7/27/2019 Electroforming Article Bead and Button Sherri Haab

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TestyourmetalElectroforming s easierthan you think and allowsyou to make your ownmetal components.

,r Shorri Haab

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@ ForShenfu op 5 tips onelsctrotormingnd plating, eeheronline rticle n our Resource uidoat BeadAndButton.com/resources.

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7/27/2019 Electroforming Article Bead and Button Sherri Haab

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2 Attaching the conductorV Anacha non-coatedopper vireto theobjecr y rvrappingt around rlooping r rhrough hc obiect- hewire!vill conducr lectricity uringelectro-fornine andmusrbe n contnctwith thecondrctive aint.Soneconductive aintcanbebrushed nto hewire whcre t

connectso theobjecto ensurchat he*ire andobject ondsct sone.

Thewi.ecanbeanyBauSerwrapped28-gaugeopperwnerround a leafstem n photoa. Youcanuse ervierwire,or wrap heavywireover hinwire o add bulk o theobject ndkccp t from driftingor floatingwhcnsuspendedn rheelectroform olution.Youcanalsoelecroformmultipleobjects f thesame izeby attachingr lvire o eich objecrnd bundlinglhe wires nto a single whtedstem.

Justmakesure heobjects ont toucheach thcror thc coppcr nodcwh;le

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(neeative,) lead rom hepowersupplyto the wire conductor herc r sticksout ofthe chopsticksphoto ).

7 Introducing he currentt scr hcpuwcrufnlyecurrcnto

low; a good ulr of thumb s o startrvithabout 50 nilliamtspersquareinch mA/sqnch).Adjusr hepowersLrpplyccordingo rhemanufacturer'sinstruct ionso miintain hat urrent.

Check h( obicct fter I5 minuresto scc fli uniformcoating fcoppcr

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especiallyor larger bjects. ighercurrents roducc norc granulnr,essshiny urfaceexrurc. lso,sharp rsmallprotruding reas il l cxpcriencehigher urrent ensiry,o you mayseegrainy, rysrallinefowrhsn those reas.

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Depcnding n bowdrickyou wantto form hemetal, lectroforuringantakeanywhere etwcenwo and t0houn. Removcheobjectwhen hedesiredmeml hicknesss achieved.

Cr€atlng the anodeLin€h€nside f a glass r plasiic

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Addlng he solutlonPour hecleetrofornrolurion nro

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Fini8hlngI renovedmy e.f.ftcr rhree ou.s

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{photod). Rinse heobicd wirh distilledwatcr, emovehewi.econducror, ndpatdry.Youcannow usc he inished

copper-coatedbjecro crcate ewelrydesign, r youcanelecrroplatehcobjecrwirh olhcr metals.

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Shetri Haab is a best-se ng author of25 uaft booAs,

She s a L,ell-knou" ifttructot, leadinq craft aid iepelry-bqking wotkshops t'ltenatioka y, and liues with het

fadily ii SPti"gui e, Utah, in the U.S. Contact het at

shetti@shertihaab.con, or uisit her website, shettihaab.cont.