SMOOTH 3D printed molds for slip casting - some sanding required
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.ย. 2023
- If you want a smooth plaster mold for slip casting from a 3D print, you have a few options. Here I show using filler primer to and sanding to take a 3D print and smooth it out. The result is a plaster mold with a much smoother surface finish that transfers into your slip cast pot. I also test some controls printed on courser 3D printer settings with and without some sponging.
TOOLS and MATERIALS (affiliate)
- Filler Primer amzn.to/3P69Yye
- Diamond sanding pads (120 & 200) amzn.to/3P6Awj0
- PLA+ amzn.to/3QrWnnt
- M3x8 screws amzn.to/3qensjc
- M3 threaded inserts amzn.to/3OrJl6W
- Driver amzn.to/44TsHDY
- Foam Gasket amzn.to/44X7IAf
- Soldering Station amzn.to/3KnlBiM - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
Thanks Ken. My Elegoo neptune 4 pro has been patiently waiting for me to unbox and set up. I can’t wait to test out your software 😊
Great! It should be ready very soon now!
You can also add 2-3 coats of Clear Glossy Acrylic spray for even smoother finish.
That would make sense. Thanks!
Would you still need to sand in-between? I’m assuming yes but want to check.
@@yougorgeousmonster Once it is smooth, the sanding would really be about the surface finish (and getting subsequent coats to stick)
Looks fantastic!
Thanks!
I use uv resin mixed with baby powder to smooth 3d prints. If you sand in between coats you can get a really smooth finish.
That makes sense. How easy is the UV resin to sand? The primer is ok, but I'm guessing it's the sanding part I'm not fond of, not the material I'm sanding!
My process is a lot like this, except I just coat with microcrystalline wax.
I've seen it claimed to help with mold release, but not by someone who had done a particularly large amount of plaster work, so not sure.
Only other benefit is that you don't need anywhere to spray, so I can, for example, do the whole process in my small apartment.
The primer will last for many more plaster casts I'm sure.
That's interesting. I'd imagine there are probably several ways to go about this. I think basically you want to be able to fill in the low spots in some sort of durable way, and take down the high spots through sanding - so both additive and subtractive - to get to the desired surface.
Very interesting, thank you. Where did you get the apron type you're wearing?
It's this one: amzn.to/3uUnizW
Hi Kent, first of all, love your videos! Can I ask for an opinion? I made a wooden mold, in a houter CNC and it's very soft and smoth (I used primer and sanded just like you did), but its made of wood, and its not gonna shrink like the 3D printed mold you used, right? any advices?
I've heard of wooden molds (often MDF). But if you're specifically referring to pulling the inner mold out of the plaster, then I'm afraid I don't really have any great ideas. The best option would be to have a very good draft angle everywhere (which could limit design choice). It might also be possible to split the inner mold into multiple pieces and was something I was thinking about but never got to since the PLA & ice/alcohol trick works so well.
I don't think you mentioned vapor polishing. When I went on this journey with composite molding I had some appreciable results with it. You print in ABS and expose the surface to a mist of acetone, which can be achieved inside a container in the sun. Done well it melts and flows the surface leaving it smoother and stronger. But I must admit, I still did the high build spray putty and sand back anyway. I guess I'm a fan of putting more time into my molds so my parts pop out ready to go. That and composite materials aren't cheap or forgiving. But hey, that latest printed container design is looking great. You've got to be happy with the software at this point. :)
I did not - I haven't used it myself. I think the biggest issue is you get a different kind of smooth. From what I understand, it will even out the humps and valleys of a 3D print locally. However by sanding, the sand paper (or sanding block) is spread out over a much larger area so you get surfaces that a "flat" at a larger scale.
I actually like the 3d printed look I've been getting so I suspect I won't be doing this myself going forward, but it is good to let others know it is an option.
And yes, the software is working well!
wouldnt spray putty effect the hardening of the slip by waterproofing the plaster that needs to absorb the slips water.
@@adememresadkoglu1532 I would only apply to the 3d printed part. Once cured and sanded, it shouldn't have an impact on the plaster.
I see. I cant really sand the print or the plaster as there is too fine detail on the models so maybe Ill apply some type of coating to the print then. I heard baby powder is alright. Thanks for the reply @@M3rVsT4H
For things at that detail level, I saved up for an SLA resin printer. Which is pretty amazing at the fine details. Best of luck with your creations. @@adememresadkoglu1532
why can't we use the 3d printed mold for our final product? I am still confused about that. Why do we just use it to create plaster mold but not the actual product?
If you want to use slip casting you need the liquid slip to form a shell of clay inside the mold. Plaster has several unique properties for absorbing and transporting the water from the slip so that happens. If you poured slip into a 3D printed part then basically nothing would happen. It'd be the same as pouring it into a plastic bucket and back out. If you want a plastic object then sure 3D printing can work in some cases, but we're creating ceramics here.
If you use ABS to print your peaces, you can use acetona to smooth them.
Thanks. Yes there are a variety of chemicals that will help smooth the parts. However as far as I know, there isn't a lot of control over the surface finish you get. (But as I show at the end, it might not make a big difference for your pots as well).
Paint your parts with a Uv resin and then put a light on it.. No sanding needed
In that case you're counting on the viscosity of the resin to do just the right thing.