Tips on using Amour Etch for etching?

[helenM]

Hi, I've seen a few tutorials online about using Armour Etch etching cream for etching dichroic glass (for example Tanya Veit's one on Youtube). I haven't really tried dichroic glass yet but thought maybe I could get an effect with regular bullseye glass. So I marked off the area I wanted unetched (using stickers like Tanya does) and applied the cream but I'm not seeing any results. The glass looks exactly the same. I tried this on a fused glass piece I made (clear glass on top). So I'm wondering what I'm doing wrong, or is this the wrong product to use for this? Has anyone had success using etching creams on fused glass?

[Brad Walker]

Armour Etch is not a strong enough acid to etch Bullseye glass. It will remove a dichroic coating, but not an iridescent one. It can also be used to etch regular float glass. Just not art glass like Bullseye.

[Terry Gallentine]

I have used Armour Etch to get an etched surface on both Spectrum and Kokomo but it takes several applications. Even then it is often not a consistent etch. Brad, is there a commercially available etching cream that does work on art glasses?

[DonMcClennen]

Hydrafloric (sp?) acid... used for flash glass.. nasty stuff.. hard to get.. needs careful handling and ventilation.. works well

[DonMcClennen]

It"s Hydrofluoric Acid (sometimes referred to as "flesh eating acid"

[Brad Walker]

I have used Armour Etch to get an etched surface on both Spectrum and Kokomo but it takes several applications. Even then it is often not a consistent etch. Brad, is there a commercially available etching cream that does work on art glasses?

I wouldn't use hydroflouric acid, way too dangerous. But the Vari-Etch that His Glassworks sells is better than the regular Armour Etch. (But for best results you need to sandblast first, then use the etching solution.)

[helenM]

Thanks very much all for your feedback and advice. Guess I have a bottle of armour etch I won't be using now:)