I am sitting with a bit of a problem and was hoping that someone
might be able to help me out. Iam experimenting with electroforming
and need to make wax models electroconductive. I live in south africa
and silver conductive paint is unobtainable. I searched the archives
but was unable to find any answers. does anybody maybe have another
way of making a model conductive using another process, maybe using
silver nitrate or graphite or something. a recipy would be greatly
apreciated. the models are made from mitsuro wax. i realize that i
will lose a bit of definition on the plating process but i still want
to try.if anyone needs the recipy for mitsuro i will gladly forward
the
Don’t know if this will help, but they make a conductive paint for
electronics, I think it is nickel, but I have seen it in silver
also. You might try an electronic supply store.
If you have access to and a friend in a university or research
center with a scanning electron microscope, you might investigate
sputter coating. Many non-conductive samples must have a metal,
usually gold, deposited on them before they can be used in the
microscope. Because the process involves a chamber full of plasma,
there is usually some leftover space and some extra metal plasma. If
you can get someone to put your items in along with regular samples,
you may be able to have them coated for little or nothing.
There is an elctrical conductive paint called electrodag. It is used
by the companies that make the ‘24k’ roses. Real roses are painted
with electrodag on the edges of the petals and then 24k plating is
applied. Sometimes entire pieces are done too. I have sold bunches of
them in my store for a couple years now. I understand that electrodag
is also used in the medical industry but I do not not for what
purpose.
Why in South Africa is the silver conductive paint unobtainable? The
silver conductive paint is so much more expensive than a similar
paint made with copper. Have you checked for the copper paint that
is made with real copper and electroconductive?
I do not know what the hazardous fees (postage) would be for shipping
the copper paint that is available from Unique Solutions, but if you
are interested, I will check to see if it can be shipped. United
Parcel Service (UPS) is the way to go for that type of material. I
will also have to check if South Africa will allow it into the
country. Sometimes, government regulations out weigh the ability to
obtain of these types of materials. It is considered hazardous
because of the nature of the liquid. I have to pay a hazardous
materials fee if I ship stateside, by the way.
Here is South Florida we are doing extensive work with electroforming
baths coating the wax with the paint, electroforming, then burning
out the wax. Incredible forms are able to be transformed into metal.
We electroform in copper, then if need be, continue to plate with a
sealing layer (usually nickel) and then plate to silver or gold. The
nickel does not let the copper leach out to the next layer.
Good luck on your project.
Beth Katz, Unique Solutions, Inc. www.myuniquesolutions.com
Paste Solder & Powder Solder for Metalsmiths and Jewelers
Conductive Paint for Electroforming