Etching a complex design

I've not tried etching glass but have done printed circuit boards and copper sheet using a spray on UV sensitive resist such as

. You would have to try it to see if it was OK with your etchant. Easy to use for DIY and you can either buy a developing solution or a mild solution of caustic soda can be used. Exposure can be done in sunlight but I bought the UV flourescent lamps and made an exposure unit. Once I just bought a UV flourescent lamp and fitted it into a handheld stick light and waved it over the top .Another option might be some of the methods used for producing PCBs from laser prints. Try googling "pcb laser print" or . Mega also do this .

I did some etching using rubber cement as a resist some years back. I don't recall the exact step-by-step but the reason I went to rubber cement was for better detail than contact paper/tape was providing.

One of the better known manufacturers:

search-term "photoresist" for more.

Steve Ackman wrote: [...}

I have not tried rubber cement yet, but I believe it works. You can scibe it with a sharpened toothpick when it is still wet. That way you can etch fine liens on clear. If you want the other way round, clear lines on matte background, you may try painting hot wax with a fine brush.

-laurt

Try using an actual sandblasting resist, a much better adhesive than contact paper...Venture makes several that you should be able to get at any stained glass shop. You can use photo resist if you have the equipment. Just Google photo-resist.