Copper Electroformed 3D Printed Objects Tutorial

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How to mix the electrolyte bath
• Making copper electrof...
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[@davelahoud1256]

Great video thanks. I've done this myself as well, but instead of making a thick goop with acetone. Finish your model perfectly, use a light coating of spray adhesive and when it's tacky do a tumble of your object in the graphite powder. Once well coated dry brush the excess dry graphite off and press the details more defined. It's a much better process and preserves the material and surface details.

[@LEO-xo9cz]

Which would be more durable?

[@Explore-Gobal]

I was just gonna ask if someone had tried airbrushing an even thinner mixture of the graphite, but this method seems good too.

[@Explore-Gobal]

@@LEO-xo9cz The copper coating determines the durability, so if the thickness of the copper is the same, the durability should be equal.

[@LEO-xo9cz]

@@Explore-Gobal My message was poorly phrased. I was enquiring about the two methods.

[@LEO-xo9cz]

@@Explore-Gobal I want to find a good substrate for electro forming.

[@shanebellimpracticaldesign]

Graphite powder and graphite paint can be gotten at a farm supply store as well as copper sulphate. You can get the graphite paint in a spray can or by the gallon.

[@KyleTO7]

If you hate polishing compound used to look at 3M radial discs. They're the best, they're like these plastic polishing discs that have compound built into them. I made jewellery and I no longer use polishing compounds after finding these. They remove zero detail as well. Awesome videos man

[@h4z4rd42]

Nice tutorial, thanks for sharing. There's only one little issue at the definition. How I've learned, electroFORMING is when you create a new object disposing metal into a negative mould which is conductive and electroPLATING is when you cover an existing object's surface with metal. Otherwise I really like how that piece turned out. Subscribed obviously for more valuable content.

[@Pelnied]

If you check out wiki's description of electroforming, it does say that in decorative electroforming that the mandrel is often left in place. Usually like you said the mold is removed after forming to create the new object but that is not always the case. I agree when you leave the mandrel in place it could be considered both electroforming and electroplating.

[@garyzeos1464]

I don't understand why 3 dislikes for this beautiful work !?

[@peterrusanoff1010]

I'll tell you why I did. Electroforming is delicate!!! After watching many of his slow and monotonous videos and trying his methods and waisting 100s of personal hours and lots of money on doing things the same way I have a real level of frustration and anger for him! This Method will only frustrate and Anger you as you will get 75% of shit results and have to throw the pieces away!!!! 1 Graphite powder is a not a good conductor 1-2 ohms. A can of silver conductive paint is 18 bucks and saves you soo much time and worry, it always plates well, goes on smoothly has great results. It has 0.1 - 0.01 level of resistance in ohms. 2 copper wire is a bad anode as it is impure (97% copper and yes that 3% will F#$% everything up) and these other metals can leave residue on on your part and mess up all your work! 3 the bath or solution he teaches you to makes is a little cheap but has zero additives ( a basic bath) 15 to 20 extra bucks in additives such as brighteners and levelers change the result from peach fuzz mountain range to a nice brilliant flat surface with no need to sand or polish Just the level of anger and frustration this guy has led me too with all of his massively incorrect info makes me want to go on all of his videos and ad this comment everywhere to warn people but i dont have time for that. He does sprinkle in the correct info here and there but never elaborates on it and only rants his cockamamie ideas!

[@kostaslaza12]

@@peterrusanoff1010 "1 Graphite is a bad conductor" whattttt???????

[@Cmlumley123]

Maybe because he said "drah-mehl" lol...

[@Explore-Gobal]

@@peterrusanoff1010 Yet his video did have the effect to lead you to the right path. Maybe the anger is something that needs a little insight also.

[@peterrusanoff1010]

Κωστας Λαζαριδης Graphite powder as specified in his videos is bad! The best you can hope for is 1 ohms Vs silver you can get .01 ohms

[@MarinusMakesStuff]

Wonderful work. You're an inspiration to me. I made my own graphite paint and bought a good lab PSU and am in the process of trying out this process myself this week! Very interesting :)

[@Delchursing]

Beautiful work

[@EssexSilvering]

15 dislikes!! .... Those people are idiots!! ... Very nice work, you did a great job and easy to follow instructions, ... Your work is brilliant! ... Thanks for sharing.

[@joetke]

You're a skilled artist. Thanks for sharing valuable tricks.

[@PaganWizard]

Conductive copper paint works the same as the Graphite powder in that it is also conductive, AND it is also a lot less messy.

[@clemenceronald]

Acetone melts the plastic and makes the surface embedded with graphite permanently. This creates finer detail because no paint fill up the pores or small recesses.

[@noway8233]

@@clemenceronald i dony know, but i think that acetone dont do nothing relevant to pla ,but acetone can disolve Abs , so?

[@Impwerk]

I love your videos. Please keep explaining things so well.

[@nobleglassgallery]

Thank you Jason, great tutorial. We love that you used the "hand of the king" as a the demo piece, all the guys at our shop are big GOT fans. :)

[@MichielBruijn]

Excellent video. Thank you very much.

[@GaryMcKinnonUFO]

Very nice Mr Welsh :) I ordered all the stuff to do this yesterday so am just watching lots more videos of others do it to learn some more before my first attempt, thanks for sharing, liked and subbed :)

[@LEO-xo9cz]

I am amazed that the Graphite and Accetone are enough? Wow.

[@wildeone5410]

Thank you, i learned alot. i have been having epic fails, i now understand it was because my graphite did not adhere well enough. i am using PLA, so i will try mixing my graphite with MEK

[@f.d.6667]

What you are doing is eletroPLATING = adding metal to the outside your geometry, thus changing it. Thicker layers will inevitably result in a loss of detail. Also, the loss of detail will be UNEVEN, depending on the distance to the contact point, the electrodes and the radius of your object in a specific point. Electroforming is a different process that does not have those disadvantages. ... ElectroFORMING will be a 100% exact metal replica of your model, maintaining all surface detail. In order to do that you will "split" your model in two ore more copper shells that will be soldered together later, typically with low-temp "soft" solder. For those shells, you cast NEGATIVES (2 ore more) from your finished model which you make conductive with silver paint or by casting your negatives from epoxy / PUR made conductive with graphite powder. Once the copper deposit on the negatives is thick enough, you hit the copper with a soft flame and it will literally pop out of the mold. The outside (towards the mold) will be a 100% precise copy of your model. The shells are then filed down to the parting lines and soldered together (at that point you can fill the model with some metal with a low melting point, certain types of ph-neutral-concrete, resin etc.). After that a thin coat of copper and/or nickel will hide the solder lines and give you extra mechanical stability. Such objects will be used for props, replicas or dummies for hi-res box shots of consumer products.

[@davidstewart5143]

Thank you for a very informative video. Excellent job, much appreciated.

[@mrgcav]

Well done and I learned a few thngs too.

[@edenstarr5740]

Just info for removing polishing compound from detailed work: Simple Green concentrate, purple solution. Around 10 parts water, 1 part concentrate. We acid etch, and it's wonderful at getting it out of even a 1 pixel area.

[@callmeclife4366]

nice detailded tutorial

[@Juicer1967]

Everytime I plate, whether copper, zinc or nickel it looks great until it gets wet, then the substrate rusts and comes through the plating. Does anyone know what I am doing wrong?

[@Simon67316]

Wonder if it would be possible while 3d printing the object to pause the print and drop some lead pieces in some hollow areas then resuming the print to cover up giving the piece some weight and feeling more authentic.

[@NPCSN]

I believe the “lost wax” method of casting may work with this to cast actual metal also. 🤷🏻‍♂️ I’m like 3hrs deep into KZbin already today. Lol

[@amyrenee_satoriousdesigns]

Thanks for telling us not to put it in baking soda, cause I would have TOTALLY done that!

[@suneilnevgi8386]

Awesome video . So simple and neat . God bless you . Pl keep doing more . If you can make on gold plating on 3D print video it will be great . Best of luck. Pl continue your Good work. 😀🙏👍

[@kentrasmussen9545]

Thanks, great video

[@PaganWizard]

You mentioned the piece was printed using ABS, can you use other filaments such as PLA or PETG as well??

[@Kactapuss]

curious about this as well!

[@katiekat8478]

Question. What would happen if the anode and cathode did touch? Would it be like some dangerous reaction or would the process just not work?

[@Miketz]

That would depend entirely on the power supply. A good supply would just say "oops, short circuit, better shut down" while an unregulated supply would create lots of sparks and heat.

[@snowmediaent]

If acetone always evaporates out why doesn’t it evaporate out of the container they sell it in? Could there be a mechanism similar on a smaller jar or container?

[@izysly6924]

I would call the wire carriage a "cradle"

[@missyna1617]

Use alchohol instead it evaporates a tad slower. Will probably still melt abs prints so print in pla.

[@EvaCryptic]

Can you do a more detailed video dealing with the Crystal's in particular and how to clean them off your tank. I'm also doing this on a small scale using RioGrande Electroforming solution, and my jewelry is coming out really shiny/grainy/rough not smooth, would I need to add acid to my bath?

[@keithofarns8738]

thanks for the tutorial! cool work. what about latex gloves? will they break done on acetone as well?

[@Chxxvo]

This video has some serious ASMR vibes, you know that?

[@sinneryetsaintly]

Gorgeous!!! Love it!!

[@amphibiland]

Does this work with PLA plastic? When I tried the acetone didn't really dissolve the print, so the graphite didn't stick well.

[@michaelg4931]

I believe you would need to use MEK (methyl ethel ketone) or THF (Tetrahydrofuran) in place of acetone. I haven't tried either yet but according to various internet sources, both soften/dissolve PLA but are rather nasty stuff to work with. THF is the main ingredient in many but not all PVC pipe primers. Look at the SDS (Safety Data Sheet) for whatever you buy and it will have the percentage of THF. Example: Weld-on P70 Primer (colors the part purple) has 45-59% THF and 19-29% MEK by weight. Oatey #30757 primer (also purple) only has 15-30% THF and 25-40% MEK. Higher THF is better than higher MEK from my research.

[@caecita5910]

I don't have access to conductive paints where I live, I tried to make a layer of graphite to make it conductive, but it didn't work, what am I doing wrong?

[@michael636336]

Try instead of graphite, Cu(OH)2. Add NaOH solution to CuSO4 Solution. Coat your piece with the suspension. Thin coating Then connect to cathode. Cu(OH)2 will immediately reduce to Cu metal.

[@silwiegman8536]

but if his plastic cant withstand NaCO2 I think it would be even les resistant to NaOH

[@charlieeverhart6646]

Hey great video, quick question. What brand name is your blue wire cutters. I had them and loved them but they got stole. I can't find them online anywhere.

[@techmorning]

Will this stick to regular PLA or only ABS prints?

[@peterrusanoff1010]

ABS is better but get silver spray paint works miracles and so easy to use try tifoo.de or get the copper dip for 3D prints also good

[@mandyrobyn3098]

So your "goop" is just the graphite powder and acetone? In electroplating and forming is this combination something that works as a conductive coating that will hold to many other materials?

[@BrightBlueJim]

I think the reason this works is that he's using a plastic that is softened by the acetone (ABS), so the graphite particles embed in the surface. On materials that acetone doesn't soften, the graphite will all just rub off.

[@tibfox]

i thing with pla it could work. you should give it a try

[@geraldvasquez6860]

Hi Jason, I don't speak English. Thank you very much for explaining very well... I'm thinking of doing this on long pieces, swords specifically, do you think it's possible?

[@JasonWelsh]

Like a prop sword? Or just a small replica? You'll need to connect several wires to the cathode bar for sure to pull it off. So the copper distributes evenly.

[@geraldvasquez6860]

@@JasonWelsh Thank you very much for answering... it is real size, for example anduril

[@bobdole27]

This is very nice, do you find 3D prints to be stronger once electroplated?

[@danielcezario2419]

yes, it becomes stronger

[@AdenMackdaddy]

is there another way besides steel wool to bring the shine up on the copper electroform piece? I make delicate jewelry and want to add a layer on nickle to it. Thanks for your awesome videos by the way

[@Vizenzo187]

Nice vid! Is there a reason why you don't use pipes on both sides of the bath? Instead of the big chunk of copper on the right? I kinda missed that part. 😁

[@SICKFREDO]

What type of plastic is that? PLA? ABS? Nylon? ABS melts with acetone can you clarify?

[@helenjackson4501]

English is not my language. sorry. what was in the jar before you added acetone? did you mix graphite with acetone? and what is the ratio?

[@Explore-Gobal]

What the heck happened to KZbin in the last few months??????????? So many ads it's like watching TV now.

[@nobackhands]

good job...well done video

[@nathank3796]

what do you think of graphite and acrylic paint? 1 to 1 and can it be used the same way? if not how to use it?

[@edenochoa2337]

I don’t like paint personally because you have to sand off paint after the coat is put on and is a larger mess

[@RandyNewmanFan]

I want a mirror polish on my project pieces (I'm doing resin casting, not 3D printing)... I know I can polish the resin, but can the graphite paint be polished nicely?

[@kanesmith8271]

You should have electro plated the rock as well

[@futures.scalper.808]

have you tried dipping the piece into a graphite and acetone vat?

[@grahambate3384]

Dou have to use abs?

[@Ender3D]

Any idea if the copper sulfate solution and the graphite paint you are using here will work for brush on electroplating? I'm planning on making some 3D printed parts that will be far too large for me to feasibly make a tank to submerge the part in.

[@noway8233]

Yuo always need to submerge the part , all cover by the electrolite ,any part without it , will not have any metal on it

[@courtneyhosek]

Beautiful work!

[@paulb9769]

What is the difference between electro formed and electro plated?

[@michaelg4931]

I realize that your comment is rather old but.... Thickness. He actually just electroplated the parts. Electroforming is WAY thicker and would let you remove the 3D printed part and the resultant copper shell would remain intact.

[@paulb9769]

@@michaelg4931 Ah I gotcha.

[@mitchh6471]

lmao dremel as he said drum..el haha h

[@AJB2K3]

He made several pronunciation errors

[@freddyzerlin2009]

BEAUTYFULLL!!!!

[@lmaurosena72]

hello Jason! My name is Mauro and I'm from Brazil, Congratulations on the channel. I wonder how can I do at home conductive ink? For there is here in Brazil. I saw that you use acetone nail is acetone? Can you pass an effective formula? Thank you very much Mauro Sena

[@edenochoa2337]

How low is the resistance from just the acetone / graphite coat? Can you electroplate copper after this step?

[@vertikalvt]

Yeah... that's what he's doing here.

[@shovelchop81bikeralex52]

Excellent video and tutorial thank you! Can you do this with chrome too?

[@divermaximus]

shovelchop81 Biker Alex ii

[@RandyNewmanFan]

You can do it with nickel which makes a chrome finish. But to get a shiny finish the object must first be shiny

[@Ander1200]

Sieht absolut Geil aus hammer, nur habe ich das mit der Flüssigkeit und Strom nicht verstanden 😢 ich kann leider kein ( zu wenig ) englisch.

[@ntholt0715]

What software do you use for when you're printing and can you use this method with PLA prints too? Or just ABS

[@tibfox]

i think it would be possible or pla also. acetone is good for welding pla parts together.. sooo it could be good for this purpose. i will try that at home :P

[@vinodsaini7674]

Hi sir nice video... Can you make a nickel Eltroforming cavity video I'm waiting for you reply

[@claudiobaldonijr9326]

In theory you can electroform with nickel however Cooper tends to create - let's call it - "a stronger bond" when building up the volume needed to guarantee minimum physical structure to the piece, and I'm not sure about the ability of Nickel to adhere to the graphite surface - something to be tested for sure. Also, Nickel tends to be more britte so chances of cracking the piece when removing it from the mold is higher. If you want the nickel appearance, do the electroforming in cooper first as shown in the video and then electroplated it in nickel - you will probably get the best of the two metals !

[@burakcaliskan682]

Hi Jason, After the plating process is completed, I saw that my object has large brownish stains on it. Do you have any idea what might be the cause of this?

[@SquishyThing]

The copper you're using is contaminated. Or you contaminated your bath somehow, pour away Ur solution and start from scratch. If you accidently touch any other metal into the solution while the power supply is on, you will contaminate your solution and need to start again. I'd recommend getting yourself some different copper for the anode as I think the stuff ur using now is not 100% pure. Lmk how it goes

[@burakcaliskan682]

@@SquishyThing definitely will do, thank you for the response👍🏻

[@rixogtr]

Okay so I watched a couple of videos, bought my power supply, copper sulfate, graphite power, got 3d printed parts. My problem is 1. patience, I didn't want to wait so I cranked my amps to 3 from the get go and it turned black :D 2. the copper powder application is MESSY, I highly don't recommend using that, everything that comes with contact with the powder is really difficult to clean, plus if you don't apply perfect layer, the graphite layer will just float away into the solution before you even apply current to it. So I guess I need to get a conductive copper spray can as it was mentioned here.

[@noeaguinaga4018]

Closed captions said" claw penis",when he said gloppiness?🤣

[@joeynuggetz]

I just skip all that and use rub n buff.

[@gojostore.official]

Copper plating using baking soda

[@volkan760]

when i use copper wire to hang the object, wire also plated with copper and that seems wastefull and time consuming.

[@noeaguinaga4018]

Not the "dramel"...as if its french! Lol

[@The52brandon]

Excuse me sir. Everybody knows that in 2018 there's no such thing as "graphite powder" on KZbin. Everybody calls it graphene now. Regardless of the fact that graphene is literally 1 atom thick, and therefore clear, and powdered graphite is a few atoms thick, and still that shimmery dark gray color, but technicality be damned, it's graphene I tell you

[@chrisbloodworth72]

This is Electroplating. Not electro-forming. Stop listening too other people's titles for you tube videos. Just because some one else uses a title doesn't make it right. And you can dunn me for saying this but the word is faux, pronounced like the word foe. Not fox. Faux is a French word.

[@frankfenriz]

A very great tutorial Jason - but a thing confuse me : when you take up the 3d print covered with copper shouldnt you neutralize the acid ? i mean if you dont neutralize it with baking soda what do you do then? wont it make copper ocidation ? regards Frank fenriz

[@Miketz]

Oxidisation is just patina, isn't it? ;) The more industrial household and automotive detergents are pretty alkaline, so they could be used to neautralise it if you wanted to.