Electroforming - Silver Sci-Fi Pendant - Start to Finish

Electroforming - Silver Sci-Fi Pendant - Start to finish shows my pretty awkward workflow making a heavy Sci-Fi Pendant from the sketch to the finished jewelry-piece using the technique of Electroforming.


0:00:00 - Intro
0:00:36 - The concept
0:01:31 - Preparation
0:01:42 - 3D modelling the Piece
0:02:04 - 3D testprint with PLA
0:02:14 - 3D print with resin
0:02:32 - Electroforming
0:02:48 - Sealing the gemstone
0:03:00 - Applying conductive paint
0:03:12 - Setting the gemstone with UV Glue
0:03:32 - Letting the paint dry
0:03:50 - Mounting the jig
0:04:04 - Calculating required Amps
0:04:41 - Copper electroforming
0:05:24 - Silver electroforming
0:06:02 - Post-processing
0:06:27 - Cutting off the jig
0:06:43 - Polishing with the rotary steel brush
0:06:52 - Removing sealer with acetone
0:06:58 - Ultrasonic cleaning
0:07:03 - The Result
0:07:22 - Outro

Links:


Autodesk Meshmixer - Free 3D Software
https://www.meshmixer.com/
This is the software I use to calculate the surface area of the 3D-pieces I designed on the computer. The surface area is a crucial Number for a successful Electroforming Results.

Tifoo online-calculator for electroforming
https://www.tifoo.de/berechnungstool/bedarfsrechner.html
Unfortunately only available in german. To get a rough estimate for your home made copper solution choose “Kupfer alkal.” The option “Kupfer glanz” only works with Tifoos own solution that pulls around 10 times more current than homemade solutions and deposits copper really fast.

Rota Jig - Free DIY Guide to build your own Motion-System for Electroforming Objects.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15NfkE-hSU_soRJr-C3I7oPBkl4shtxow/view
You’ll need access to a 3D printer and some very basic maker-skils.

Eheim Mini Flat - The Small Fishtank Filterpump that fits in your Electroforming Tank
https://eheim.com/en_GB/reptiles/technology/innenfilter/miniflat?c=2170
We’ve had some reports, that in some cases the solution dissolved the glue, that was used to mount the little magnet-bead to the plastic impeller. No problem: just reglue with a epoxy-glue and it’ll hold forever.

Tifoo Electroforming Products
https://www.tifoo.de/en-uk
No affiliation whatsoever - we just use and love their hustle-free products. Unfortunately they don’t ship outside Europe because of hazard restrictions for chemical Products


Xenoarchaeology - Jewelry from Outer Space


https://www.xenoarch.com
https://www.instagram.com/xeno_arch/

We free our jewelry from secret compartments in abandoned ruins on forbidden planets far from our solar system. Protected by dangerous mechanisms or unsolvable puzzles that long extinct races have devised to prevent their treasures from falling into the wrong hands.

We dig up old maps, search for artifacts, translate inscriptions on rare relics and put all these clues together to track down those secret places that contain magical treasures. Heirlooms from great emperors, jewelery from queens from entire planetary empires, decorations from great women warriors who have conquered entire solar systems.

Well. Sort of. At least we imagine such wild stories when we create the designs for our jewelry. We want our pieces to radiate a mysterious story and look as if they were thousands of years old and out of this world.

In fact, we create our designs by 3D scanning odd shapes or strange organic objects. We add detail and features to these models through digital sculpting on the computer. The design is then 3D printed and electroformed with a heavy layer of copper. If the design calls for it, we electroform another layer of silver over the copper. We use all kinds of gemstones and other peculiar materials to finish the piece. Finally we have several weathering routines to make the piece look like it is old and not from this planet. This spaced-out jewelry workflow ensures pieces that are guaranteed to be unique and one of a kind.