Electroforming a giant bead

At one of the retreats I went to last year I had a chance to use one of the biggest mandrels I had ever used before, the thing was 1 1/2 inches!

This is Annie Shook holding the mandrel, we tag teamed it until it was finished-so much fun.

So as soon as I got home I placed an order for 2 mandrels, a 1 1/2" and 2". 

The first time I used these I was hooked! Here is the 2" in action

And here are the finished beads

What the heck am I going to do with beads that big you ask? Well, I am still pondering that but I have been having so much fun making them, it's kinda hard to stop.

Last week I decided to break out the electroforming kit that I purchased years ago and here is that process:

The kit

The bead after painting with the copper paint.

The bead in the solution

plating

My "go to" book 

And after 20 hours and some patina, here is the finished bead:

What do you think?