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Need help plating wax seal charms at home: silver, copper, gold, etc

August 25, 2009

Hi-

I am just starting this project. I am making custom jewelry. wax seal charms and pendants.

I now need to cast them in metals. Is this something I can do at home? I am looking for an in-home process

I have the space and resources, but do not know what I need to cast the tiny pieces in silver, gold, copper, etc

What materials are needed? Equipment? Chemicals? Where do I purchase?

I live in Atlanta, GA

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ANY AND ALL FEEDBACK

JULIE Dunn
Hobbyist - Atlanta, Georgia

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First of two simultaneous responses --

Hi Julie,
There are companies that can supply everything you need. Whether they would ship chemicals to a residential address is doutful. Though you would most likely have very small tanks for your process, it would still a nightmare for you having to deal with the local authorities when they find out what you are doing. In the past 20 years, permits for electroplating are harder and harder to obtain. The days of plating in your garage or basement are long over. Why not seek out a plating shop in your area that does decorative plating? You could spray the pieces with copper conductive paint, solder on a cathode wire and send it out to be plated. Please don't plate at home. Good Luck!

Mark Baker
Fellow Plater - Syracuse, NY USA
August 27, 2009

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Second of two simultaneous responses --

Try www.archive.org-there you can find old but excellent book Silvework and jewelry by H.Wilson/download free/.
Old style casting processes are there very good described.Hope it helps and good luck!

Goran Budija
- Cerovski vrh Croatia
August 28, 2009