Electroforming an Iris Seed Pod

Step 18 Finishing

After removing from the leadwire, I dip my objects into liver of sulfur patina, which gives a dark black finish. I then scrub with steel wool which highlights the raised areas, leaving the recesses dark black. I then use a spray-lacquer to seal the finish, and string onto cotton cording for a fun and organic necklace.

Comments

[Mena142]

Great instructable! I might try this some day :)

[Junophor]

Hi MaggieJs
Great Job. Somtimes I need for my objects copper parts but I find them only in other materials like plastic.

I will try to copper them as you showed it.

Thanks to your instructable;-)))

[mhaws]

This is amazing. I am wondering if the chemicals are safe for pregnant woman to work around.

[rossnzwpi]

Hi, I'm not a chemist but all the chemicals used in this process are not safe. Personally I wouldn't go near it while pregnant or breast feeding.

[NoPegs]

I wouldn't go as far as the phrase "not safe" myself... The actual electro-forming solution itself is just an aqueous copper sulfate solution. It is an "irritant", but unless you're bathing in it or drinking in it the actual hazard is minimal(so close to zero it may as well be.). Heck, you'd have a bigger hazard scrubbing the bathroom from the cleaning products used than this procedure. Toilet bowl cleaner is 20% hydrochloric acid, you know.

[NaturalCrafter]

You make it easy to understand the process. There have been pieces I have seen at gem shows and always wondered how it was done. I have some very pretty mini cone pods I found still on a stick that would be beautiful for this project. They lay in a dish with other items collected but could not use otherwise as they might break.

[nistiles]

Excellent, easy to follow, step-by-step instructions. I loved the visual of drying the pieces in a tin can, i would never have thought of that. Questions: can you dip more than one piece at a time if you have a larger enough beaker filled with solution? Can the solution be reused multiple times? How much does a digital rectifier cost? Where do you buy lacquer conductive paint? Again, I loved this project, thank you soooo much for sharing your knowledge.

[charrrlie]

Excellent instructable. I especially liked the "things to look out for" part. That always helps.