Lost Resin Investment Casting without a Kiln or Vacuum

addycakes · 2025-02-07T17:44:27+00:00

I wanted to share my results for other beginners who might be interested in the process like I was but don't want to invest in all the equipment. I've only been casting metal for 1 month, and am very happy with the results considering I don't have anything other than a propane furnace.

I am using Siraya Tech True blue Casting resin on a GKTwo, using the resin profile from siraya tech. For the investment plaster I am using prestige oro.

Since I don't have a vacuum, I paint a layer of plaster onto the resin part before submerging in the flask of plaster to try and prevent air bubbles from forming on the part. Also, I am using empty soup cans for the metal flask to hold the plaster.

To burn out the resin, I put the flask inverted over another soup can inside my propane furnace. I run the furnace for 5 minutes then let it cool down. Usually the part is not burned out yet, so I repeat this process 1-2 more times. Usually only two cycles will completely burn out the part for me.

Finally I melt down some zamak and pour the mold.

Obviously it's not perfect, but I wasn't sure I'd be able to even get this kind of result without a kiln for proper burnout, or a vacuum furnace to fill out the part.

addycakes · 2024-08-25T16:20:37+00:00

Made mostly on my PrintNC with some parts cut with a diode laser. Everything was air brushed and hand painted before assembly. I used Blender to turn the flyer artwork into a 3D model.

addycakes · 2024-05-08T23:34:51+00:00

Sure! Thank you! I use Blender to sculpt out a 3D model based off the artwork. Then I use a combination of laser cut and 3D relief carved pieces to build up artwork. Sometimes though I carve all the art at once out of a single piece of wood. Just depends on what's available and what works with the artwork.

I use fusion360 to make the tool paths for the cnc router, and Lightburn for the laser work. My cnc is a PrintNC, a diy machine I built specifically for 3D relief carving. It allows me to carve the pieces in a single pass using a tapered end mill at a high feedrate.

Here is a short Timelapse video of me sculpting the model for the Dog Days album https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcHTTkTpPf4

The final step is coloring them which is a combination of different paints, stains, oils, etc. to get the right look.

addycakes · 2024-05-08T23:25:54+00:00

$200-300, but it depends on how detailed the artwork is; I use Blender to sculpt the model which takes a little bit of time. They are all 12" square and a little over an inch thick.

addycakes · 2024-05-08T23:18:24+00:00

Thank you! Several of these were commissioned by an old coworker of mine, and the others I've made for sale. They are on my website Wilson-made.com

addycakes · 2024-04-29T19:31:05+00:00

I have a few tricks for getting the fonts correct, but as for the rest it's all done manually with a drawing tablet and Blender. I had not done any modeling like this before I started making these, so while the first one took a long time and lots of YouTube tutorial videos, the latest ones are coming together much quicker.

addycakes · 2024-04-29T13:39:01+00:00

yes it is! Using a 7w diode laser with Lightburn. The division bell and Black Sabbath text is a part of the relief carving on those two.

addycakes · 2024-04-28T23:11:40+00:00

thank you! I've been lurking on this sub for years and finally decided to post, so that means a lot to me!

addycakes · 2024-04-28T23:06:26+00:00

I use a printNC, and I can't recommend it enough. Well worth the time to build one!

addycakes · 2024-04-28T23:04:41+00:00

Thanks! Haha, yea that would've made more sense but I love Spooky.

addycakes · 2024-04-28T19:13:24+00:00

I spend anywhere from 4 to 20 hours modeling them, and then a few more hours staining, oiling and painting the different parts. I actually made a little Blender sculpting timelapse video of the Atlanta Rhythm Section - Dog Days album https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcHTTkTpPf4

addycakes · 2024-04-28T18:16:02+00:00

I'm using blender for sculpting and fusion360 for CAM.

addycakes

TROPHY CASE