Now the trick for etching brass is that the etching must be the fastest possible.

That means that the bath musn't be clogged, the Perchlorure de fer (okay, can't remind how to say that in English), it must also be stirred and heated

So in an old aquarium I put 2 liters of the acid, an aquarium heater and air pump and dipped the fret in it.

You can see pretty fast if things go well. look below the parts pop out of the metal

etching

Then when the parts begin to fall apart, better clean everything and get the parts

Rhein gold! finished PE

Let's filter the water, dry the parts and clean them with Acetone so that every trace of the photoresist material can be wiped away.. and time to start the building of the diorama

When i changed my website earlier this year, all of my archives went down the drain. including everything related to Homemade Photoetch. So here is a bit of a reminder associated to my newest project.

Well first let's spend a bit of time on Inkscape or Illustrator (any vector graphic software) drawing this nice plan. Remember, there should be the less white possible because the white parts will be dissolved and you don't need to get your acid bath clogged too early.

Homemade PE -designing the fret with a vector graphic software

I use a regular HP desk lazer printer to printb this drwaing *4 times* on some transparent paper.

print the drawing for homemade photoetch

So why 4 times? that's because the drawing is not opaque enough with one print.

Do some sort of sandwich using some tape, 2 printings on the top of each other, because you're going to insert the brass sheet betwwen each of those 2 coats.

Cut the photoresist coated brass sheet at the right dimensions.

Cut the photreisit coated brass sheet

insert the photoresist coated brass sheet

Here is the sandwhich - Remove the tape protection on each side of the brass and insert the photoresist coated brass sheet betwwen the transparent printings like written a few lines up.

Place your sandwhich on your insulating machine (some special UV neons, plans are everywhere on the internet)

Insulating machine

Then place your brass sheet in the revelant bath (usually it's either sold in a dry form that you dilute in water, or as a concentrated liquid). You can buty this in most electronic shop as it's the same product that is being used to make some printed circuits.

Rememember that the temperature of the bath may be important too. Try not to touch the brass with your fingers and wear some gloves because this is acid and it actually may burn you.

revelant bath

And after a few minutes stirring (you must have a few minutes actually, if you develop the stuff too fast the print can me of a bad quality) you may have this which looks quite good indeed!

printed PE(to be followed..)

So I walked out of SMC last sunday, a bit dazed by the whole day, and went to sit alone near the big pond near the venue. Then some majectic heron took out, the loop was looped. That was a great omen. Back to my bubble.
What can I say about SMC? The best modeling show in the world? best organisation I ever see? best friendship I ever came through? so many things really.., I truy to sum up..

Best thing : the overall friendship
Biggest surprise: A/ nobody talked models before the actual show, B there was actually quite a few people attending my own demo!
Biggest lesson taught: never get yourself photographed near german or Dutch model makers (Canadian and British ones as well I should add)  because they're mostly two times bigger than you are.
Best quote : "you should change nationality, as long as you stay French you won't be reckoned as a truly great modeller"
Best advice: from Mig really. And mr Van Gills as well, I will give it a thought..
Best thanks: to Everybody really, but especially to Robert and SMC who took an enormous risk in inviting somebody who never goes out of his house for such things
What I got out of it : A clearer view of what I like and don't like in model making, a truer view of what a model maker is like, and of the whole "scene". Truly great support from great modelers. Finally I got the confirmation of something I only guessed: fewer and fewer diorama makers these days, all the best then it's time to get new things, new ideas, a new vision of diorama making!

The picture is opne of the few I took: there is my dioramas near Mig's models, I was very happy about the amount of picture being taken of those! SMC my stand

So the week-end after next one I am going at SMC Eindhoven to show those dioramas. I will bring each I did since 2008 -starting with Sokol -all except Galilée which is too fragile.
This will be the first time they move out of my house so that's quite an event as far as I am concerned really -also because I don't intend to renew the experience before quite a bit of time. Now I think that one (the T-26 diorama) should be ready -and even if it isn't I will still bring it.

In the meantime here a few views of some details of the diorama, of course the ground is not yet burnt and there lacks quite  a few stones and sand and grass bits etc..

Of course, even the very light green and light sand tones are defined; there is still  a lot of colour correction that must be done!

Diorama T-26 diorama T-26

diorama T-26

My hapless tanker is now pinned on the roof of the tank. Now that needed quite a bit of dry fitting and I still have some work to do on the fig painting.

t-26 with dead pilot

I don't know if that's much notcieable, but I have been using quite a bit of light direction on that fig, for instance the green on this side of the turret is of a very yellowey green. I have been airbrushing a much darker shade of green on the turret before fixing the tanker to mimic the shadow the body would cast on the hull.

Finally, here is one of the soldiers lying on the floor. the 2 extra ones will lay on the tank, and that will be for nex week :) 

dead man