Real leaves dipped in metal
 

Sorry to jump in here without any history in the group, but does
anyone know if the process to make leaves permanent (veins of real
leaves are made semi-transparent through a filigree process-they are
dipped in liquid metal and every leaf vein becomes visible) is one of
those dangerous-chemical-bath-metal-process things that the ordinary
lay crafter can't do at home?

If anyone has knowledge or experience of this process, I'd appreciate
some input here in this group. Thanks!

N.

Real leaves dipped in metal
 

I believe this is a casting process, not a plating process = put leaves in a
mold, heat and shake out ashes, pour in moltan metal - but perhaps someone
else has done this - you can also spray on a conductive paint and then plate
them
"Nancy2" wrote in message
...
Sorry to jump in here without any history in the group, but does
anyone know if the process to make leaves permanent (veins of real
leaves are made semi-transparent through a filigree process-they are
dipped in liquid metal and every leaf vein becomes visible) is one of
those dangerous-chemical-bath-metal-process things that the ordinary
lay crafter can't do at home?

If anyone has knowledge or experience of this process, I'd appreciate
some input here in this group. Thanks!

N.



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Real leaves dipped in metal
 

"William Noble" wrote:I believe this is a casting process, not a plating
process = put leaves in a
mold, heat and shake out ashes, pour in moltan metal - but perhaps someone
else has done this - you can also spray on a conductive paint and then
plate them
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Bill, what you are describing is certainly possible, but I don't think it's
what the OP is after. It would produce a casting of the entire leaf. I
have seen leaves that have had only the membranes removed, with the skeleton
remaining. If this were then sprayed with a conductive coating and plated,
I think it would produce the result the OP wants: a leaf skeleton in gold.

Real leaves dipped in metal
 

On Dec 10, 1:28 pm, Nancy2 wrote:
Sorry to jump in here without any history in the group, but does
anyone know if the process to make leaves permanent (veins of real
leaves are made semi-transparent through a filigree process-they are
dipped in liquid metal and every leaf vein becomes visible) is one of
those dangerous-chemical-bath-metal-process things that the ordinary
lay crafter can't do at home?

If anyone has knowledge or experience of this process, I'd appreciate
some input here in this group. Thanks!

N.

I believe the "filigree process" is biological, i.e. rotting, (or
retting to sound fancy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retting )
I recall doing this as a child, we soaked leaves in water for some
time (don't remember how long, days certainly, maybe weeks, this not a
one afternoon project) then gently rubbed off the gunk. We stopped
there, but the leaf could them be coated with conductive coating and
plated like Leo said, (probably not a "lay crafter" project) or they
could be coated with a thin bodied "metallic" paint.

Real leaves dipped in metal
 

"Bob's my cat" fired this volley in news:31665795-
:

I believe the "filigree process" is biological, i.e. rotting,

'tis. The leaves are fermented in an airtight damp press, similar to the
Cavendish process for tobacco. Then they are layed out damp on a slightly
resilient surface and "pounced" with a sparse-but-stiff bristle brush to
remove the membranes between the veins, similar to how you'd do stenciling.

After careful drying - again in a press - they're painted or plated as
desired.

LLoyd

Real leaves dipped in metal
 

On Dec 10, 3:28 pm, Nancy2 wrote:
Sorry to jump in here without any history in the group, but does
anyone know if the process to make leaves permanent (veins of real
leaves are made semi-transparent through a filigree process-they are
dipped in liquid metal and every leaf vein becomes visible) is one of
those dangerous-chemical-bath-metal-process things that the ordinary
lay crafter can't do at home?

If anyone has knowledge or experience of this process, I'd appreciate
some input here in this group. Thanks!

N.

This is a process called "lost wax" casting. The leaf is carefully
cast into a plaster mold. Heated until the leaf is burned out and
molten metal (silver, gold, bronze) is applied by a centrifugal
casting machine. The fragility of the leaf makes the initial molding
somewhat difficult, but with practice the result are repeatable.
Simplified explanation.
Google "Lost Wax".
-M

Real leaves dipped in metal
 

Nancy2 writes:

Sorry to jump in here without any history in the group, but does
anyone know if the process to make leaves permanent (veins of real
leaves are made semi-transparent through a filigree process-they are
dipped in liquid metal and every leaf vein becomes visible) is one of
those dangerous-chemical-bath-metal-process things that the ordinary
lay crafter can't do at home?

There is a crafts fair where someone sells jewelry based on this.
I can't think of the name of the crafter, but it can be done.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Real leaves dipped in metal
 

Bruce Barnett writes:

There is a crafts fair where someone sells jewelry based on this.
I can't think of the name of the crafter, but it can be done.

Let me be clear. The leaves are metalicized, and you can see the main veins.
It's more of a coating, and not a process that dissolves the non-vein parts.

Each item is unique (it's not a lost wax process).

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Real leaves dipped in metal
 

In article
,
Nancy2 wrote:

Sorry to jump in here without any history in the group, but does
anyone know if the process to make leaves permanent (veins of real
leaves are made semi-transparent through a filigree process-they are
dipped in liquid metal and every leaf vein becomes visible) is one of
those dangerous-chemical-bath-metal-process things that the ordinary
lay crafter can't do at home?

The ones that I am familiar with are electroplated. Getting the original
object to take the initial plating is one problem, doing a decent job on
the plating as a whole and stopping at the correct point is another
problem. Some of the solutions are fairly nasty, especially if going for
gold plating, as far as I recall. Not unfeasible to do at home, but
quite possibly more trouble than it's worth to do at home, considering
all factors - toxicity of solutions, hazardous waste disposal, fume
ventilation, etc. You'd want a dedicated locked space so children and
pets can't get into stuff.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by

Real leaves dipped in metal
 

Leo Lichtman wrote:
"William Noble" wrote:I believe this is a casting process, not a plating
process = put leaves in a
mold, heat and shake out ashes, pour in moltan metal - but perhaps someone
else has done this - you can also spray on a conductive paint and then
plate them
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Bill, what you are describing is certainly possible, but I don't think it's
what the OP is after. It would produce a casting of the entire leaf. I
have seen leaves that have had only the membranes removed, with the skeleton
remaining. If this were then sprayed with a conductive coating and plated,
I think it would produce the result the OP wants: a leaf skeleton in gold.



What the OP is looking for is vacuum metallization.

http://www.dsm.com/en_US/html/dep/va...allization.htm
http://www.vacucoat.com/

--
Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York

Life is not like a box of chocolates
it's more like a jar of jalapenos-
what you do today could burn your ass tomorrow!

Real leaves dipped in metal
 

On Dec 11, 9:29 am, Ecnerwal
wrote:
In article
,

Nancy2 wrote:
Sorry to jump in here without any history in the group, but does
anyone know if the process to make leaves permanent (veins of real
leaves are made semi-transparent through a filigree process-they are
dipped in liquid metal and every leaf vein becomes visible) is one of
those dangerous-chemical-bath-metal-process things that the ordinary
lay crafter can't do at home?

The ones that I am familiar with are electroplated. Getting the original
object to take the initial plating is one problem, doing a decent job on
the plating as a whole and stopping at the correct point is another
problem. Some of the solutions are fairly nasty, especially if going for
gold plating, as far as I recall. Not unfeasible to do at home, but
quite possibly more trouble than it's worth to do at home, considering
all factors - toxicity of solutions, hazardous waste disposal, fume
ventilation, etc. You'd want a dedicated locked space so children and
pets can't get into stuff.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by

Thanks to everyone for the information; I agree that it isn't a lost
wax process, as I'm familiar with that. Maybe I'll have to save this
type of project for my retirement. ;-)

Thanks again! Y'all are very helpful. Now if someone would turn off
the ice machine here in Iowa, I'd be happy.
LOL.

N.

Real leaves dipped in metal
 

On Tue, 11 Dec 2007 15:29:16 GMT, Ecnerwal
wrote:

In article
,
Nancy2 wrote:

Sorry to jump in here without any history in the group, but does
anyone know if the process to make leaves permanent (veins of real
leaves are made semi-transparent through a filigree process-they are
dipped in liquid metal and every leaf vein becomes visible) is one of
those dangerous-chemical-bath-metal-process things that the ordinary
lay crafter can't do at home?

The ones that I am familiar with are electroplated. Getting the original
object to take the initial plating is one problem, doing a decent job on
the plating as a whole and stopping at the correct point is another
problem. Some of the solutions are fairly nasty, especially if going for
gold plating, as far as I recall. Not unfeasible to do at home, but
quite possibly more trouble than it's worth to do at home, considering
all factors - toxicity of solutions, hazardous waste disposal, fume
ventilation, etc. You'd want a dedicated locked space so children and
pets can't get into stuff.

Plating small objects at home, except for chrome, need not be either
difficult nor any more hazardous than some common household chemicals.
www.caswellplating.com
There are non-cyanide processes that work very well for zinc, copper,
nickel, silver and gold. Environmentally-responsible disposal is
possible. Instructions and materials for safe and responsible
disposal are provided. Small objects can be plated in an enamel pot,
plastic bucket or glass container. I use pyrex beakers because the
shape works well.

There are no fumes, again excepting chrome.

Caswell's stuff comes with excellent instructions. It's no more
difficult than cooking. It isn't cheap, but it definitely works and
is capable of excellent results.

I'm not a shill for Caswell, just a satisfied customer for some years
now. I don't do chrome. That is indeed nasty stuff.

Real leaves dipped in metal
 

On Dec 11, 11:57 am, Don Foreman
wrote:
On Tue, 11 Dec 2007 15:29:16 GMT, Ecnerwal





wrote:
In article
,
Nancy2 wrote:

Sorry to jump in here without any history in the group, but does
anyone know if the process to make leaves permanent (veins of real
leaves are made semi-transparent through a filigree process-they are
dipped in liquid metal and every leaf vein becomes visible) is one of
those dangerous-chemical-bath-metal-process things that the ordinary
lay crafter can't do at home?

The ones that I am familiar with are electroplated. Getting the original
object to take the initial plating is one problem, doing a decent job on
the plating as a whole and stopping at the correct point is another
problem. Some of the solutions are fairly nasty, especially if going for
gold plating, as far as I recall. Not unfeasible to do at home, but
quite possibly more trouble than it's worth to do at home, considering
all factors - toxicity of solutions, hazardous waste disposal, fume
ventilation, etc. You'd want a dedicated locked space so children and
pets can't get into stuff.

Plating small objects at home, except for chrome, need not be either
difficult nor any more hazardous than some common household chemicals.www.caswellplating.com
There are non-cyanide processes that work very well for zinc, copper,
nickel, silver and gold. Environmentally-responsible disposal is
possible. Instructions and materials for safe and responsible
disposal are provided. Small objects can be plated in an enamel pot,
plastic bucket or glass container. I use pyrex beakers because the
shape works well.

There are no fumes, again excepting chrome.

Caswell's stuff comes with excellent instructions. It's no more
difficult than cooking. It isn't cheap, but it definitely works and
is capable of excellent results.

I'm not a shill for Caswell, just a satisfied customer for some years
now. I don't do chrome. That is indeed nasty stuff. - Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


Thanks for the input, Don. I appreciate it. The project with leaves
requires (for my use) that they be "stripped" of all the leaf material
that is not vein, before coating. I think that's the sticking part
here.

N.