Homemade Brass Timing Tags - How to Make your own

mjbecker · Joined: 06 Aug 2008 Posts: 4 Location: Aloha, Oregon

We found this on the HAMB: Jalopy Journal (http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28808) and wanted you to see it.
I pasted it verbatim except I edited some of the bad language.

This technique has been mentioned on here before, but I don't think anyone has done a full-on tech piece on it. If so...well, now there are two.

I read the technique on a steam engine message board. I think I first saw the link to it on the HAMB.

Anyway, it's not hard to do, but it's hard to get perfect. I haven't been going for perfect yet so it's been great for me. I have done a VIN# tag for my DeSoto modified and a tag for last year's Best Of Show award at Billetproof. Both were fine with a "patina'd" look. I actually etched in the VIN# on the DeSoto tag instead of using dies.

Trading labor is always a good thing. My friend Larry Westervelt did some work for my modified a while back and has now built some awesome aluminum bomber seats. He wanted an old looking tag to put on them with his home-shop name, California Louver Company. He has been punching louvers for decades! You'll see that I made one in copper and one in brass.

OK, on with the tech...

Supplies:
-Brass or copper sheet (I used .032 I think)
-Press-n-Peel Printed Circuit Board Transfer Film (PnP Blue. Available at techniks.com)
-PCB Etchant (available at Radio Shack or Fry's)
-2 flat-bottom plastic dishes (one smaller than the other)
-Copier
-Block of wood
-Clothes iron
-Scotch tape
-Packing tape
-Spray paint (from the auto paint supply, not cheap spray paint)
-Sand paper (320, 500, 800, 1000, higher)
-Metal polish
-Paint polish

1. Design your tag. I have been on the MAC for 19 years, so that's where I did this one. If you are going for an older look, keep it simple. I like to mark the holes to be drilled with center dots.

When you're happy with your design you need to print it out in reverse. It needs to be stark black and white - no grays.

2. Put your PnP Blue into the copier and copy your design onto the matte side. This sheet came out a little on the light side, but it ended up working fine.

3. Cut it out.

4. Cut your piece of copper or brass larger than the desired final size. You need the extra metal to tape the PnP Blue onto.

5. Scuff the metal with steel wool to smooth it out. Then rinse it off with brake clean. Then wash it with soap and water to get your grimy fingerprints off of it. That means don't touch the flat surface again, dummy!

6. Now tape the PnP Blue design-side down so that it can't slide around on the surface.

7. Lay the metal with the PnP Blue facing up on a piece of flat wood. The wood acts as a flat surface to keep the plate flat while you iron. Then lay a doubled-over paper towel over it to keep the iron from touching it directly.

8. Set the iron to the highest setting and iron with medium pressure for 3-4 minutes. The idea is to get the plate hot while applying pressure, incase you couldn't figure that out.

9. When you are done ironing, the design will show up much better than it did before.

10. IMPORTANT: Let the metal cool completely before peeling off the PnP Blue. If you do it too soon, it will not leave the resist image. You can cool it with water on the back. Just be sure not to get any on the design side because it can wash off.

11. There will likely be pinholes in the design. This is easily fixed with a nice Sharpie. Yes, that means that you could draw a design with a Sharpie and do this same technique.

12. Cover the entire back of the tag with packing tape. This keeps the etchant from eating away the back. I like to leave a loop of tape on the end to act as a handle to lift it out of the etchant.

13. The etchant works better and faster when it's hot, so partially fill the larger flat-bottom dish with water and heat it in the microwave. While the water is heating up, fill the smaller flat-bottom dish with about 1/4" of the PCB Etchant. Basically, enough to cover the tag. When the water is hot, place the smaller dish in the larger one to heat it up.

14. Now, put the tag in the solution face up and leave it there for 20-40 minutes. The longer, the more pronounced the design. Agitate often. I like to put the piece of wood on top to keep the smaller dish from floating and keep some of the heat in.

15. Remove the tag and rinse it under running water. You can rub most of the resist off with your thumb. If it doesn't all want to come off, you can rinse it with brake clean. The Sharpie marks will not rub off, you'll need the brake clean for them. Remove the packing tape before you spray it with brake clean or you're screwed.

16. Trim the tag to the desired size and shape and then paint. Try to use just enough paint to cover the background. The more you put on, the more you'll have to sand off.

17. After the paint is thoroughly dry place your sandpaper face up on a VERY flat surface. I use the glass on the top of one of my pinball machines. Like any other sanding job, start coarse and move up to finer. I use the grits listed above, but use whatever you prefer.

You may accidentally scratch the background of the tag - I did. Just spray another VERY light coat, let dry and start sanding again. This time be careful stupid!

18. After I have as much paint off as I want, I use Nev-R-Dull to polish the tag. This seems to smooth the metal and painted surfaces alike. Polish the film off with a soft towel. If you have used cheap paint, the Nev-R-Dull may rub it right off.

19. To finish the tag off I use Meguiar's Paint Polish. I apply it with my finger to make sure I don't scratch it. This really seems to smooth out the paint well and gets rid of minor scuffs. I suppose you could go to a wax too if you wanted. If you have used cheap paint, the polish will very likely rub it right off.

Brass

Copper

20. Drill the marked holes, mount the tag, rule the world!

cwbecker · Joined: 06 Aug 2008 Posts: 3 Location: Aloha, Oregon

This was an added post from another HAMB: Jalopy Journal member invizibletouch the grenade inspector from Mobile Alabama.

Sweet! I did this last year as well and not to hi-jack but I'll throw in my worthless .02.

I used some regular transfer paper I had laying around the office. Printed some designs (credit roadster to PACHECO I believe):

Made this little rig with a pitcher and an aquarium aerator I bought for about 5 bucks:

Couldn't get my hands on any PCB and after doing some research I found that a 2 to 1 mix of peroxide and muriatic acid works just as well.

Fresh out the tank:

Shot with flat black:

After scuffing with a sandin block and some 120 grit:

Cool tech Kirk!