Casting Metal Parts into 3D Printed Molds

This video documents the process of casting metal parts in tin-bismuth alloy using 3d printed molds. The process involves common tools and supplies - a 3d printer, silicone rubber, a hot plate, stovetop casting alloy, and a dollar store skillet. This method can be used to cast a variety of materials, from chocolate to plastic, with the accuracy only limited to the precision and resolution of your printer.

How to cast metal into 3D printed molds - https://learn.adafruit.com/metal-part...

I built a camera arm to document projects a few months ago. The joints are clamped down with rubber pads between them to prevent slipping, but I noticed the joint at the base kept creeping down over long periods of time (like while capturing time lapses). I decided to fix it with a locking plate like you'd find on C-stands, but wanted to avoid using a printed part that would chew itself apart after a few months of use.

I built the locking plate using a method similar to the one I used to generate the waxes that are part of the Glaucus manufacturing process - https://learn.adafruit.com/soft-quadr...

You can find the 3d files for the locking plate along with a tutorial on building your own on Thingiverse - https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:279...

You can also find the source files for building your own camera arm on Thingiverse as well - https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:226...

See more of my work at https://har.ms

• #science_technology
• #camera_arm
• #open_source
• #mold_making
• #casting
• #3d_printing
• #hack
• #diy
• #metal_casting
• #desktop_metal
• #stovetop_metal
• #home_workshop
• #replicating_parts
• #mold
• #tool
• #silicone
• #silicone_casting
• #tin_bismuth
• #low_temperature_alloy
• #documentation
• #filmmaking
• #time_lapse_rig
• #time_lapse
• #project_documentation
• #maker
• #creative_commons