wax model - galvanization

[medved]

One day i saw on TV how they make molds for garden dwarfs. It is complicated procedure involving many steps, but i am intrested in first two steps.
First they handmake artistic unique model out of wax. Then they put this wax model into pool of water(i think), connect model to electrode and some piece of metal to another electrode. They apply electrical current and leave the model in pool for some days. After that wax model is uniformly covered with metal layer 1mm or more deep.
This way one can make beautiful HOLLOW objects made of metal(wax is then heated and poured away).




My question is, how do you galvanize wax model. I believe wax is not electrical conductor, so i think they spray it with graphite spray, or something like this, so surface of model becomes conductive.
What are methodes to make wax surface conductive?
Where could I buy such graphite spray - which professions usually use them?
Which metalls are best source of galvanizing material(besides chrome) and give beautiful surface?



thanks for any help

[greybeard]

The process you are looking for is "electroforming". Think thick electroplating.
The best metal to use from a point of safety, simplicity and cheapness is copper.
You can always replate with another metal afterwards.
You will need a source of either fine colloidal graphite, or conductive silver paint.
Not sure where to find the first, but the paint is normally sold by electronic shops to repair printed circuits. Quite expensive though.
There's a very good book by Leslie Curtis on the subject (try Amazon)