For the group project I worked with Namirah, David, Sara, and Anthony. We made little molds to test out a variety of different Silicone-based materials. Below is an image of the 3D printed molds.
Testing with these various cast types allowed us to understand how different ones would look and feel. Most of our tests set perfectly, but some hadn't been mixed sufficiently. This was a good preliminary test because it served as a reminder to mix thoroughly.
I was struggling to think of how I would make a mold/cast contributed to my final project. I decided that I would simply make a mold of Starship because I worked at SpaceX this summer. I started by 3D printing a Starship model that was a couple inches tall. I wanted to make it a fully smooth model, so I covered it in XTC-30. This covered the markings left by the 3D printer nozzle path.
My next step would be to create a silicone mold of this 3D print. I did this using Sorta-Clear 37 silicone rubber. I let this set overnight, then used an exacto knife to carefully cut the mold in half and extract my 3D printed model.
I then reassembled the model and covered the inside with a bonding agent. I planned on creating a urethane resin cast of the Starship with my silicone mold. I elected to use SmoothCast 325 which required me to use a fume hood because of the toxins it contains. I poured the resin which had a super quick (2.5 minute) pot-life and a 10 minute cast time. I let it sit for a few hours until it reached room temperature, and I was able to easily remove my resin Starship model!
