Hubert Boillot Posted April 19, 2016 Author Share Posted April 19, 2016 I suspect they use steel because it is much cheaper to etch. The usual etching solution is Ferric Chloride, which has some weird chemical properties, in that as it etches steel it just changes the valency of the iron atoms and keeps on etching!! Because you are adding more and more Iron, of course eventually the solution becomes exhausted, but you can recover it by adding hydrochloric acid. You end up producing more and more ferric chloride! This has some value, it is used in treating sewage for example, so the excess can earn the etcher a little bit of money. If you etch brass, copper, bronze, when the etchant is exhausted it costs a great deal to dispose of properly, because it is now contaminated with copper, tin and other metals. Stainless is not a very nice material for modellers though. It is hard, cracks easily, you can't solder it, if you do bend it it is impossible to straighten again. But it doesn't tarnish, so it looks nice in the packaging for longer.... Tim Exactly, Tim. This is something we do daily in my company. I should add that etching stainless steel does not produce a very "clean" etch, at least at microscopic level, because of the chromium crystals it contains. Not sure if the Flightpath set is stainless though (altough most likely). I did manage to soft-solder my reinforcing strips on the outside. @ Max: thank you for chiming in. I hope this is going to be straightforward, well sort of ... Hubert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warbird Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 (edited) Hi Hubert, Actually I have managed to soften the Flightplan metal to a very good level but that wasn't enough for the exhaust plate to conform inside the narrow plastic part (anyway I scratch built the whole thing eventually). I used a soldering blowpipe to heat the piece until it glows red (and held it in the flame for 10-15 sec.) and then I let it cool in still air (not in water!). Tristan Edited April 19, 2016 by Warbird Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alain11 Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 hi I don't want to mess up your post , but Tristan is right , If I remember my technology courses , if you plunge hot steel into water , it will become harder ( hardened steel), ,if you heat steel to blue /red , and let it coll at room temperature , it will become softer , annealed steel .........right ???????????????????? Alain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngtiger1 Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 Great project Hubert, I too will like to build a Hawker Hunter in the Red/White scheme but I can't afford a $30 sheet for just one markings So, I'll follow yours and be at peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert Boillot Posted April 20, 2016 Author Share Posted April 20, 2016 Y hi I don't want to mess up your post , but Tristan is right , If I remember my technology courses , if you plunge hot steel into water , it will become harder ( hardened steel), ,if you heat steel to blue /red , and let it coll at room temperature , it will become softer , annealed steel .........right ???????????????????? Alain You're right Alain, but I did not think it was steel at that time ... so I applied the annealing process that works for brass Hubert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert Boillot Posted May 17, 2016 Author Share Posted May 17, 2016 Modelling at the speed of life at the mo ..., Maru, unfortunately Hubert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted May 18, 2016 Share Posted May 18, 2016 (edited) For annealing aluminium, get a bar of household soap and rub it on the part, when it turns black under a flame it has reached the right temp to anneal it Edited May 18, 2016 by TonyT Hubert Boillot 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradG Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 How's it going Hubert? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert Boillot Posted August 2, 2016 Author Share Posted August 2, 2016 Next in line Brad. I wanted to encourage the "Between the wars GB" and started a vac-form Nieuport Sesquiplane : http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=62978 I confess I am having a blast scratchbuilding details. Definitely more my cup-of- tea than assembling aftermarket Back soon on this one Hubert BradG, mozart and mikeblack 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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