I have a special item to show off. This is a copy of a very famous Etruscan pendant in the Louvre. I was looking to get a 3D printer and randomly started searching to see if any cool ancient art featuring Acheloios was available. Turns out the Louvre has its piece scanned. That got me excited because I could print my own plastic copy—but then I remembered, I know a very talented master jeweler, so I asked him if he could possibly make this for me in gold. He assured me he could, and after several weeks, I just received my new pendant. It is 14k gold but he used a method called depletion gilding to bring about a more luscious yellow color, so more akin to 18-20k. This is a process in which the item is burned with a flame to leach the copper to the surface and then thrown in an acid bath. From what I understand, the acid bath removes the excess copper but leaves some at the surface adding a more yellow hue. He believes the Etruscans used this very method to make their gold more yellow. Anyway, I believe this is a step up from the traditional Italian horn and solidifies my placement among the true Acheloios fanatics. Please share anything relevant.
I don't know what looks better. The gold or the cigar. Been ten years since I allowed myself a fine cigar....
WOW, @Nicholas Molinari ... FANTASTIC!!! Well done, very cool! MAKE ME ONE! ACHELOUS Sicily Gela AR Litra Horse-Achelous 0.63g 13mm 465-450 BCE HGC 2 p 373 ETRURIA Etruria Populonia AR 1 As 0.60g 10.0mm after 211 BCE Male Head Left - Plain Rev Vecchi 3 68-70 HN Italy 181 RARE MY FAV (Used to bring in several in my luggage from Hong Kong, before we were "able to") - YUMMY YUMMY MOLON LABE customs...
Very cool! I just assembled a lost wax casting setup and am looking forward to doing fun projects like this.
Yeah, I think that was already generally accepted! No Swisher Sweets on this one... Isn't technology great? So Nicholas, did he use a 3D printer to build the mold? It looks fabulous!
No, he 3D printed the pendant in plastic then made a traditional mold (which I have) from what appears to be rubber or silicone.
Very cool, and a perfect way to flaunt your specialty without having to place a coin in jewelry (or rob the Louvre)!
The big ticket equipment is an electromelt ($900), a burnout oven ($600 used), a vacuum casting machine ($1200), hot wax injector ($300 used) and a vulcanizer ($1000). Then there are some smaller tools, supplies and safety gear on top of that.
This is awesome, really great idea and great work by your jeweler. I've downloaded a bunch of 3D scans of statues and things but have yet to actually print any of them. I'll have to try printing a few things and will have to look at what the Louvre has scanned as I had no idea they'd scanned any of their objects
I bought the scan from a third party but my guess is it is available from the museum directly. It was very inexpensive.
