How to Make Electroformed Bird Skull Copper Pendant
Introduction: How to Make Electroformed Bird Skull Copper Pendant
I had this bird Skull laying down somewhere in my lab for maybe 2 years. I finally decided to do something with it, hoping it was going to become something cool.
I called this project “The Resurrected Bird” because it was an unfinished (dead) project.
When I found the skull, it was half covered with copper and conductive paint. It remembered me those times when I was not very good at electroforming, struggling to find the right mix for Conductive Paint and the way to adjust Electroforming Solution.
Then I choose an Amethyst crystal to make it cool and a pair of feathers to give it wings and get it ready to fly again.
Supplies
Materials and tools that I used for this project:
* a Bird Skull
* two bird feathers
* an Amethyst Crystal
* 2.5 mm copper wire (10awg)
* 0.6 mm cooper wire (22 awg)
* 401 Super Glue
* Relief Paint
* Apoxie Sculpt Modeling Compound
* Conductive Paint
* Acetone
* Cotton Swabs
* Electroforming Solution
* Distilled Water
* Liver of Sulfur
* Baking Soda
* jump rings
* a chain
* a lobster clasp
* Nippers
* Steel Mandrel
* Rubber Hammer
* File
* Cloth pins
* Nitrile gloves and Latex Gloves
* Silicone Brushes
* Modeling tools
* Round nose pliers
* Flat nose pliers
* Brushes
* Airbrush
* DIY Dry Rack
* plastic containers
* Respirator mask
* Rotary tool
* Radial Bristle Disc Brushes
Step 1:
Since the skull was half done, I just dip it in the conductive paint to make a dramatic entrance.
Then, with a steel mandrel and a rubber hammer, I created a ring with the 2.5 mm copper wire to hang all the parts in place.
The mandrel I used is a DIY one but it can be also purchased on the internet.
Step 2:
The skull already had a piece of copper wire glued to it, and after I cut it, it needs to be filed.
Step 3:
I glued everything together with 401 Korean Superglue. It's a medium viscosity CA glue, and it's perfect for this purpose.
I blocked all with a cloth pin and glue them all together.
Step 4:
Holes and crevices needs to be filled. I'm using relief paint, but in this case seems not to be enough.
So I decided to use Apoxie Sculpt Modeling Compound.
Apoxie Sculpt is toxic. 177
It's always a good behavior to mix it with gloves.
To sculpt and modeling it, I'm using Silicone brushes and few more modeling tools. I can create shapes and textures to make my piece more organic.
Step 5:
While the Apoxie dries, I prepare the feathers to give my bird a cool Boho looking.
A 0.6 mm copper wire is perfect to make eyelets. I'm bending it in shape with round nose pliers and then wrap it around the feathers tips to make a winding effect.
Give it an adjustment with flat nose pliers and a little glue to keep them in place until I paint them with conductive paint.
I'm giving the feathers a first coat of conductive paint by dip them in to the container.
With a brush, I'm adjusting them to give a better look.
And leave them to dry on my DIY drying rack.
A second coat is necessary and, since I don't want to lose the shape by dipping it again in the Conductive Paint container, I'm gonna use the Airbrush. It will give it a thin layer of paint and I will also keep the original texture of the feather.
Step 6:
The Apoxie is finally dry, so I can also paint the skull with conductive paint.
And a little bit of cleaning with acetone and cotton swabs to remove Apoxie's stains from the copper.
Step 7:
Time for the electroforming bath.
I'm setting the power supply to a very low voltage, so they can get covered with copper very slowly.
With copper wire, I hooked the pieces on the cathode and, once in a while, I moved them for a better development of the copper coat.
It took me 16 hours to complete the process.
When it was ready, I washed off the electroforming solution residue and go on to the next step.
Step 8:
This piece needs a black patina. I prepared two plastic containers with liver of sulfur and baking soda solution. 177