Electroforming

[Vanessa]

Hi all as part of a mini project into specialist techniques I carved a wax ring and had it electroformed. It was a very detailed carving and when it came back it was very bulky and is now too small to fit. I think 1mm of metal was formed over the ring and a lot of detail i carved has disappeared. Now I just want to know will I be able to restore the delicacy of the ring by filing back (its copper) or will I damage it by using files on it? The wax remains inside. I hope I can 'restore' it as I would like to silver and gold plate it.

[Dennis]

Hi vanessa, I'm afraid that you seem to have chosen the wrong process. If you carve wax and then wish to reproduce it in metal, you get it cast.

Electroforming onto an object, increases its thickness and evantually reduces the detail. If the original is frail, then the shell of metal formed will be thin and fragile too.

Your remedy now would be to start again, or to remove the copper by means of an acid. Which acid and at what dilution, the company can advise you, or even do for you. Dennis.

[Vanessa]

Thanks Dennis we were told to carve a wax ring for electroforming, so I did. The school electroformed it. Perhaps I'll carve another ring with less detail, rock formations or something.

[Goldsmith]

Hi Vanessa, Dennis is correct in saying that electroforming is the wrong process. Electroforming works well when creating a solid item by using a reverse pattern, a hollow pattern like a die.
This is an example of superb electroforming from my collection, the original crest was pressed into a wax block before being electroformed.

74757476

James

[Goldsmith]

This is another electroformed example from my collection, it is a Victorian seal pressed into wax and then electroformed, the photo shows both sides of the electroformed piece and you can see that the best side is the one that was formed on the impressed wax.

7477

James

[Vanessa]

Hi I understand what you are telling me but the school told us all to carve a ring from wax (they provided the wax ring for us to carve into) and get it electroformed so I did. What came back was a bulky monster ... I might speak to someone about it after all I am left wondering what was the point of that exercise they got us doing! Esp. If its the wrong process. 😐

[Goldsmith]

Hi I understand what you are telling me but the school told us all to carve a ring from wax (they provided the wax ring for us to carve into) and get it electroformed so I did. What came back was a bulky monster ... I might speak to someone about it after all I am left wondering what was the point of that exercise they got us doing! Esp. If its the wrong process. ��

I agree with you Vanessa, I was in the trade, making for Asprey, Garrard, Kutchinsky and Cartier for over 50 years and nobody I know ever electroformed rings.

James

[Vanessa]

Thanks James.

[Dennis]

When we did electriforming at our college, it was leaves, twigs and other organic things. Of course as the deposit is microscopically porous, the contents eventually go smelly, particularly sea weed.

As james has said it is brilliant for 'casting' impressions to give you a hard model. Still, it has given us something to think about, so thank you for so gallantly sharing it . Dennis.

[china]

I do not want to sound condescending, though it is farely clear to me that your instructor does not understand the correct use of the process

[ps_bond]

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

[caroleallen]

Very profound Peter!

Maybe the tutor was just giving you a lesson on what not to do.

[metalsmith]

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

*Like*

(tho I'm sure a friend of mine relates having been served tomato as a dessert in China)

[emsterv]

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

I've never heard that one before, Peter .. what a great one.

I'm curious Vanessa, did you find out if there was a specific learning point to that lesson or was it simply an unwarranted use of technique as discussed here?