Methods of covering silver with gold

[CJ57]

Hi Carin
I bought my foil from cookies and it says it's 2.5 microns but you can layer it to get the desired effect. It was even possible to burnish in inverted domes but I could have done with smaller burnishers. It was possible to do the fold formed tucks on the piece I pictured but it needed a couple of goes and it was easier to do gently over a torch than a hotplate

[LydiaNiz]

I have so fallen in love with Keum-Boo. I wish I hadn't bothered with a hotplate too. Much easier with a torch. There is a fair whack of it on my site. I also use the stuff from Cookies. No plating experience though sorry x

[CJ57]

I have so fallen in love with Keum-Boo. I wish I hadn't bothered with a hotplate too. Much easier with a torch. There is a fair whack of it on my site. I also use the stuff from Cookies. No plating experience though sorry x

I think it was actually you saying you used a torch Lydia that made me try it. I go between the torch and the plate depending on what I'm doing and what shape

[camalidesign]

Thanks Caroline. And Lydia, good to know that a hotplate is not needed, at least initially for keum-boo.

I wonder what would be the easiest, electroplating or keum-boo?.... I want to add gold accents on random areas e.g. on textured pieces. Does anyone have advice on wich method to use, or is it just a matter of taste and what you have to hand?

Carin

[CJ57]

I would suppose it would depend on the piece and whether you use fine silver or are prepared for the faff of depletion gilding if not for keum boo. Re the hot plate, I have an ancient iron plate that I use if I do use the hot plate and I suppose a griddle pan or suchlike would do just as well.
I was happy with the keum boo once I found I could really build up the layers if I needed it to look really substantial. I think I maybe had 2 layers on the pendant I showed to get a richer effect but my other pieces were more random. Burnishing texture might be more difficult, I definitely need finer burnishers as the fold formed parts needed extra work. I've never done electro plating so I'm a bit biased

[camalidesign]

Thanks Caroline!

[LydiaNiz]

I haven't done plating either. Texture I've not found a problem with the keum-boo, I have killed a couple of agate burnishers though by not paying attention to how hot they were getting :-(

[camalidesign]

Thanks Lydia,

I think perhaps I will try both, and tonight I will be taking my Celie Fago Keum-boo book to bed!

Carin

[Didi]

Hi Carin
I use the electroplating pen from Spa plating. excellent results, cheap, no problems. Wouldn't want to use it on an area with heavy wear but for accents I don't reckon you can beat it. Will try and post pics later.
Didi

[camalidesign]

That would be great Didi. Yes, I mostly plan to use it for plating recesses so should be OK. Do you have the battery pen with the 3 replaceable batteries for about £115?

Carin