Personalize your water bottle with salt water etching

Supplies

• Stainless steel or aluminum water bottle
• Lead set with alligator clips
• Pattern to be etched
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/2 t. salt
• 9V battery
• Q-tips

Directions

1. First find a design that you want to transfer to the bottle.  You could also use a stencil, or even make a design out of masking tape if you are making something simple.
   
2. Stick the design to a clean water bottle. The empty parts of the design will be etched away.
   
3. Mix 1/2 c. of water with the 1/2 t. salt in a jar and stir.  Add a bunch of Q-tips to the jar.
4. Hook one wire from the positive terminal of the battery to the metal of the water bottle.
   
5. Hook the other wire from the negative terminal of the battery to the wet end of one of the Q-tips. The clip has to be on the wet part of the Q-tip.
   
6. Place the Q-tip on the bottle where you want the design to appear.  Move the Q-tip around to dab the entire area.
   
7. The top of the Q-tip will become discolored as metal is transferred from the bottle to the Q-tip. So replace the Q-tip often.
8. Try to cover the area evenly.  When you think it is done dry off the design and remove the stencil.  Wash the outside of the bottle to remove any remaining liquid.