Thread 2945361

I have a bunch of galvanized steel circular punch outs from your standard electrical boxes and I wanted to turn them custom coins for personal use by etching a design into them. An engraving tool didn't quite work so I suggested chemical engraving. I've tried both white vinegar and metiaric acid solutions with a 9volt setup but neither manage to get actual depth, just discoloration in the pattern I've put down.

Is there a better chemical to use, or should I get a car battery to up the voltage?

Alternatively: what's the feasibility (and if feasible best method) to melt them down to pour? I've seen a sand\clay mold method I think I can replicate if I can get the metal molten.

Pic is the setup I had for the vinegar solution.

>>2945361 (OP)
>galvanized
No. Just no.

You'll have a lot better luck casting aluminum but sand casting is very rough and fine details are not possible.

Look in to die striking but if you can't etch a coin you aren't going to manage making a die.

3d printing is a great way to make coins, even with a single filament machine you can make nice coins.

The zinc blanks, again, not worth the hassle of working with.

>>2945385
>but sand casting is very rough and fine details are not possible
Holy skill issue

>>2945385
> >galvanized
>No. Just no.
Is that no to just the etching or the casting as well?

>>2945400
Zinc plated steel, aka 'galvanized steel', is not going to give you a good result.

>>2945412
Just sand the zinc off, doofus.

>>2945388
pyw

>>2945361 (OP)
I think something like nitric acid is better on metals.
You don’t necessarily need electrolysis.
Another option is to mask it with this rubbery stuff and sandblast it. The sand bounces off the rubbery stuff.

>>2945361 (OP)
>with a 9volt setup
If you're running it like your pic, you've got the batteries in series so you're more like 63V assuming that basic bitch dollar tree "super heavy duty" battery isn't dead. A single car battery will not give you more voltage, though it can supply way more current. I'm not sure which is more applicable for what you're doing.

>>2945361 (OP)
look how actual coins are coined, you just need a die, a torch and a press or a hammer.

i actually worked in a chem etch plant making parts

we used ferric chloride as the etchant

but we also treated things with nitric acid which will eat away mild steel like >>2946947 said, we used 68% which is the highest before it becomes fuming nitric, im not sure what happens if you get some dilute 'civilian' grade type stuff, google will know

not sure why you would bother with melting and pouring, you can literally buy coin blanks on amazon etc

we also never used electricity for any part of the process