Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 11

Thread: CAD and wax casting

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Amsterdam
    Posts
    260

    Default CAD and wax casting

    Quote Originally Posted by josef1 View Post
    Im going to throw a bit of a curve ball here but if you make the item in cad then using a wax model cast it saves lots of time I have found when setting repetative items just my 10 pence worth wondering what your opinion was ?
    Josef,

    Being a computer geek this is a very interesting thought, however I would have thought entry costs would be very high. Please tell us more, I have lots of questions, which software, ho to get from cad file to wax, from wax to metal, and always costs.

    I could easily see making a one off design and keeping the CAD file so it could be repeated or a variation made. That said I do have a design in my head that would need around 50 beads specialy cast.

    Julian

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    1,743

    Default

    I briefly looked at the possibility of CAD but discarded it because the costs of employing someone writing/drawing the right kind of file were too high for the one-off I wanted to make.

    If you want something replicable and don't want to spend ages learning rhino or whatever, then you might get a gun for hire on the shapeways forum. Once you have the file the printing and subsequent casting isn't too bad.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Cornwall
    Posts
    3,172

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by medusa View Post
    I briefly looked at the possibility of CAD but discarded it because the costs of employing someone writing/drawing the right kind of file were too high for the one-off I wanted to make.

    If you want something replicable and don't want to spend ages learning rhino or whatever, then you might get a gun for hire on the shapeways forum. Once you have the file the printing and subsequent casting isn't too bad.
    There's a course about CAD at Truro College in April. Unfortunately I can't do it as I'm away.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    London
    Posts
    884

    Default

    How small can one make and 3D print something with CAD? I need to create a tiny crown type collet for a 2mm stone and very quickly gave up attempting to carve it out of wax!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Manchester UK
    Posts
    937

    Default

    I agree cad can be expensive, but I started by building my own milling machine,then learning how to use cad and cam a bit of a backwards approach but it worked for me.I can design mill cast and finish a ring in around 4 days if I really have to and depending on how complex the design is.I have no experience with growing or 3d printing of models,but I think the surface finish is not as good as a milled part, but that said the technology is always getting better.To mill a small crown collet would be no problem at that size.After the easter holidays I will post some photos if this helps.I use rhino software with some basic plug ins I have attended courses for cad at Birmingham school of jewellery, but am basically self taught from the internet and books.I dont see it as replacing hand skills but running alongside them, if you are a jeweller first then learn cad I think you are at a definate advantage .But I understand its not everyones cup of tea.
    Last edited by josef1; 08-04-2012 at 04:20 PM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Manchester UK
    Posts
    937

    Default

    I have found some pics on my home PC of a project I did a while back just to see if it would work.I think It would have been difficult to make without Cad. Im also sure the ring is not everyones taste but at least its a bit different !



    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	QR cutting.jpg 
Views:	18 
Size:	27.6 KB 
ID:	3496
    Cutting the wax on the milling machine
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	QR wax.jpg 
Views:	18 
Size:	24.4 KB 
ID:	3497
    Wax almost finished just needs the hub that secured it to the machine removing and cleaning up
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	QR Raw cast.jpg 
Views:	18 
Size:	26.4 KB 
ID:	3498
    Raw casting in silver

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	QR almsot done.jpg 
Views:	17 
Size:	20.9 KB 
ID:	3499
    Almost finished

    Video of QR code working with the help of my son and the text wasn't my idea !

    Last edited by josef1; 08-04-2012 at 04:14 PM.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    1,743

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by caroleallen View Post
    There's a course about CAD at Truro College in April. Unfortunately I can't do it as I'm away.
    I've just started a PhD so time spent on hitting metal is sadly limited to the times I get a commission plus my studentship is barely covering living expenses as it is. [/whinge]
    Quote Originally Posted by ShinyLauren View Post
    How small can one make and 3D print something with CAD? I need to create a tiny crown type collet for a 2mm stone and very quickly gave up attempting to carve it out of wax!
    My understanding is they can go really small, like micro-pave small. But it's doing the original file that I fear might be tricky.

    Quote Originally Posted by josef1 View Post
    I agree cad can be expensive, but I started by building my own milling machine,then learning how to use cad and cam a bit of a backwards approach but it worked for me.I can design mill cast and finish a ring in around 4 days if I really have to and depending on how complex the design is.I have no experience with growing or 3d printing of models,but I think the surface finish is not as good as a milled part, but that said the technology is always getting better.To mill a small crown collet would be no problem at that size.After the easter holidays I will post some photos if this helps.I use rhino software with some basic plug ins I have attended courses for cad at Birmingham school of jewellery, but am basically self taught from the internet and books.I dont see it as replacing hand skills but running alongside them, if you are a jeweller first then learn cad I think you are at a definate advantage .But I understand its not everyones cup of tea.
    how long did it take you to get the hang of Rhino? I signed up for a Mac beta version but lost the info. Has to be said though that I use jewellery as an excuse to get OFF the laptop!

    I think the finish on the newer wax printers is extremely fine, but it very much depends on which kind of file you are using and what it is printed on.

    Quote Originally Posted by josef1 View Post
    I have found some pics on my home PC of a project I did a while back just to see if it would work.I think It would have been difficult to make without Cad. Im also sure the ring is not everyones taste but at least its a bit different !



    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	QR cutting.jpg 
Views:	18 
Size:	27.6 KB 
ID:	3496
    Cutting the wax on the milling machine
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	QR wax.jpg 
Views:	18 
Size:	24.4 KB 
ID:	3497
    Wax almost finished just needs the hub that secured it to the machine removing and cleaning up
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	QR Raw cast.jpg 
Views:	18 
Size:	26.4 KB 
ID:	3498
    Raw casting in silver

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	QR almsot done.jpg 
Views:	17 
Size:	20.9 KB 
ID:	3499
    Almost finished

    Video of QR code working with the help of my son and the text wasn't my idea !


    nice result! I'm not wild about QR codes, but I get quite a few orders through for them. I have to send them off to Geti in brume to be laser etched. It would be tres cool to be able to mill them directly.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Manchester UK
    Posts
    937

    Default

    of tea.how long did it take you to get the hang of Rhino?
    It took a while,maybe 6 months on and off of evenings and the odd weekend to be able to produce what I pictured in my head.But I thought of it as learning to speak a diffrent language,the more you do the more it makes sense then you get to the point where you feel confident it 'clicks' and start to enjoy it.I still seem to discover new things and ways of doing things everyday though. I know what you mean about been away from the computer, but its a nice feeling to have the mill working in the back ground while you can get on with other things.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Manchester UK
    Posts
    937

    Default

    I cut a crown collet for a 2mm stone its really small I had to take the pics under magnification thought I would post some pics to give an idea of size

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	just cut crown.JPG 
Views:	20 
Size:	80.8 KB 
ID:	3540

    the first pictures straight off the machine


    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	cleaned up crown.JPG 
Views:	22 
Size:	72.6 KB 
ID:	3541

    the seconds cleaned up a bit in the ultrasonic to get the fuzzies off


    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	ruler crown.jpg 
Views:	22 
Size:	31.1 KB 
ID:	3542


    and the last pics against a ruler to give an idea of scale

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    London
    Posts
    884

    Default

    Wow, that is actually amazing!!! Can I commission you?

    Against the ruler, it still looks a little bit for what I need though - I bought some 18ct gold rex collets from Cooksons thinking I could do some work on them and add a little crown base. They were supposed to be for a 2.2mm stone and were 3mm across at the top, but they were way too big

    What I'm after is something pretty much exactly like you've made there to use as a tiny crown on a miniature silver bumblebee (here it is: http://www.laurengrace.co.uk/#/silve...ace/4557638802) and be able to set 2mm stones into the bee's little crown. Does that make sense?

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •