MuffinPunch Posted March 31, 2010 Report Share Posted March 31, 2010 I was wondering if anyone out there has any idea how this finish was accomplished and how one would replicate it... Ibanez SHRG1Z HR Giger If I were to guess Id say it was a laser engraving, but this one has a metal coating and a carved top, so I dont know how the laser would have a consistant focus throughout the entire process. There is also this one, the RGHRG1 which definitely looks laser engraved: I think it would be rad to do something like either of these on a future build, but I wouldn't know where to begin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim37 Posted March 31, 2010 Report Share Posted March 31, 2010 im gonna guess your right about the laser etching. if you dont have access ot a laser i you might experement with a sandblaster and some vinyl mask. just a though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuffinPunch Posted March 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2010 im gonna guess your right about the laser etching. if you dont have access ot a laser i you might experement with a sandblaster and some vinyl mask. just a though. Ironically, I do have access to a laser at the moment. The sandblasting thing seems like it would probably work, especially considering the contours of the body. But the vinyl mask would be a pain to cut by hand, so I guess that could be cut by a laser too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim37 Posted March 31, 2010 Report Share Posted March 31, 2010 go to a sign shop and have them cut it infact have them cut a few mask incase one gets messed up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supplebanana Posted March 31, 2010 Report Share Posted March 31, 2010 i'd say that if it's a metal top most probably it's a chemical etch. think about the theory of Printed Circuit Board etching and you may be along the right lines. it goes like this.... spray/dip a photosensitive coating on top of the metal. add a "mask" /reticle over the top expose to UV light remove the exposed photosensitive coating in a chemical bath etch the metal back in another chemical bath expose the rest of the photosensive coating to UV remove the remainder of the photosensitive material in a chemical bath easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy! if anyone says that you can't get the detail.... I used to work in the Semiconductor industry & we were etching tracks to 0.25μm (yes 0.25 MICRON) - I believe the industry can now hit below 0.15μm ( a human hair is about 50μm in diameter) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuffinPunch Posted March 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2010 i'd say that if it's a metal top most probably it's a chemical etch. think about the theory of Printed Circuit Board etching and you may be along the right lines. it goes like this.... spray/dip a photosensitive coating on top of the metal. add a "mask" /reticle over the top expose to UV light remove the exposed photosensitive coating in a chemical bath etch the metal back in another chemical bath expose the rest of the photosensive coating to UV remove the remainder of the photosensitive material in a chemical bath easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy! if anyone says that you can't get the detail.... I used to work in the Semiconductor industry & we were etching tracks to 0.25μm (yes 0.25 MICRON) - I believe the industry can now hit below 0.15μm ( a human hair is about 50μm in diameter) I dont know about the "easy" part... But that sounds like a pretty realistic way for Ibanez to have done it. I dont know that I would want to go through all that on my own, but I may try the sand blast technique in the future and im sure I could get similar results just with wood or acrylic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mors Phagist Posted April 1, 2010 Report Share Posted April 1, 2010 Thats pretty crazy actually, I hope you can get it done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim37 Posted April 1, 2010 Report Share Posted April 1, 2010 http://steampunkworkshop.com/steampunk-strat.shtml found this he uses a chemical etch seems pretty easy in his little tutorial. i think a lot of it depends on what you have on hand i though of a sand blaster because i have one i can use when i need to. but the chemical thing would be easier if you dont have access to a blaster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam_c Posted April 1, 2010 Report Share Posted April 1, 2010 really interesting finish, I hadnt seen those before. Is the top made of metal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted April 1, 2010 Report Share Posted April 1, 2010 Was just on search....didn't one of our more recent threads involve an etched copper pickguard and/or cavity cover involving ferric chloride etching? Can't seem to locate it on search though :-\ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobalt Fall Posted April 1, 2010 Report Share Posted April 1, 2010 With the way that computerized routers and CNC machines are used today to cut guitar bodies, I don't think a factory laser etch job would be hard at all. Ibanez would already have the exact body contours in digital format. Really just a matter of programming a different machine with the same information. Then a laser could easily trace the body contour and get a sharp image. Lasers also barely spread over distance. There might not even be a need to map the carved top in order to get a sharp laser etched image. Just my non-professional opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted April 1, 2010 Report Share Posted April 1, 2010 Was just on search....didn't one of our more recent threads involve an etched copper pickguard and/or cavity cover involving ferric chloride etching? Can't seem to locate it on search though :-\ I think this is the thread Prostheta´s talking about: Pukko´s Firemaster Joo...kiitos paljon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuffinPunch Posted April 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2010 Joo...kiitos paljon! ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supplebanana Posted April 2, 2010 Report Share Posted April 2, 2010 http://steampunkworkshop.com/steampunk-strat.shtml found this he uses a chemical etch seems pretty easy in his little tutorial. i think a lot of it depends on what you have on hand i though of a sand blaster because i have one i can use when i need to. but the chemical thing would be easier if you dont have access to a blaster. like i said - easy peasy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam_c Posted April 2, 2010 Report Share Posted April 2, 2010 Joo...kiitos paljon! ? I think he said " yes....thank you very much". But it could mean 'yikes, theres a frog in my bidet" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.