I'd like to start 3d printing in wax.
Is there a reasonably priced 3d printer that is capable of it?
Am I right in assuming that all I need is to make my own filament and set extruder temperature correctly, or do I miss something?
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$\begingroup$ In theory, yes. Drawbacks: wax is much softer than filament, so the feed gear may not work; melted wax is very runny, so probably won't deposit correctly either. $\endgroup$– Carl WitthoftCommented Jun 19, 2017 at 12:15
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1$\begingroup$ If you want to print with wax for lost wax casting, there have been multiple (successful) lost PLA casting experiments. $\endgroup$– E DoeCommented Feb 13, 2019 at 14:37
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6 Answers
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Yes, you can. But no, you don't need to make your own filament for it, there is one called Print2Cast that you can buy for about 50$/kg.
This filament has the following recommended slicing settings:
- Extrusion temperature: 140°C-150°C
- Bed temperature: 80°-90°C
- Shells: 2-3 (for most models)
- Print speed: 20 to 70mm/s
There are, however, a few more things to look out for when printing with wax, as it is very soft.
The most important issue is the grip of the extruder wheel. See if other people have used your printer/extruder with flexible filaments. If they were successful in doing that, there's a high chance a wax print will succeed as well.
Bed adhesion might also be an issue. MachinableWax.com recommend 6 coats of hair spray on a glass bed, letting each of them dry before adding the next.
Cooling is also important, as with many filaments. You'll probably have to experiment with that a little as either too much or too little can ruin your print.
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Yes, with the proper equipment.
Printing wax filament (at 51 seconds): https://youtu.be/tibkVZB_n9c?t=51s
There are also options for melting wax, filling a heated reservoir head, and printing with that. I recommend doing this with a cold ambient temperature, so that the wax solidifies quickly. There's no point in just printing a puddle. :)
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Should be easy to do it in low temperatures, also check for moldlay filament.
Wax is indeed useful for lost-wax casting method.
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One of the applications of 3d printing with wax is when making jewellery using the lost-wax casting process. I don't know if there are 'cheap' 3d printers for wax. One brand of 3d printers for wax is Solid-Scape.
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Just make a silicone mold of any of your prints and pour you wax in the silicone,you silicone putty is pretty cheap so is wax ,no need to break the bank as printers have become less expensive and can do a pretty good job
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$\begingroup$ Making a silicone mold is good for repeated production of cold materials, but Wax or waxlike materials are used for one-off objects usually. There are printers out there that print special wax materials for such things. They reduce the cost in comparison to plastic print, smoothing, molding, casting wax, making plaster or clay molds a lot by simply reducing the need for two intermediate processes and much less time consumption. $\endgroup$– TrishCommented Feb 13, 2019 at 11:42
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Use any 3d printer. Any material. Preferably SLA that gives you a better resolution. Print an inverse of your model and pour in melted wax. One of the advantages that you can make unlimited number of copies very fast, unlike direct printing where you would need to print each one separately.
