Week 13 Molding and Casting

CAD DESIGN

This week, I decided to make a fishing lure mold. I decided to design the mold in Autodesk Fusion.

This is the mold I designed. It mimics a small fish.

Click here to download the .stl file.

3D PRINTING

I saved the mold as a .stl file, then imported it into bambu studio. I chose 0.08mm Extra Fine print setting to minimize layer lines. (Further on I will take further measures to reduce layer lines).

This is the mold after printing. The layer lines are barely visible but still require some work. I won't need to cast another mold because I am casting a soft material.

Layer Line Removal

This is the layer line remover I used. It is super easy to use, just dip a brush in the liquid, then brush it onto your 3D print. Let it cure for a few hours, then it is ready!

Here, I am helping Max Negrin brush the substance onto his mold.

Silicone

These are parts A and B of moldstar silicone. I will be using these to cast my lure.

First, I marked two cups at an equal level. I chose this level because part A and B are an equal mixture ratio.

I poured both parts into seperate cups to the black line.

Max Negrin helped me pour both cups together, then mix them together.

I poured the silicone into my mold, then use a popsicle stick to scrape off the excess.

I then left the mold in a popcorn bucket to cure overnight.

Final Lure

This is the lure after casting. The lure came out great.

Some air bubbles are visible on the tail because they had no where to escape.

As you can see, the layer lines are not visible on this cast. The layer line remover worked well.

This is the mold after printing. I did not have to damage or modify the mold to remove the cast.

Reflection

This week felt very nice. It felt good to have an easier week after machine week. The process was very new to me, but I found it easy to learn and enjoyable.

Link to Group Site

Click Here to Access the Group Site

My contribution to the group site

I helped design, mill and 3d print molds for the comparison. I also helped with analyzing the data sheets on the different materials for molding and casting.