[meteorite-list] Fw: etching with radio shack etchant

From: Matthew Martin <mmartin_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 03 May 2010 11:16:02 -0500
Message-ID: <20100503111602.6bbervpgu8s0sk0g_at_webmail.meteoritetreasures.com>

http://www.meteorite-times.com/Back_Links/2002/November/meteorites_101.htm


Cheers!

Matt



Quoting "Diiulio, Ronald" <Ronald.Diiulio at unt.edu>:

> OK all...this looks like it was a great article! Can anyone forward
> me to a site where I might read it?
> Thanks,
> Ron
>
>
> Ron DiIulio
> Planetarium and Astronomy Laboratory Director
> Adjunct Professor
> Physics Department
> University of North Texas
> NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador
> office phone: 940-369-8213
> fax number: 940-369-7792
> email: starman at unt.edu
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
> [mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] On Behalf Of
> Matthew Martin
> Sent: Monday, May 03, 2010 11:01 AM
> To: R N Hartman
> Cc: Meteorite Central; Meteorite1
> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Fw: etching with radio shack etchant
>
> Aloha Ron,
>
> Since reading the article and you and your son wrote, I have used
> nothing but Ferric Chloride to etch my irons. Your directions were
> very thorough. A few months ago I etched a Campo that I resurrected
> from a rusty graveyard and it produced a gorgeous pattern using FC.
> Of course after sanding, I polished it before etching. Don't let
> one sour grape get at you--especially since he didn't follow your
> directions correctly. Even though it's been eight years since your
> article was published, I want to say "thank you" to you and Jim for
> your contribution to the field; It gave me the confidence to etch my
> own irons...and with stunning results!
>
> Matthew
>
>
>
> Quoting R N Hartman <rhartman04 at earthlink.net>:
>
>> I was just browsing through some of the posts on Joes Skyrockcafe
>> website when I ran across a post from a collector who was unhappy with
>> the Radio Shack etchant for iron meteorites. He claims to have sanded
>> a Campo down to #400 but could not get a Widmanstatten pattern,
>> although he did get a beautiful pattern using the traditional Nitric
>> method.
>>
>> My son, Jim, and I posted an article in the November 2002 issue of the
>> Meteorite Times about preparing and etching irons using Ferric
>> Chloride (which is the same material as used in the Radio Shack
>> etchant). The method has been used widely since that time with
>> outstanding success by many and with superior results, so there is now
>> an undisputed 8 year positive history. Etches show more contrast and
>> subtle details come out more readily, and fears of ferric chloride use
>> have been put to rest as the specimens are not rusting and crumbling.
>> In fact, they do just as well if not better than when etched with
>> nitric. (But that is a topic for another day.)
>>
>> I think the problem of the person in posting his negative experience
>> was that after grinding down to a #400 grit that he did not then
>> polish out the surface. Unlike preparing an iron to etch with nitric
>> acid, the surface wants to have a highly reflective mirror-like
>> surface before etching. As we say in the article, however, every
>> meteorite is different and can react differently to different
>> circumstances, so he may have just had an unusual, but uncommon,
>> experience. He may have a very different experience with a different
>> Campo. (I have many Ferric-etched slices of Campos in my personal
>> collection and they are all doing well.)
>>
>> Ron Hartman E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (7.0.0.514)
>> Database version: 6.14900
>> http://www.pctools.com/en/spyware-doctor-antivirus/
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Received on Mon 03 May 2010 12:16:02 PM PDT