Custom Stencil Instructions

Choose one of the following three methods to create your stencil design.

• A: Trace your design. Instructions are listed below.
• B: Draw your design freehand. If you have artistic ability you can draw your design on the vinyl.
• C: Use a photocopy of your design. Use a copy machine to duplicate your design. Then coat the back of the photocopy with spray adhesive and adhere the design to the vinyl.

Applying The Vinyl Masking

Clean the glass or mirror. Cut the masking vinyl 1” larger than the length and width of your glass. Peel and apply the vinyl to your project. The design is taped only on the top edge so it may be lifted periodically to check how the design is transferring. Place a sheet of smudge proof carbon paper face down under the design sheet and trace over the design with a ball point pen. See Photo 1. Use enough pressure to transfer the design but not so hard that you tear the design sheet. Upon completion of the tracing, lift up the design sheet and carbon paper to make sure all lines were transferred accurately. If so, then remove design sheet & carbon paper.

Select The Areas To Be Etched

Every design has several possibilities of how it can be cut out as a stencil and etched as shown in the illustrations above. You can choose to cut and etch only the outline of the design, or you may choose to cut and etch only the solid areas . Another alternative is to remove the background and reverse etch the area, which is only recommended for sandblasting.

Cutting Technique

Hold the hobby knife in your hand as you would a pen for writing. Slowly and smoothly, pull the knife along the side of the line using just enough pressure to cut through the vinyl, but not so much as to scratch the glass. Use a sharp blade, a dull blade will tear the vinyl instead of cutting it. We recommend using the Solid Area Technique, cutting on the outside of the design line. It is very important that your cut lines connect the start and finish of each area. Avoid cutting past the point where lines meet. After all the lines have been cut, use the tip of your knife blade to pry under the cut edges. Carefully lift up and remove the pieces of vinyl masking.

Prepare For Etching

Use the backing sheet from the vinyl masking (or any clean piece of paper) to press down on all the cut edges of your stencil making sure that all the edges are firmly adhered to the glass. Clean off fingerprints from the exposed glass with a lint free cloth. Lightly dampen the cloth with glass cleaner and dab gently on the exposed areas of the glass to be cleaned. Never apply the cleaner directly onto the stencil as it will lift the edges.

Applying Armour Etch Glass Etching Cream

We recommend that the room temperature, etching cream temperature, and the object you are etching be 70 degrees F (21 Degrees C) or warmer. Work in a well lit and well ventilated area near a water source. Wear plastic gloves and protective eyewear. With a soft bristle or foam brush, apply a thick layer of Armour Etch Glass Etching Cream in order for the chemical to react properly on the glass or mirror. You should not be able to see your design through the etch cream. While waiting the 5 minutes for the etching cream to react on the glass, lightly re-brush and redistribute the cream to make sure you cover all the areas of the design. Work quickly and safely. See Photo 3. Removing etching cream After 5 minutes, rinse off all traces of the etching cream. Rinse from the top of the project down, work quickly and use your brush to help. Use plenty of water and wash thoroughly until all etching cream residue is removed. Avoid splashing! See Photo 4. Clean and dry your project.

Article Posted: 11/07/2021 07:48:27 PM