking it to your local hazardous waste facilities. You will need to check with your county/area to find out where to dispose of hazardous waste.

[@laragonzalez4175]

Ok! thanks for being so nice and for helping me Tammy! Much love 🙂♥️

[@BlueSky-vk6kj]

Extremely Dangerous: Never use drinking boddles for chemicals !

[@tammybaalman2429]

Heavy duty plastic to never be used for drinking. The chemicals themselves are stored in a plastic container when you purchase. Why would it be dangerous?