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ElectroformedOpen Wing Praying Mantis Suncatcher.
This Praying Mantis was sent to me from Arkansas, found expired, and it is in perfect condition! His face was so cute that I sealed it but left it natural, meaning the entire Praying Mantis was electroformed except his head.
Insect Measurements: 5.5 x 5 inches.
Suncatcher Measurements: 10.5 x 5 inches.
Materials: Large Open Wing Praying Mantis, Carnelian stones, all the magical things that go into electroforming, copper wire, and one piece of extra large repurposed crystal/glass from an antique chandelier.
Color: Copper
NOTE: Handle with care, do not drop this item. It's been electroformed, layering it with copper, but it still needs to be handled gently.
Electroformed Open Wing Praying Mantis Suncatcher
- The copper obtained when electroforming has a somewhat different structure than cast copper and needs to be handled with care.
- Keep your copper suncatcher away from humidity and water, not for outdoor use.
- This suncatcher has been covered with a special sealing to preserve it as long as possible; this could be one year or ten, depending on your care for it. Copper is a naturally reactive metal, meaning it can change color as the metal reacts to oxygen and moisture; this natural process is called oxidation. If you see that your copper suncatcher start to change color, you can use fine steel wool to gently remove the layer of oxidization, then reseal it with a copper sealer.
Definition of Electroforming: Electroforming is an additive manufacturing process that entails the precise deposition of metal onto a conductive pattern or mandrel shaped in the desired form of the final part. Unlike traditional metal shaping methods, which often subtract material to achieve a final design, electroforming adds metal layer by layer, providing superior precision and detail fidelity.
Electroforming is particularly well-suited for creating intricate or delicate components that would be difficult to manufacture using traditional techniques. It is extensively used for applications that require precision and complexity.
