This week I worked on molding and casting, specifically casting a nose using silicone. I attempted two different approaches to create the mold master: one using 3D printing on a Prusa printer, and another using resin printing for finer detail. Both methods were used to create molds for silicone casting, allowing me to compare the results and understand the differences in surface finish and detail.

For the first attempt, I used a Prusa 3D printer using PLA material to create the master mold following this tutorial shared by Kat https://www.youtube.com/embed/vKZx9eHEL6o. This approach provided a solid foundation for the mold-making process. The Prusa print allowed me to:

- Create a durable master model - Test the overall form and dimensions - Understand the workflow before moving to higher-resolution printing


Prusa printed mold components shown separately, displaying the individual parts of the two-part mold design


Prusa printed mold shown in combined/assembled state, demonstrating how the two-part mold fits together for casting

For the second attempt, I used resin printing to achieve finer detail and smoother surface finish. Resin printing using the TOUGH material offers superior resolution, which is particularly important for capturing the subtle details of a nose cast. The resin print provided:

- Higher resolution and finer detail capture - Smoother surface finish - Better reproduction of fine features - More accurate dimensional accuracy

For the silicone casting process, I used a two-part silicone system with a 50/50 mixing ratio. The mixing procedure involved combining equal parts of the two silicone components, then allowing the mixture to stir for 5 minutes. This resting and stirring process ensured proper mixing and helped eliminate air bubbles that could affect the final cast quality. The challenge is that the bubbles are hard to get out and also the silicone material reacts to the resin material and creates a wet finish even after 6 hours of drying.

Prusa 3D Printed Master

Prusa 3D printed master mold for nose casting, showing FDM print quality and surface finish from the first attempt

Resin Printing Process

Resin printing process for creating the master mold with finer detail capture


Resin printed master showing the high-resolution surface finish and detail quality

Resin Mold with Supports

Resin printed mold showing the support structure design, demonstrating how supports were strategically placed for optimal printing

Final Resin Mold

Final resin printed mold ready for silicone casting, demonstrating the superior detail and surface finish achieved with resin printing compared to FDM printing

Nose Mold Resin 3D Model (.stl)

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