DIY Electroplating 3D Prints Using Graphite Paint for Shiny Metal Finishes

Summary:

This video demonstrates how to electroplate 3D resin prints with copper, nickel, gold, and silver for a super shiny finish. The process involves:

Printing and preparing resin models for electroplating.
Creating a DIY conductive paint using graphite powder, acetone, and binder.
Applying multiple coats of conductive paint and polishing the prints.
Electroplating with copper electrolyte using a constant current power supply and a rotating jig for even coating.
Intermediate polishing of the copper layer.
Applying subsequent layers of nickel, gold, and silver electrolytes.
Showing the final polished results and emphasizing the importance of safety and proper waste disposal when working with toxic chemicals.

Before and after electroplating examples [ 00:11:07 ]

Introduction [0:00]

The video explores coating resin 3D prints with metal layers (copper, gold, silver).
Highlights include a DIY graphite conductive paint, electroplating techniques with minimal defects (nodulation), and polishing methods.

The creator printed several props using a resin printer, noting that resin minimizes visible layer lines compared to FDM prints.
Resin prints require less post-processing for smoothing, which is beneficial as electroplating amplifies surface imperfections.
Prints featured:
- A flying lady figurine (interpretation of a famous one).
- Melina's brooch from Elden Ring.
- A Mora coin from Genshin Impact.
- A pendant from Creative Britt.

The creator demonstrates making a conductive paint using graphite powder due to its global accessibility.
Ingredients:
- Mixing container.
- Micrographite (4 micrometer, 99% pure).
- Acetone or butyl acetate as a solvent.
- A binder (tested with adhesives, binder from a two-component adhesive worked well).
Safety Warning [1:50]: Emphasizes the need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including a respirator, eye protection, and skin protection. Work should be done in a well-ventilated area.
Paint Recipe [2:24]:
- Dissolve 1g of binder in 40g of acetone.
- Add 5g of graphite powder and mix thoroughly.
Transfer the mixture into small dropper bottles for airbrushing.

Prepare resin prints by smoothing rough edges, as electroplating highlights even small scratches.
Apply 4-6 coats of the conductive graphite paint using an airbrush.
Allow each layer to dry completely and polish with a cloth in between coats.
This process improves conductivity, crucial for even and rapid electrolyte deposition.
Alternatively, a rotary tumbler with walnut granules (0.4-0.8mm grain size) can be used for polishing.
Check conductivity with a multimeter, aiming for around 1000-2000 ohms resistance measured across a thumb's width.

Checking conductivity of the coated print with a multimeter [ 00:04:09 ]

Setup involves a container with acidic bright copper electrolyte and copper anodes.
The electrolyte transfers copper from the anodes to the conductive 3D print.
To prevent contamination, place copper anodes in rinsed coffee filters and then fleece bags, attaching them to the container sides.
An even coating requires managing the electric field, which is geometry-dependent.
Using a rotary jig to move the part during plating is beneficial.
A constant current adjustable power supply is used, typically set by limiting current first, then increasing voltage, then adjusting current to the desired value (indicated by a C.C. light).
Connect anodes to the positive pole and the print (cathode) to the negative pole.
Calculate current based on the print's surface area (1-2 amps per square decimeter). Blender with the 3D Print Toolbox add-on can calculate surface area.
After 4 hours in the copper bath, the pendant piece came out smoothly with few impurities.

3D print submerged in the copper electrolyte bath [ 00:06:43 ]
Filter the used electrolyte solution.
Shows examples of poor results (blotchy coating, field artifacts, wire imprints) when the surface wasn't conductive enough or the part wasn't rotated.

Polish the copper-plated prints before applying other metal layers.
A polishing machine is faster, but hand polishing with sanding fleece and cloths works.
A damaged piece showed a copper coating thickness of 150µm after 4 hours at 1.5A/dm².

Measuring the thickness of the copper layer [ 00:08:43 ]

The flying lady receives a nickel coating.
The brooch gets nickel then gold plating.
The Mora coin is gold plated.
The pendant goes through nickel, gold, and finally silver plating.
Different electrolytes require different anodes:
- Nickel electrolyte: Nickel anodes (toxic).
- Gold electrolyte: Stainless steel anodes (can generate toxic fumes).
- Silver electrolyte: Silver anodes (can stain skin black).
Reiterate the importance of PPE and working outdoors due to toxicity.

Bottles of different electroplating electrolytes with warnings about toxicity [ 00:09:27 ]
The flying lady is briefly re-dipped in copper, rinsed with distilled water, then plated in nickel electrolyte for 5 minutes at 2 volts.
Rinse the nickel electrolyte off with distilled water.
The gold electrolyte produces a nice even coat; the brooch, coin, and pendant are plated gold.
Brush plating with a different gold electrolyte is an alternative to a full bath.
Silver electrolyte is applied over the gold layer for better results (nickel layer can theoretically be skipped for silver over copper).

Shows the final plated pieces: the pendant, figurine, and brooch.
Presents before and after views of the plated items, highlighting the transformation to shiny metal finishes.

Before and after views of a plated brooch and flying lady figure [ 00:11:07 ]