Electroforming help

[LesleyMac]

Can anyone help?  I want to buy a rectifier/power supply to electroform and I am not sure what volts and what amps.
Can anyone advise me please, point me in the right direction or suggest what to buy.

[LesleyMac]

Thanks so much Christine, I had just about given up getting an answer on this one, if would be great if you said where you got it but I expect I can find something suitable now I know the size.  Brilliant

[julieHB]

Hi Les, I haven't tried electroforming yet, but something like this is what you want (or, rather you will be well equipped with one of these):

http://cgi.ebay.com/MASTECH-VARIABLE-LINEAR-DC-POWER-SUPPLY-18V-3A-HY1803D_W0QQitemZ120369143739QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item120369143739&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

If you take this to your nearest radio/elektronic store (maplin) I'm sure you'll find something.

Electroforming starts when there is just below 0.4V across the electroforming solution. I have been toying with making my own power supply by using a mobile telephone charger (of which we have many lying about the house). If I can find a current limiter, and some resistors, it shouldn't be any problem. But that is a project for the future.

Good luck, Lesley 

[LesleyMac]

Thanks Julie, I was just trying to avoid buying one from the US, customs and all that.

I did have one set up by a guy at work with all the wires but he wanted his charger back unfortunatley, before I really got started, except that I could see it worked.  Diden't have the energy before to be honest but I am feeling better so I am full of enthusiasm again

[julieHB]

I only mentioned the above because it does the job  Here's a uk based company which sells plating equipment, and they sell an "economy" rectifier, which I am fairly certain does the job on beads:

http://www.goldn.co.uk/products/economy_rectifier.htm

They have a more powerful rectifier as well (cost about 5 times as much  ).

Otherwise Maplin does a few, this one looks quite good:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=219129

[firedinglass]

Please let us know how you get on Lesley!  I've thought about having a try at this but it looked a bit scary  and technical  without tuition or instructions.....

[julieHB]

For those who are interested, Wendy Inman has written a tutorial on how to build your own electroforming kit. It assumes you have a rectifier.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_3&listing_id=16930818&ga_search_query=electroforming+tutorial&ga_search_type=tag_title

[Dizzy Di]

Hi Lesley,
I bought my rectifier, from maplins and this was also the cheapest place I found for the conductive paint, Balco is where i got the ret of my chemicals from.
Hope this helps
Dianne

[firedinglass]

Hi Julie and Di, both bits of information look very interesting..... in the etsy info she says that the cost of setting up is halved to $150!     would it really cost £150 to have a go    Think this might have to wait for another time for me......

[julieHB]

Lisa, the rectifier is the most expensive bit of the kit - that's why I thought one day I'll have a go at building my own  For small items such as beads one needs only a tiny current and voltage, and so, if you know someone with an interest in electronics it shouldn't take them long to conjure up something.

[LesleyMac]

Thanks for all this info, I am off to have a look.  Yes its quite expensive to get going, I paid a fortune for the conductive paint, think I went to the most expensive place.
You can either buy the tutorial or search on wet canvas, there is loads of into about actually doing electroforming.

Thanks again.

[LesleyMac]

I think the Maplin one is the one to go for as it has a digital display although I think the cheaper one would probably do the job, just trying to find out if the crocodile clips are included.

Thank you all for your help

[firedinglass]

Thanks julie and lesley, will give this more thought and watch out for lesley's beads....which I know will be as gorgeous as usual

[Dizzy Di]

http://www.katefowle.com/pages/books.php

This book really helped me 
Dianne

[LesleyMac]

I have ordered the Maplin one that Julie suggested, thank you Julie, I think I just needed someone to point me in the right direction, there are so many to choose from.

I had a bead order so I paid for it with that

Now I have to go and make the bead order and also some beads I intend to electroform which takes a bit of thinking about first, got to get a plan.