Materials
In a typical 3D printing process, materials are often limited to the kind of filaments available in the market. The following experiments seek to test out new materials beyond 3D printed materials by borrowing traditional casting techniques and testing on new materials.
I wanted to experiment with toxic-free materials that cures naturally without heat or firing in a kiln. Therefore, the materials I sourced are affordable and readily available locally, making it easy to experiment with.
Jesmonite
Jesmonite AC100 is a water-based composite material suitable for casting on flexible moulds such as silicone. It has a fast curing time and raw concrete finish. It is able to capture fine details from silicone moulds.
Concrete
Concrete is an affordable material to experiment with, compared to Jesmonite. It cures by mixing cement powder with plain water. While the curing time takes at least 12 hours, the finished look took me by surprise as it was able to successfully capture fine details just like Jesmonite.
Resin
I was introduced to resin by a fellow maker at the makerspace where I conduct my experiments. Unlike Jesmonite and Concrete which are solid in colours, resin is a clear transparent material that looks like plastic once it has dried up. When experimenting with resin, it is important to work in a well ventilated area.
Silicone Rubber
Silicone is a type of rubber material often used for mould-making. The flexibility of silicone makes demoulding easy. When mixed properly, the RTV Translucent Bubble-Free Silicone Rubber from Resin Play is able to accurately capture 3D-printed details without trapping air bubbles.
Acrylic
Jesmonite only comes in one colour and the colour pigments are expensive. However, acrylic paints can be mixed with materials like Jesmonite and Concrete to create variety of colours. Leftover coloured Jesmonite can also be used to turn into Terrazo chips for future craft projects.
Soft Clay
Unlike liquid materials such as Concrete, Jesmonite and Resin, clay is a soft solid material that allows one to form shapes by hand. Because of the soft material, it is possible to add textures on it using rolling pins and stamp moulds.
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