3d Printed Molds

Hi All,

In this instructable, I will share how to make a mold using 3d printing tools and cast amazing statues for decor

• 3d Printer
• Tinkercad
• Plaster of Paris
• Acrylic paints and brushes

• First, we need to find a good 3d model,
• I choose Moai,
• as this was a simple design,
• not many fine details,
• Symmetrical
• I got mine on Thingiverse
• To Make the mold
• Import the STL file in tinkercad
• Convert it from solid to a hole
• Add a Box and adjust the dimensions to be at least 3 to 5 mm larger than the actual stl model
• Group them and then cut this into half
• Duplicate the model and then mirror it
• Turn them to lay flat as shown
• I have trimmed the mold edges to reduce time and PLA consumption

• Download the STL file from Cults3d
• 3d Print with the following settings
• Resolution : 0.2mm
• Retraction : 6mm
• No Support
• Infill: 20%
• It took approx 7h to print

• Apply petroleum jelly or vegetable oil to the inner surface of the mold
• Using Paper tape, align the 2 parts of the mold
• Mix Plaster of Paris and water in a 4:1 ratio
• Pour the mix into the cast and leave it to set
• After a few hours, gentling demold
• If any part breaks, use PVA glue to stick it back

Tip:

• Depending on the quality of the PoP, the setting time may vary
• Be patient, if the mix does not set in 30 minutes
• Leave it to dry for a day or redo the mix with lesser water

• Paint dark Brown all over the statue
• Use dark green to highlight the eyes, ears, and nose, this represents the moss growth on the statue
• Now add some yellow to brown to get a lighter shade of brown, dry brush it on the statue
• Now with a dry brush dab green across
• Let this dry and we are done...
• Place the statues on a bookshelf or showcase. admire the decor

• One can get a faux stone look
• Use light grey to paint the whole statue
• Now use dark grey to dry brush across
• Let this dry and we are done.
• Place the statue on a bookshelf or showcase. admire the decor

• One can mass produce these statues and create gifts for your friends and family
• Can experiment with different materials: cement, ceramic powder, etc
• Using softer filament other than PLA could help in more complex molds
• Experiment and share your feedback