3D printed molds for silicone?

[MermanOliver]

Has anyone tried 3d printing molds for silicone yet? Or does anyone know if PLA (polylactic acid, a kind of bioplastic) or ABS cause cure inhibition in platinum cure silicones?
Sent from my phonebrick using Tapatalk

[Siren]

I'm actually working with a guy right now on something very similar. He does custom cabinetry and has a large computerized cutting tool. We are working on a scale sheet to be cut into a laminate board. Automatic negative mold with no tedious foam scales!

[MotorCityMerman]

Has anyone tried 3d printing molds for silicone yet? Or does anyone know if PLA (polylactic acid, a kind of bioplastic) or ABS cause cure inhibition in platinum cure silicones?
Sent from my phonebrick using Tapatalk
I don't see why not. ABS dissolves with acetone, which is pretty harsh stuff, PLA's main solvent is also something fairly toxic and nasty. It seems like people have already tried it too.
http://jason-webb.info/2012/12/resin-and-silicone-casting-with-3d-printed-molds/

The biggest issue is smoothing the mold. Smooth On actually makes a resin product for smoothing prints, but I'm not sure if that's compatible with silicone.

Talk of this make s me want to do some experimenting with my 3D printer.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[JamesGunnels]

How much do those things run nowadays?

[Lily]

How much do those things run nowadays?

You can get one at Home Depot for under $1k. Not sure of the quality, though.

[Ashton]

A 3d print mold sounds like a good idea if you just 'happen' to have one laying around- or access to one.

[MotorCityMerman]

A 3d print mold sounds like a good idea if you just 'happen' to have one laying around- or access to one.
The most limiting factor is really size. Even the largest are only 12x12. It would take quite a few prints put together to build a big enough mold for some items. The other issue is creating the data to print in the first place.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[MermanOliver]

Agreed, the size is too small for a full tail scale sheet. But for bracers or something smaller it should be ok.
And getting the data shouldn't be that much of a hurdle, for example with Blender or something alike you can sculpt virtually as you would with clay, and then you have all possibilities of the computer like scaling and cloning of the scales, shells or whatever you designed. Getting the data from the digital model to the printer then is just routine.
Sent from my phonebrick using Tapatalk

[MotorCityMerman]

Agreed, the size is too small for a full tail scale sheet. But for bracers or something smaller it should be ok.
And getting the data shouldn't be that much of a hurdle, for example with Blender or something alike you can sculpt virtually as you would with clay, and then you have all possibilities of the computer like scaling and cloning of the scales, shells or whatever you designed. Getting the data from the digital model to the printer then is just routine.
Sent from my phonebrick using Tapatalk
It's definitely doable. I'm just not good with the model/sculptural type systems. They seem really tricky to learn to me and I'm fairly experienced in CAD. It would be a good approach for certain parts. I've used it for fursuit parts. There are even some flexible filaments available which could be very useful for some things.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[Ashton]

@MichMerman, what fur suit parts have you used it for? I really admire the construction of fur suits. Though they are not for me I really admire the craftsmanship and the time that goes into them.
As for making scales with a 3D printer, I think you could do the Pearlie method and just make a few individual scales and then cast them.

Granted you are not making a sheet, which is idea for many people.
I only am self taught when it comes to CAD and don't know how in depth it is to 'sculpt' using it.

[MotorCityMerman]

Noses, teeth, and claws mostly. I've done some hoof digits for hands and did foot hooves for my satyr pants, which was a huge pain, but it was with a newer printer at the time that I didn't have tuned in well. I think a few people have models for heads they've done as well.

The Pearlie method would probably be the best application for a 3D printed mold, you can be very consistent with the shape between different scale sizes and you could make multiple molds in one shot without having to sculpt multiple masters.

As far as CAD systems go, there are really two classes as I see it. There's mechanically slanted systems and artistic/modeling type systems. It's hard to sculpt in the mechanical type systems (which is what I know), but it can be done. They artistic type systems are made more for smooth, pretty stuff and work completely differently.

[Siren]

The printing would definitely take many sections to make 1 board. I'm fortunate to have a friend with a $100k cutting machine lol. It should be able to produce a sheet up to 7 feet long in a matter of hours.

[MotorCityMerman]

Using a CNC router table like that is a really good idea for flukes, scale sheets, and other fins. No mold making and you can be really consistent.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[Echidna]

I'm a noob in these things, but couldn't one 3D print an entire tail, instead of a mold? (provided one could use silicone as printing material).

The mold, so to speak, would be the printing pattern on the computer.

[MotorCityMerman]

There are flexible filaments available, the biggest limitation would probably be size. Printers don't get much above 12x12 or so. The stability is also a factor due to how the printers work by going layer by layer and since they're flexible, they might start to bend and flex once they got past a certain point. You might be able to directly print fins or small accessories fairly easily. The flexible filaments aren't nearly as soft as silicone either. But that could even be an advantage for some things.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[Ashton]

I wonder if the cost of 3D printing would outweigh the cost of just making one using molds and doing it by hand. Maybe if you were a professional FX person or inventor, or engineer who used the printer for more than just mermaid stuff.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MotorCityMerman]

It honestly probably isn't, unless you have access or plan on making a lot of the same thing over and over again.

[MerAnthony]

Not to long ago a man just finished a complete set of Ironmans armour by using a 3D printer. Printing a tail would be really cool, but not sure how that would work.
https://www.yahoo.com/movies/3d-printed-iron-man-suit-112620079307.html

[PearlieMae]

Making a car or an Ironman costume with a 3D printer makes sense because of the rigidity of the components, but at this point, there is no viable way to make a finished swimmable tail, and printing molds would be cost prohibitive to make scale sheet molds. The filament needed would run $$$$. Even the time spent to create a mold for my tail method would not pay off until you've made several tails and sold them. Especially considering how easy and cheap it is to make the master scale.

There currently is no material you could use to actually print a swimmable tail.

Why is everyone trying so hard to reinvent the wheel?

Also, the resin Smooth-On is selling to smooth 3D printed items is like their other urethane resins and shouldn't be a problem with silicone cure inhibition.

[MotorCityMerman]

Making a car or an Ironman costume with a 3D printer makes sense because of the rigidity of the components, but at this point, there is no viable way to make a finished swimmable tail, and printing molds would be cost prohibitive to make scale sheet molds. The filament needed would run $$$$. Even the time spent to create a mold for my tail method would not pay off until you've made several tails and sold them. Especially considering how easy and cheap it is to make the master scale.

There currently is no material you could use to actually print a swimmable tail.

Why is everyone trying so hard to reinvent the wheel?
Because 3D printing is the end all be all and will save us all, right? I get annoyed with the hype around them. Really it is another tool that can be useful for the right application. Is it particularly useful for making tails? Probably not. But it would be interesting to see somebody try.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[PearlieMae]

They have their place, and one day, technology will catch up with the things we want to do with them.

When I got invited to show my mermaid tails and stuff at the World Maker Faire in NY, they didn't know where to put me, so I was in the area with all the 3D printers and game builders. I was asked a thousand times if my tail was 3D printed.

[Ashton]

I would not say it is reinventing the wheel we are just making it fit our car.
As in- using this tech to fit to a purpose that we would like to improve upon.

[MotorCityMerman]

They have their place, and one day, technology will catch up with the things we want to do with them.

When I got invited to show my mermaid tails and stuff at the World Maker Faire in NY, they didn't know where to put me, so I was in the area with all the 3D printers and game builders. I was asked a thousand times if my tail was 3D printed.
That's incredibility annoying. One thing the maker movement really seems to lack is appreciation for costuming. At the Maker Faire Detroit they at least have a nice area for the 501st, but a lot of the soft craft stuff still seems to get shoved in a corner.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk