Quote:
Originally Posted by Cyruscosmo
That is next on the major tool list. I have all the components and plan on printing parts in PLA and then encasing the plastic parts in ceramic slip and sand layers and then firing the thing to burn out the plastic.
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We used a similar technique in our secondary school art class to mould pewter. We used wax to create the form of the item. This was placed in a steel cup, then we pored liquid plaster into the cup to surround the wax form. Once the plaster set the whole thing was heated in an oven. The wax ran out. Then we just pored the molten pewter into the void left by the wax. Then the whole thing was immersed in water and the plaster dissolved away leaving the pewter item. Because the plaster was so fine the finished object had all the fine detail of the original wax form.
Certainly the wax was easy to work with and was easy to remove from the mould without leaving residue that affected the final result.
I just checked
wiki and plaster moulds are good up to 1200C so aluminium's 660C melting point shouldn't be a problem.
Can 3D printers use wax as the medium rather than plastic?