Forging the legendary Master Sword from chemical trial to physical wax.
This week, the challenge was to master chemical materials to create molds and cast parts. I decided to make the iconic Master Sword from Zelda. The process consisted of printing the master in resin, creating a two-part silicone mold degassed in a vacuum chamber, and finally casting the piece in wax.
To see diferents types of molds and casting techniques, please visit our Group Project Page.
🛠️ OPEN GROUP PAGEEverything started in SolidWorks. To be clear, I downloaded the 3D model of the Master Sword from the internet. My actual CAD assignment consisted of designing the mold box around it. I designed the box considering it would be a two-part mold, making sure the geometries allowed for a smooth demolding process without trapping air in the hilt details.
I used the Anycubic Photon Workshop software to prepare the file. I configured the necessary supports so the sword would print with millimeter precision, especially the runes on the handle.
To get the master with the best surface finish, I used the Anycubic Photon Mono M5s. This resin printer allows a resolution that FDM simply cannot achieve.
Once the master was clean, I proceeded to create the mold. I used silicone with a catalyst in an exact 100:10 ratio (100% silicone and 10% catalyst).
To avoid bubbles ruining the details, after mixing the silicone, I put it inside the vacuum chamber. This extracts all trapped air before pouring it over the sword.
After vacuuming, I poured the silicone into the prepared mold boxes. The result was a flexible yet highly detailed mold.
For the final piece, I decided to use wax. I joined the two halves of the mold with rubber bands to maintain pressure and avoid leaks, and poured the melted wax.
The final result is an exact wax replica, capturing every rune and detail of the legendary sword.
Resin printing, vacuum degassing, and wax casting. The hero's sword is ready.