Etching

I thought I'd take a second and talk about etching since I get several emails a month asking how I do it. It really is a neat process, and one that gives each etched pedal it's own, unique personality.

For a good etch, the surface must be as level as possible, so the process begins with a thorough sanding of the pedal shell to remove all the high points. I begin with rough sandpaper, and progressively move to finer sandpaper until I get everything where I like it.

Now comes the stencil, which is a pretty cool part of the procedure. I use inkjet photo paper and a laser printer (yes, you read that right), taking advantage to how a laser printer transfers heated ink onto the paper's surface. I make a negative of the art, print it out, cut it to shape, then apply heat to it while it lays on the pedal shell. The inkjet photo paper has an emulsion layer that separates from the backing paper, and that's what holds the stencil to the pedal shell. Sweet, eh? I now clean up and expose the areas I want etched, and I put the face of the pedal in an etchant solution. The etchant eats away at the exposed aluminum, leaving the artwork grooved into the surface.

From here I add paint to the etch, just to give a bit of depth, then I sand everything smooth.

That's it!

The thing I love about etching is that when it's all said and done, you're left with an unfinished aluminum shell that can withstand pretty much any abuse you throw at it. I'm a gigging musician, and I haul and use my gear all over the place — so I want my effects to be rugged. Painted and shiny shells are great and all, but they just don't last over the long haul. Even pedals that are painted and clear coated with automotive paints don't last — just take a close look at your car's hood and fenders. As a builder, I like knowing that my pedals will stand up to road abuse.

I also like the luck-of-the-draw pedal etching is: no matter how many times you use the same art on the same type of shell under the same circumstances, each one will come out different. The acid will leech under an edge or maybe soak through a little, and when you clean it off and check it out, you'll find random etch-trash (as I like to call it). But, in my opinion, the etch-trash is FAR from trash! Those little intricacies are what make that pedal unique and interesting. No two will ever be the alike!

You now have a glimpse of how hands-on the etching process is, and this is the process I go though for every etched pedal I make. Your etched pedal was carefully labored over by yours truly, and that one-on-one attention is part of what makes my effects unique.

Thanks for reading!