Front panel material

[Mike Granger]

DIY'ers:

Please, please be careful with this stuff. Use a very low strength solution,
put it in a pyrex dish OUTSIDE to etch it. Use protective clothing, gloves,
goggles, etc if you use this method. The concentrations necessary are very weak
ones, better too weak than too strong.  A few SMALL GRAINS of chemical
dissolved in a quart of water would be a good starting point. It generates some
heat as it etches, so be aware of this.

I think that if you use the proper precautions, the etching process will be a
lot safer than the explosive experiment Tom mentioned. I've seen that one done
at a science demonstration, and it sounds like a bomb exploding! There is a
huge orange fireball!

It is the way Moog produced their panels, and I've never seen anything else
that gives exactly the same results.

Be careful!

Mike Granger

tomg wrote:

> Lye is just lye....you get it at the grocery/hardware store. Try the
> Red Devil brand..... and be careful. This process gives off hydrogen
> in large amounts. You may want to experiment with the explosive
> properties of this method before committing to a big DIY project.
>
> WARNING! the following is stupid fun with chemistry! If you try
> this be sure to protect yourself with face mask, protective gloves
> and clothing!! I am not responsible if you are injured after all I said
> it was stupid!
>
> Use a thick PLASTIC bottle with a small neck. CAUTION a thin
> bottle may develop leaks because of the heat. Fill it about 1/2 full of
> water and add a  hand full of lye. Make some narrow strips out of aluminum
> foil and feed them into the bottle. Then quickly stretch a balloon over the
> bottle mouth.
>
> The balloon will start to fill with hydrogen as the aluminum is desolved.
> Take a piece of string and tie off the end. REMOVE IT FROM THE
> BOTTLE. Then away from the bottle and YOU. Place the balloon on
> the ground. Remember there will be a chemical residue inside. Use at
> least a 3 foot stick with a lit match to ignite  the balloon.  If you still
> decide to use this method.....be careful. You have been warned!
>
> Tom
>
> > The
> > > etching process happens fast and generates heat. If you try it, be very
> > careful
> > > with the lye. It is nasty, dangerous stuff.
> > >
> > > Mike Granger
>
> > Just one, err.. two questions what  is the chemical name for lye and
> > what concentration is used??
> >
> > Cheers, Theo