How to Cold Cast Your 3D Prints With Metal

[Brian_Krassenstein]

The cold casting method is a simple and affordable way to give 3D printed objects a medieval or ancient look without having to actually deal with molten materials, as you can basically coat them with a variety of powders — such as metal -- and burnish them however you’d like. With cold casting, powder and clear resin are mixed and then the 3D printed object is coated with it. Setting takes about six hours and then you can finish the 3D printed piece to your liking, applying a rust coating or any other type of desired patina. Read more about the process, and check out a video of the start-to-finish, in the full article: http://3dprint.com/50550/cold-casting-3d-prints-metal/


Below is a 3D printed skull figure that's been cold cast using iron powder:

[curious aardvark]

Question is - is it cheaper and easier than just printing with metal powder based filament to start with ?

Result is essentially the same.

[Braddock]

Thanks for the write up. I'd just like to point out, 3D prints are not "coated" with resin. You create a silicone mold, and cast the 3d print, creating an entirely new solid, resin bonded metal object.

There's a number of advantages over metal powder 3D print filaments, such as a greater variety of metals, the strength of cold cast parts is much greater, and you can't use those filaments on SLA printers obviously. Also, the only Iron filament I've seen does not seem to burnish in the same way, though, I'm yet to try it myself.

Cheers.

Paul.

[raysspl]

Wow, the results are pretty impeccable here.

[Bassna]

Has anyone tried this yet?