The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing since 1989
  

  -----

Artist seeks silver gel

Here's my problem: I need to find a way to suspend silver in a gel or liquid solution that will dry looking close to actual solid metal. I'm going to place this on cloth and some animal hair (not currently attached to a living animal) for an art project. I've looked around at various ways and have found several things that might work (standard plating powder mixed with the right amount of ground brass with a suspending gel) but I can't figure out how to get the solution to be non caustic and reasonably nontoxic. Does anyone have a good idea of how I could make this? Is it even possible or should I look in another direction?

Joshua Mathis
Hobbyist - Kalispell, Montana, USA
2003

---

2003

Sorry, but it really isn't clear to me what you are trying to do. I have never heard of "standard plating powder" , I'm afraid. We have an advertiser who offers solutions for metallizing non-conductors, such as two-part silvering solutions and conductive paints, and you might start with them: G.J. Nikolas [a finishing.com supporting advertiser].

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey