Abstract: A radiation shield is fashioned from a kit having a plate of electrically conductive material with a grid of troughs cut therein. The grid is used to trace the dimensions of a portion of the electrically conductive plate needed to fashion a particular radiation shield. The troughs are cut to a sufficient depth to allow material to be snapped back and broken off by hand along the troughs. Material is bent at 90 degree angles along the troughs to form walls for a radiation shield. Thus, radiation shields in the form of various rectilinear boxes comprising a wide variety of shapes and dimensions may be fashioned from a kit according to the present invention.

Abstract: An improved metal etching process including preparation of a metal substrate, developing a photoresist on the substrate, coating the exposed substrate with electroless phosphorous nickel alloy, removing the developed photoresist and etching the then exposed substrate. The preparation for depositing the electroless nickel includes washing the surface of the substrate with a very dilute acidic ferric chloride solution, immersing the substrate in a hydrochloric acid solution, and applying a thin metal layer by electrolytic plating, seriatim.