/diy/ - Do It Yourself

[Anonymous No.876843]

Hey /diy/
Does anyone have any experience with making casts out of 3D printed parts? im planning on setting up a lost PLA station, but i want to make sure its cheap. I have literally nothing but a 3D printer and PLA at the moment, so i need a crucible as well. Any suggestions?

[Anonymous No.877490]

>>876843
I have been wanting to explore this too. Make sure you have tools to finish the aluminium.

[Anonymous No.877532]

>>876843
No experience but that seems like a great idea, and making prototypes would be fairly inexpensive

[Anonymous No.877912]

I presume you talking about extruded plastic 3d printer, as RepRap etc.
There are Laser #d printers based On Z printer technology witch can produce prototypes or small quantity parts strait away.

But if you want to make a cast on base of a printer part it is a bit more complicated, i will suggested 2 approaches pick best for you,
First is easy and it is a extension of old method 'Lose Wax" in witch you making wax sculpture of part you want to cast. In our experiment it will be a plastic best ABS. You need to prepare part add to it a entrance for liquid metal, after that the part should be submerge in liquid ceramic to create a ceramic shel on it, past to ceramic sand to increase wolume dry and this process of submerging should be done flew times to create around part thick ceramic shell, after drying ( in Wax method part goes to hot OVen to liquefied wax and remove it from inside ceramic shell and evaporate rest, also Owen will hardened a shell cast, In our case I will suggest submerging it into acetone for over night,( Acetone well liquifaing ABS Not PLA ) empty it and flush for another hour with fresh acetone, dry it and then hardened ceramic shell cast in hot oven.
after hardening and drying you can put the ceramic shell in dry sand and fill it with metal, after that you just need remove rest of outer shell and you part is ready.
Other approach is instead of part print a cast, or elements of cast depends how complicated part is, if it is that complicated as this on pic then i will suggest use a Loos Wax method.
If its something simply., you can print as two parts of cast and then use powder casting you making a cast from powdered fine clay with adding of carbon,
2 pieces of cast came together and you have cast after drying its ready to use. in this method you printing a original Martix on with you coping a cast as many times as you can but problem is parts cant be to complicated.
there is some youtube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdTM5rSSJjk

[Anonymous No.877916]

>>877912
another
youtube about lost wax
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=FS0uM3OC76I

[Anonymous No.877998]

>>876843

Here's a thought: instead of making a model out of PLA or ABS and then going through the steps to make a lost wax mould, is it possible to print the wax directly?

That would eliminate a few intermediate steps and the need to remove the original plastic model. Sprues could be printed as a part of the wax model. The ceramic slurry would be applied to the wax, dried and then the wax burned out (just like the traditional lost wax process).

[Anonymous No.878036]

>>877998
>is it possible to print the wax directly?

Some printers can print the wax directly, yes. Shapeways offer Castable Wax as a material, for example.

[Anonymous No.878103]

>>877912
I don't even have a balcony to try anything of the sorts in this shitty studio therefore I haven't really explored the thought in OP.
Question:
I wonder what is the flow of PLA under high temperatures or what residue it may leave.
Would it be easier/simpler/more reliable to make a mold in abs/pla/nylon on a 3d printer, then make a wax part, which goes into a standard sand casting box thingy?
That removes the necessity of a niche printer, leaves a reusable negative, and goes with well known techniques for casting.
Would this work?

[Anonymous No.878247]

>>878103
Hi, Make a Print, Cover it with Ceramic molding paste or simple gypsum.
leave entrance point.
After it dry Use Hot air gun to heat cast with plastic still inside.
When it liquidize sink it out, cool it to 50-60 deg of Celsius put in acetone it will liquidize rest witch sticks to wall of cast and remove it, in higher temp acetone works really quick. after you will get no more color acetone come form mold its clean you can dry (hot air gun ) and then prepare to fill with metal.
Tip heat as much as possible the cast before putting liquid metal in it, newer put metal into cold dump cast it will explode !!
On small parts or with small elements i will suggest using carousel method is it creating Centrifugal Force much greater then earth gravitation, and filling cast fast, but is only for small parts anything heavier then 0.5 kg will be a challenge to do it in home made carousel .

Regards Anon