Electrodag

Jewelry Discussion
1

I teach copper electroforming at the Oregon College of Art and Craft
and used to order our copper electrodag (or conductive paint) through
Rio Grande. It worked very well for our setup and the cost was
economical. Rio, unfortunately, discontinued this product and I’m at
a loss in finding a alternative (everyone seems to carry silver
conductive paint, not copper). Does anyone have a supplier they could
recommend? Thank you, Heidi

2

Electrodag and similar products are hard to find. There is a (not as
nice but you can learn to work with it well) less toxic alternative
called Conductor. Here is the web site:
http://www.safer-solutions.com/

Bruce Metcalf and other electroformers use it happily. It is water
based rather than solvent based.

The technician at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, Annny
Rondeau did a successful search for such a material for a workshop I
taught there. His email is: “daniel rondeau”
lusternotleast@hotmail.com

best Charles Charles Lewton-Brain/Brain Press Box 1624, Ste M, Calgary,
Alberta, T2P 2L7, Canada Tel: 403-263-3955 Fax: 403-283-9053 Email:
@Charles_Lewton-Brai1

Our Collaborative site to benefit the worlds’ jewelers:
http://ganoksin.com/ Over 500 pages of Charles’ writing:
Learning Center - Ganoksin Jewelry Making Community Book and Video
descriptions:http://www.ganoksin.com/kosana/brain/brain.htm
Gallery page at: http://www.ganoksin.com/brain/gallery.htm

3

Here is one place for the conductive paints:

http://dalmarplating.com/tankplating.htm

And another with more variety:

http://www.caswellplating.com/supplies/index.html?PHPSESSID=5d0911a73

“Electrodag” sounds more like it might be a graphite based
conductive paint these have been used for the purpose. ??

jesse

4

Rio does still sell the Midas Copper Solution which is used in
electroforming. It is on page 458 of the current tools catalog
Stock # 335-171.

I hope this helps.
Phillip Scott G.G.
Technical Support & Sales
Rio Grande

5

a quick search on google gives these sources for silver and graphite
electroday conductive paints:

laddresearch.com/General_Catalog/Chapter_2/SEM_Conducting_Paints/
sem_conducting_paints.html

“Acheson Colloids’ “Electrodag” sold by Stewart MacDonald;
it’s their part # 29 conductive shielding paint & it costs $26.44
per 1/2 pint can”

http://www.riverbank.com.sg/Acheson.htm

best Charles

Charles Lewton-Brain/Brain Press Box 1624, Ste M, Calgary, Alberta,
T2P 2L7, Canada Tel: 403-263-3955 Fax: 403-283-9053 Email:
@Charles_Lewton-Brai1

Our Collaborative site to benefit the worlds’ jewelers:
http://ganoksin.com/ Over 500 pages of Charles’ writing:
Learning Center - Ganoksin Jewelry Making Community Book and Video
descriptions:http://www.ganoksin.com/kosana/brain/brain.htm
Gallery page at: http://www.ganoksin.com/brain/gallery.htm

6 
Electrodag and similar products are hard to find. There is a (not as
nice but you can learn to work with it well) less toxic alternative
called Conductor. Here is the web site:
http://www.safer-solutions.com/

I didn’t consider the term “aquadag” but the dag part brings up the
memory of colloidal graphite dispersions made by Acheson. Here is
their website with the probably appropriate starting spot for you.

http://achesonindustries.com/electronic_materials/electricaldata.asp
7

Hi Concerning electrodag coating, I had an e-mail from ms.
Lewandowski of Acheson colloids and it says:

Dear Mr. Audette: Your inquiry regarding electroplating was forwarded
to me for follow-up. Electroplating is an application Acheson has
never been involved in, and although we are aware of some companies
that use our conductive coatings as a precoat in the electroplating
process, we don’t have anyone here with expertise in this area.

The product you most likely used was Electrodag 415, which was
discontinued 12-31-02 because sales of the material did not support
continued production. A product currently offered that can be used
as a conductive precoat for electroplating non-conductive materials
is called Electrodag 18DB70X. Electrodag 18DB70X is a
silver-pigmented, solvent-based product that must be diluted with
acetone; it is designed for spray application using conventional
spray equipment. If Electrodag 18DB70X is purchased directly from
Acheson, there is a $500.00 minimum order amount requirement. A
product data sheet is attached for your

Electrodag 18DB70X can be purchased in smaller quantities from: Ted
Pella, Inc., Redding, CA, (530) 243-2200, www.tedpella.com Electron
Microscopy Sciences, Ft. Washington, PA, (215) 646-1566,
www.emsdiasum.com Thorlabs, Inc., Newton, NJ, (973) 300-4425,
www.thorlabs.com

Sincerely,
Acheson Colloids Company
Debbie Lewandowski