fretboard etching

[MarcBowen]

I'm new to steel building. I'm sure someone here etches their own aluminum fretboards & I'd like to try it. What methods have anyone used? Thanks for the info

[Bent]

Hi Marc, That's news to me. Let's hear it folks. Might be a heck of an idea.

[MarcBowen]

I was under the impression that the old Fender Stringmaster & Deluxes had etced aluminum fretboards.

[Bent]

oK that might very well be. Right now I dont even know what type of acid you would use tyo etch with; how to get nice sharp lines, how to prevent to acid from running all over..... Keep researching and sharing as you go along.

[richard37066]

The new MSA's have a fretboard which appears to be stamped as opposed to etched. Don't know. Might be a booger-bear to keep clean.

[Dave-M]

Check out:
http://www.nontoxicprint.com/etchzincsteelaluminum.htm

A forum on etching, with many people adding their 2 cents, is at:
http://www.finishing.com/205/56.shtml

Richard: re keeping it clean. Would it clean easier if it were varnished?

[Georg]

Easiest to clean if it is etched, or milled, negative, I think. Frets etched low all the way across, and a line etched along the edge.

Haven't done any etching since I quit making circuit-boards that way in the early 80s. After that I used a mill for circuit-board prototyping and anything else thinner than about 4 millimeter.

For circuit-boards it was easy enough to spray on a light-sensitive film, force down plastic-film with "shapes" on top of the board and expose to UV-light. I then etched in stirred acids under control - I used pulsating air-injection for uniform stirring, and rinsed boards thoroughly in clean water before drying equally thoroughly off and applying protective lacquer.

Have never tried etching on aluminum, so know nothing about which acid to use.

[richard37066]

Dave-M -

It would appear that the frets, themselves, plus the outer edges are raised. Very smooth surface. I, personally, love the appearance of it although it conjures visions of Q-tips and Windex when changing strings. Might not be so bad, though. Might also be a small penalty for something which is different and somewhat elegant.

http://www.msapedalsteels.com/html/legend.html

MSA millenium and Legend.

Richard