Mold Making and Casting
Resources
Local Services
- Reynolds, Silicone and More, Retail:
- Reynolds is national, with a retail store in Tempe, just North of the 202, off McClintock
- https://www.reynoldsam.com/location/phoenix/
Tutorials
- British Man makes Silicone Molds for Pewter Models
- 1) Mold Making: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_QD1ff3wJk
- 2) Casting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7atJo0iA5W4
- Ex Disney Guy Casting Urethane Resin in Silicone
- Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIy8UDigJ_ynP97e0sMtbKmRuBrCff1Ql
- Same Guy, Doing Low-Temp Metal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRU-IlIBPKY
- Casting a mechanical part in low-temperature bismuth-tin:
- Lost Styrofoam
- Electroplating
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-PtnwtOR24
- I haven't tried this on bismuth tin yet.
- Desktop Injection Molder
- Resin Printing for Beginners
Materials
- High Temperature 3D Printer Resin (for directly printing molds)
- 250C, $2.15/oz: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08V8T9NZL
- 180C, $1.15/oz: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GJTGPYQ
- Eutectic Bismuth Tin
- 58% Bi 42% Sn by weight
- 138C melting point (280F)
- 150C / 300F casting
- Tin (Sn) 232C / 450F
- Bismuth (Bi) 272C / 521F
- Bi-Sn tensile strength: 55 MPa, Mild Steel (the cheap stuff): 400-550 MPa, 6061 Aluminum (the cheap stuff): 290 MPa, Tin 220, 3003 aluminum: 186, HDPE plastic 20 - 30, epoxy resin 26 - 85
- Bi-Sn Density: ~8,500 kg/cm3, Mild Steel: 7,850 kg/cm3
- A little denser than steel and a lot weaker than most metal.
- Roughly as strong as epoxy resin (which can be cast in the same molds and is less dense).
- Heat Stable Silicone Mold Release
- Cheaper Tin and Bismuth (free shipping over $150):
Equipment
- Elegoo Mars 1
- 4.7x2.6x6.1 = 120x68x155
