Resins, castings, oh my

Projects & Prints
1

I’m new here and have enjoyed reading the topics over the last half hour. I’m at present printing a ring using Firecast resin and hope all turns out ok on my B9. I have been doing jewelry for almost 30 years and have to say the modifications I have had to make to my oven, casting techniques to get a resin to cast has been taxing on the soul at times. I love my B9 for prints and have to say that the detail it puts out is amazing, would recommend it to everyone.

I have been using the resin from the B9 folks and my prints are amazing, no problems with their formula on printing, but will say that their 1:1 mix seems to work the best. Below is what I’ve done to my oven to introduce more air flow thanks to the folks in the B9 forum on giving me the suggestion.

Here is what I have copied over from my post in the B9 forum to see what some of you think here about it. I think it’s a good idea to share info to help get a better finished product while also getting critiqued. The only thing that has changed as I’m getting better (not great) results is switching to R&R Plasticast.

I have my castings fixed and wanted to share just what worked after receiving so much help here, and from reading others problems and tricks. I took some time and called Satin Cast to talk about the temps that are being suggested on Monday, and the breakdown of the investment along with other problems I was having. I spoke with Philip Read Product Manager and the one thing he made clear was no matter what your oven says on the outside on a temp gauge, it should not go over 1350-1375 (inside flask) at its core as the investment will break down, crack, and discolor. All of what I have always knew (and I’m sure most of you did too), and thought that seeing folks here taking temps up that high satin cast could take the heat and my problems were something else. My investment was breaking down thus having awful castings.

Philip and I spoke for about a half hour and at the end of the conversation he was sending me out at no charge some of his SATIN CAST DIAMANTE, saying that if folks were using high temps best try this investment. Looking forward to casting it higher, but honestly see no need.
He also wanted some samples of the cherry resin, and a completed resin model so they could try it out and see in their lab possible what the best would be for us.

I have had beautiful castings after making some minor tweaks and going back to the same way I cast lost wax with some small changes. My castings are now coming out like they have been tumbled and have a smooth bright sheen to them. I am not saying this will work for you, but I can say that your castings are looking just like mine did when I was tinkering around with no luck and after I was breaking down the investment, then hope this helps.

So.
I used Clean Cast White #242 from Stuller.

  1. I added an air pump to my oven to help push air into the oven.
  2. Mixed satin cast a little thick for 3 min, vacuum for 3 min, pour into flask and vacuum 1 min. let sit 30 min without moving it. I also used very warm water.
  3. Flask sat in oven off for 4 hours+ before it turned on.
  4. Oven temps on control 300 @ 2 hr / 700 @ 2 hr / 1350 @ 3 hr with 5 degrees per min ramp on each stage. About 11.5 hour burn out.
  5. Flask size was 2.5 x 3.75
  6. Raise flask off base of oven floor
  7. Once the oven finished I go by my outside control panel for temp and cast when it says 500-600, this takes 2.5 hours from 1350.
  8. I’m using a electro-melt and my metal is ready to go when that temp is reached, and I then move to vacuum caster and pour.
  9. Let sit for 5+ min and quench

Note: I used a UV nail lamp box to cure my resin for no less than 4 hours.

I am not going to speak for others who have had great luck casting so hot, but for me it only made my investment break down and have porosity in all metal types. I have had discoloration in my flask from resin melting out, but it has not affected any of my castings.

After speaking with Philip at Kerr my suspicion was correct and raising the temps on the investment above 1350 was killing my castings, and tinkering is what got me in trouble with my castings over these past few weeks thinking it was not getting hot enough. One thing I feel is very true like Robert and akgold (and others) have been saying is airflow, airflow, airflow and knowing your temps in YOUR oven, and when to cast that flask and how when it’s the correct temp.

The only thing I really did to get back to something that was consistent with lost wax, was raising my time a bit longer, air flow, raising flask off the bottom of oven, and casting at a temp that works for my oven, when reading the temp on it….that being 500-600 while the temperature on the inside of my flasks were closer to casting temp.

The on picture of the two rings is of a 50/50 new gold old gold just to see how the castings would work with my setup. All in all nothing a emery stick can’t fix and still came out great and took these photos right after I got the investment off. The single ring is all new clean cast #242 gold.
---------------------------------------------------.
This is so far the best result I have had with the least amount of clean up and work.

The rose gold casting I don’t think i’m going to be able to save but will see today. The two white gold castings were fine after only 30 min of clean up.

Cheers!

2

I guess the b9 owners/sellers are really worried now that form1 has a castable resin that casts just like wax with no need for special gizmos like airpumps. :wink: Considering that the form1 costs $2000 less than an assembled b9, has a much larger build area, is quieter, much easier to use, and looks like professional quality equipment and is backed by a team of really talented people.

I think I’ll stick with my form1+. Thanks for the sales pitch though.

3

Nice that you thought it was a pitch, was not. It was a post looking to see if my casting procedures were close to what others here are doing. I don’t give two shakes (or others on the B9 I’m going to guess) what other companies are doing with their printers. This was more about the resin…but thank you for a very helpful reply.

4

If you’re doing your own casting then it’s ok to experiment with different temps, gizmos, pumps, hairdryers, etc.

Most people don’t do their own casting. They design the jewelry and get it printed and get it casted at a casting house.

Now with the availability of affordable 3d printers, people do their own printing and give it to the casting house. Most casting houses are traditional and don’t like to mess with RP resins, different temps, settings, etc. They just want to get your ring wax, put it on the tree along with other ones and cast. If they have to cast your single ring and experiment, it’s going to cost you an arm and a leg.

That’s why having a castable resin that casts just like wax is so important. (and the formlabs has that now)

Helpful?

5

No, but thank you for your input and showing your experience in manufacturing in jewelry. I can also tell by your post you have no concept in how the casting process works, thus once again, what I made the post about. Doing jewelry for 30 years from design and production I made this post to others about casting and techniques.

6

Your post that has nothing to do with the form1 and the formlabs resins is much appreciated.

See you in another 30 years.

7

I was asking about casting techniques regardless of resin but interested in the formlabs resin. Made a post sharing what I was using, and developed with casting. Relax, don’t be mad bro. Nice to see a mouth piece like yourself representing form1.

8

Sounds like you were sent here to advertise the b9, not help anyone. Your tips on casting are not very helpful, because they have nothing to do with the form1 resins.

The more s**t you talk the more you’re validating that you’re just here pushing the b9 instead of being helpful to the form1 community.

9

you’re an idiot
and…LOL, you are even using the B9 software for supports and resin too? Rich.

10

So…now I have gotten past a few posts here, I have read that folks are having good results with the castable resin used from fomrlab. I would be interested to know their burnout times and what investment you’re using for best results and temps. I have had pretty good luck with the B9 resin and am burning out tonight with the Firecast resin to see how it does. With each resin it’s interesting to see the cure time (oven or UV Box) along with results with what type of investment being used.

11

Wow wtf is going on here? Britt…it is quite obvious that you are the idiot. Where on this forum have you read anything about anyone already using the “fomrlab” castable resin? I can also bet that monger will be the first one to post his results. Go find somewhere else to troll.

12

Let’s try to keep the conversation civil, here, and assume that everyone is here for the right reasons. I’ll take the moment to remind everyone that we’re here to swap information, talk about Formlabs’ products, and find other like-minded folks.

As much as we appreciate the support, it’s important for us to be aware of what others in the community are doing, so what Britt is sharing here is interesting and informative for us.

At any rate, I’m going to close (and hide) this thread, to give things the opportunity to reset.