Electroplating

A long time electroplating seemed to me a magic. However, when I decided to study this process, it appears that there is nothing magical, but only chemistry and physics. Briefly, this process can be described as follows: Electric current flows through the electrical circuit in the electrolyte, and metal ions which it contains are plated on the cathode. Depending on the composition of the electrolyte, any metal can be deposited on any surface.

For me, the most accessible were the components for copper plating. Copper sulfate I bought at the store for gardeners; sulfuric acid, distilled water and power supply - in the automotive store; copper tubes - in the hardware store.

I gathered all the necessary and now I have a home installation for electroplating.

I decided to cover the copper the natural materials. And I was very lucky - the beginning of my experiments coincided with the summertime when a lot of flowers, leaves, cones and branches.

nature jewelry

Also, I had some the stones and glass, which turned into original jewelry.

necklaces & pendants

I continue my experiments with the coating, patina and color

copper jewelry

a continuation of the story - start here 

In my house suddenly appeared - 

copper sheet, hammer, anvil, gas torch, soldering board, soldering iron, flux, solder and other previously unknown things for me. 

And I enthusiastically started hammering and soldering

copper jewelry

I really like to create jewelry from copper in various techniques.

And recently I discovered a new exciting process - electroplating. 

But I will tell about it a little later :)

to be continued...

Wire wrapped pendants

Once I realized that I have to choose a new hobby :)

 At the time I was definitely bored with seed beads. It was then that I became interested in working with copper wire.

At first, I enthusiastically twisted a wire, 

and, in my opinion, quite successfully :)

I made a few pendants in this technique

Wire wrapped pendants

and my interest in it began to weaken ...

Now I do only simple stud earrings of copper wire
 with small beads

stud earrings


:-) to be continued...