Etched Firefighter Whiskey Glasses

I have always enjoyed creative outlets. This is further made enjoyable when I get to gift or donate these items. However, with a large fire family, I can’t make them for everyone or for every charity. It is a very easy project to do and it is actually an impactful gift. As I mentioned, I love to customize glassware and a wood tray as one of my donations for a firefighter charity. I also love to give them as gifts. Most of the time, I make fire department logo ones but, occasionally I will make etched glassware for a wedding or a Christmas gift. One of my friends, who was the recipient of such a gift, recently posted the picture on his FB account with a shout-out to me. Then suddenly several mutual friends and department members wanted to know where to get theirs. Right now, this project is not what I can focus my time on. I thought why not share the knowledge with our Firefighter’s Auxillary group and then if they want to, they can make them as a fundraiser. After all, it’s an easy project and it is easily a very desired end product.

Materials needed:

• Glassware
• Armour Etch product or similar
• Small Paint Brush
• Vinyl stencil with the logo that you want to put on your glassware
• Transfer tape
• Painter’s tape (if you are slightly messy at moving around the etching solution)
• Access to running water

Process:

• Clean and dry the glassware you will be etching
• Print out or buy vinyl logos/sayings that you want to etch… assure that the logo fits on the glassware.

• Thoroughly press down to the vinyl to the glass to assure no etching solution gets underneath your vinyl. This will make your logo/saying messy. The end product will not be pleasing to you and ultimately you will have wasted a glass.
• I work on only one glass at a time to assure that while the etching solution is working that I am continually moving it around onto the exposed areas of the vinyl stencil.

• Work on only one glass until you decide how long the etching solution should stay on your glass before you wash it away. I typically apply the etching solution for about 5 minutes. I set my kitchen timer each time because I want all the glasses to be a matched set.
• Rinse the etching solution off under a constant stream of water from your sink.
• Remove the vinyl/tape and rinse some more.
• Dry glass thoroughly.
• Before using, thoroughly clean glass as well.

If you are a Dallas Firefighter member or family member… I have the logo already and would be happy to send you a few vinyl stencils so that you can try it out. Just reach out to me by adding a comment below and I’ll send you some in the mail. Please be patient with me, I don’t respond very quickly to comments or my emails… but hey… I am retired!

ENJOY!!!!

Here are just a few pictures of etched glassware and customized trays I have made for either gifts or for charity events!