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Ok so I make 3D printed plastic stuffs..
In my browsing I came across copper plating 3D printed parts.

To find out more google: "Electroforming Copper" & "Electroplating"

There is a heap of info on this.
Simply you get a pile of copper sulfate crystals and dissolve them in Vinegar in a suitable sized glass or plastic container.
Insert a copper electrode and attach positive to it.
Insert what you want to plate or build up and attach Negative to it.
Apply .7 to 1.5 volts to it at 200-300 milliamps and wait, you should see results in a few hours.
the photo bellow was after 24hours, I did not weigh it before starting but it feels like it has doubled in weight.

The beauty is that if you do not stir or agitate the solution while its running it forms rough textured ridges, it is said the crystalline copper is similar to cones etc..
I am playing with repairing or replenishing packing
Anyway I am playing around with it now and ill keep you updated.

The coiled copper spring below is what it started as.
I just made a loop of copper coil off cuts to test.

Nice one decoy .

Hope it works out fine .

Gotta say that fresh copper plating looks nice .

nice

hopefully it doesnt make the packing into a near solid sheet lol

Electro-forming copper onto a soluble 3D printed substrate could get me really interested.

Update on Copper forming/plating, after a few trials/test, this is becoming so easy with excellent results.

My thoughts on applications, if you using a Stainless boiler or columns etc, you could very easily plate the inside of your boilers etc with copper, this will be my next test.
Other possibilities include, plating the inside of soldered joins covering them with a copper wall etc.

I am aware that a few on here disagree with the use of copper in distilling, however this is for those who want to add or fortify their equipment with copper.

This stainless pot is plated on the outside for appearance, the process I have tested can simply plate the inside with a thick layer of copper, how thick?
within a week you could have a 1mm thick wall inside the pot. I have refined the process, with the addition of a small fish tank air pump and stone to agitate the copper sulfate solution.

For the test I used a 3mm x 70mm 316 Stainless Steel Disc.
The disc surface was roughed up using 600 grit wet and dry, then cleaned with a bit of rag and Acetone.
The result after 24 hours was .3+ mm thick copper plated surface. The plating bath was a simple glass Jar with a pile of copper formed into a mat and suspended on one side for positive.
The Bath is cheep white vinegar that was heated to very warm and copper sulfate dissolved into it, till it could dissolve no more.
I am using a regulated power supply, set to 1 volt, power drawn started at ~100 milli amps and raised to 350 milli amps
It is said the slower or lower voltage the better, starting at .5 volts.
Raising the power causes burning of the plated surface.
you can google more on this.