Three things.
1. I need a really super crappy iron: the kind that doesn't have steam and gets too hot etc. The crappier the better (as long as it gets hot). Please let me know if you have an iron like this or know where one can be found.
2. I need a scrap piece of wood. Just a small block to put under metal when I'm drilling holes. If you have one kicking about, let me know.
3. This is funny :)
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PnP blue! You photocopy a resist onto it, cut out the part you want, align it on your metal and iron it on. It's awesome for transfering complex patterns to metal for etching. Also, it means I don't have to be a wizard with an exacto knife (which is never going to happen) or a great artist (also never going to happen).
I'm not sure if the cast iron pan idea would work (though it's an awesome idea) because it needs to be hot for two or three minutes. Also, you need to really press it down. It might transfer unevenly if you're pressing down with a lever arm, which you'd need to do with the pan's handle. I'll have to think about it...
I'm betting a cast iron pan will stay hot good while longer than 2-3 minutes, but you probably will have issues with temperature control (possible solution: the oven has pretty decent temperature control?).
If the weight of the cast iron pan isn't enough, you could just place a couple of bricks in the pan itself (or other weighty object. Possibly another cast iron pan. :) Alternately, an oven mitt or two should allow you to press in the center of the pan and avoid uneven application problems. If you /really/ need the pressure, get a length of wood, place it across the pan, and sit on it like a super-hot egg.
Really, at this point, I'm just enamored with my own idea. :)
Beth, I use PnP Blue all the time...you can get a cheap iron like the one you're looking for at Walgreens. They don't get much cheaper than that without being an electrocution hazard.
Nate: You're probably right. And, honestly, I may well try it with my big Le Creuset dutch oven, just to see. :) However, I'm working within the confines of my apartment so space and extraneous material may be a hindrance. We'll see!
Sam: I love that you use PnP blue all the time. I mean, it shouldn't surprise me, but that doesn't make it any less awesome. Thanks for the tip. I'll check that out.
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Beth Ballingall
food lover : world traveller : gamer : New Yorker : twenty-something : former Londoner : handbag lover : erstwhile soprano : geek
What do you need the iron for? I was thinking you could just use a cast iron pan if you need it to get really hot. If you'd like to use the pan for cooking as well, you could probably buy a sheet of aluminum for cheap to put between the pan and target of heat?