Simple single sided mold generator

March 30, 2022
Description
This is a modification to jason webbs two part mold generator for single sided molds to cast tin/other low melting metals.
It splits the mold in 2 pieces, which helps greatly when removing the casted part.
Still very WIP, but maybe some find it already useful
Instructions
**The metals :
In the second image you can see three casts: 1: Pure Sn97Cu3 (from local hardware store), 2 and 3: Sn97Cu3 with an added small Bismuth pellet, the third was made with leftovers from the second cast. Using Sn97Cu3 gives you a shiny finish, adding bismuth adds detail and a more matte surface. (mold 1: 0.20mm, 2/3: 0,125mm layer height)**
Caution: If you try to pour cavities deeper 5mm, you may loose the form due to melting! (Atleast with the tested tin)
Generating the mold (same as James Webbs generator):
- Download the mold_v2.scad file and open it in OpenSCAD.
- Update the parameters in the script to point to your model, as well as transform it to be suitable for printing.
- Compile and Render (F6) the script with your updated parameters.
- Grab an STL using the "Design > Export as STL" tool.
optional: Seperating the mold in 2 pieces 5. Load the STL in Netfabb basic, rightclick extras->repair part 6. Use "select shells" to select and then delete one of the 2 parts 7. repeat for the other part.
(default STL used in the script is sappo.stl, provided in the downloads)
Casting the metal parts:
Use ABS plastic for the molds, slightly sand the 2 facing surfaces for better alignment. Clamp the 2 parts ( http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:12616 works great). Heat the metal to be just above the melting temperature, best is to move it a bit around before pouring. Pour into the mold. After it has settled a bit you can drop it in a glass of water for faster cool down.
Twisting the 2 molds against each other works pretty well to remove the mold.
Category: 3D Printing Tests