I recently designed and produced this pendant for my spouse, Gloria, on our 56 year wedding anniversary.
It represents a loving heart within a heart with her first name initial firmly in the center. The curved arches represent all the support that has kept the relationship solid for over 60 years. (The wedding was 56 years ago.)
For this newest project, I resurrected my 3D print cast-able resin process.
I have reported in past posts that my overall results have been mixed. The problem was usually the burnout wasn’t good. Internal damage to the mold cavity not apparent until after the casting. Results are a lot of work for spoiled results.
Lost resin casting is not for the crafter afraid of a few failures. The results shown here were not easy. But a good result was obtained. I class every casting as a learning experience. I am learning and getting better with every new project and process.
Material selection is important in good results. A good resin and proper investment material and strict process practice. Of course, producing a good 3D resin print is a must.
I use my Anycubic Photon Mono SE printer that is no longer in production. Smaller high-res printers are good for jewelry size print projects. Today I would choose the Anycubic Photon D2. It’s a DLP (Digital Light Projector).
No experience using DLP, but Looks very good in the sample prints I have seen and is the exposure process I have always considered good for resin prints. True LASER scan printing is also excellent choice but costly.
Anycubic has made the DLP process affordable hardware for doing smaller prints.
Resin master models are not perfect out of the printer. There are support marks to remove and perhaps small imperfections to repair. Easily worked with small files and slight sanding as in every model creation.
Resin is patchable using repair wax and a heated tool. The basic LWC dictate still applies, “The casting is only as good (and smooth) as the master model.” Spend detail time on the model rather than the metal casting. It’s much easier.
The pictures show the process. Critical 3D print and investment materials are:
- ApplyLabWork MSLA CASTABLE Cyan (resin) (always subject to change…)
- Ransom & Randolph® Plasticast® Investment
I have my eye on another resin, but no recommendation yet. The above is working well, but could go up in price.
I don’t write “How-To” posts. I am not an instructor nor desire to become one. (ha!) My intent is to show off what I can do and perhaps inspire others to try.
These posts let me show the craft process I enjoy and display how much effort and skill are required to get results that are good to great!
The front end of the process not shown here is the idea sketches and the CAD drawing necessary to produce the model. I love the design stage. I mentioned the design concept in the second paragraph.
Almost everything I create is original design. I do take inspiration from other designs. Only rarely producing an exact existing design when there is no reason for improvement. Rule #1 - There are no rules. <G>
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| Fresh out of the resin printer | Ready for investment |
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| Casting result. Yep - This is silver before pickle and polishing. | Front side after detailing |
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| Rear, with bail attached | Presentation box |