Casting Jewelry with Maker Juice Labs WaxCast Resin and the Elegoo Mars 3D Printer

In this video, I go over my process for casting 3D printed jewelry made with Maker Juice Labs waxcast resin and Elegoo Mars 3D printer. This is a follow up to my review video of Waxcast resin. Much of what I talk about in this video is based on my own research and personal experience with the lost wax casting process.
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Chapters:
0:00​ - Intro
0:50 - Modeling the sprues
3:45 - ChiTuBox settings
7:17​ - Burnout Cycle
7:55 - Casting
10:00 - Filing and sanding
11:55 - Soldering
12: 43 - Final product
WaxCast Resin Available Here:
makerjuice.com/products/waxcast
Tools and Materials used:
ELEGOO Mars 3 (The new version of my printer!) - ebay.us/qSl7fy
Wax Knife Waxer Carving Pencil - ebay.us/sn6vYL
Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner - amzn.to/3s50BCy
The burnout process was completed using a Paragon SC2 Kiln
********************************************************
Video Gear Used:
PANASONIC LUMIX LX10 - amzn.to/395hx1O​
TARION Y5D Autodolly Electric Slider - amzn.to/36SvWNj​
LED Video Light - amzn.to/2RXmP9X​
DISCLAIMER: This video and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission.

[@nunyabusiness9043NunyaBiz]

I used to work in a bronze foundry where we worked on everything from jewelry to monuments spanning 100 feet. I have only two suggestions. One, we burned out molds at 1650 degrees Fahrenheit, so raising your burnout temps to that, if your kiln allows, should evacuate all ash, then just use an air compressor to blow out any residues and inclusions from the investment. Two, the way you melt the silver could lead to uneven distribution of heat and therefor some of the melted silver may be more solid than liquid, so build a small furnace with a lid, plus use a little borax as flux to aggregate and remove any heat-resistant impurities such as carbon-heavy slag. Hope that helps.

[@muzammilsahu121]

What is the name of software

[@alexmaldonado1706]

It seems that the bail came out with significant defects because of a slow pour. Molten silver and gold solidify less than a second after they leave the crucible. Considering how deep the bail was (plus the narrow flow space of the bail itself) must have been a factor. Excellent video!

[@chrisfoleen]

In my experience (goldsmith 25+ yrs) centrifugal casting is far better than vacuum for small to medium volume work. Fills finer detail much better. I'm just transitioning from traditional wax carving / fabrication to CAD-based, and your video is very informative. Thanks!

[@GraceNoteForge]

Thanks for the advice! I haven't gotten to do centrifugal casting yet but I'd love to give it a try someday.

[@CuriousEarthMan]

great results! Thank you.

[@GraceNoteForge]

Thank you! 😁

[@hectorgarcia8691]

Excellente vídeo estupendo resultado mil gracias amigo 😊

[@GraceNoteForge]

muchas gracias por mirar 😃

[@ihabiano]

Nice video. Thanks for sharing!

[@GraceNoteForge]

Thank you for watching!

[@jeffjefferson2676]

From what i have seen its that you can fill up your 3D printed pieces, and indeed can sandpaper the pieces to get a smooth finish. Tweaking the settings can help create better print quality. Good luck! Thanks for uploading! Greetings, Jeff

[@torreypines7337]

Great job

[@GraceNoteForge]

Thank you! 😊

[@vivianaaa4152]

Amazing

[@GraceNoteForge]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@steeldamiano]

It would be cool to see you model the decorative bail already looped on to the main piece. It might would cause some headaches in the clean up process but fun to try.

[@GraceNoteForge]

That's a really interesting idea! Ill have to give that a try. :)

[@dickmorris6310]

To save a few dollars on a consumable part I've found that a piece of saturated cardboard (not corrugated) works well in lieu of a silicone mat on the vacuum table to seal the hot flask. Even though it's free, I can actually use the same piece of cardboard six or eight times. I have gone through a couple of bottles each of Anycubic castable and Phorezen green castable, first on a Mars and now a Mars 2 Pro. For both resins after getting comfortable with them, I hit a problem of them not being available in the US. I'm currently working on a liter of Resinworks violet. The cost is mid-range and a bit more than the other two. I had some problems with printing it before getting the settings right but I think I'm going to be pretty happy with it. It prints beautifully with a lot of detail. It seems to have less ash than the others and burns out at a lower temperature. I suspect the higher burn out temperature of the other resins may have been damaging some of the details in the mold during burn out. In my opinion, cost should be a secondary consideration on picking a resin. What's more important is finding one that prints and casts well and won't drop off the market in six months after you have gotten familiar with it. I'm making engineering model parts that have exterior dimensions as large as a 3 inch cube. Even at that size the resin probably costs less than a cup of designer coffee and less than the investment powder. It's easy to spend at least 1-2 hours cleaning, adding sprues, investing, and casting a model. Saving a couple of dollars on a resin on that doesn't print or cast well is a waste of my time. VOG in the UK is having success with a new resin that isn't yet on the market. It looks and seems to perform similar to the Resinworks resin and he believes it will be available in the U.S.

[@billbarrett582]

I also use wet cardboard or even folded paper on top of my silicone mat when casting. Works great!

[@theOPkilla]

ICYMI, Siraya Tech’s castable resin (the stuff VOG used) is available in the US now.

[@dickmorris6310]

@@theOPkilla I've been using it for several months with good results. In fact I have some items using it in the burn out over as I type this.

[@theOPkilla]

@@dickmorris6310 do you have any issues with shrinkage either when printing or during burn out? Easy to add sprue to or should it be designed with the sprue? It’s not available here yet but I’m extremely anxious for it to be and want to be ahead of the curve lol

[@dickmorris6310]

@@theOPkilla I make castings for a 1/8 scale locomotive mostly using silicon bronze. Most of my 3D printing is in castable resin. Accuracy is important to me. Although it's claimed that some resins shrink as much as 6%, that hasn't been my experience. When setting up your resin profiles you can build do calibration test prints and compensate with your slicer (I use Chitubox basic). See a video titled "Calibrate your Prints" by Nerdtronic. I used the "scale" function in the slicer to add a casting allowance. For most of what I do, printing at 102% gets me close enough for my needs. I have found that it's difficult to join resin printed parts to wax sprues for the castable resins I use. I often use a tree to cast multiple parts printed on the 3D printer in castable resin. Although it probably costs more than using wax but the sprues are more rigid and by using a small dab of super glue to attach the part to the tree it saves a lot of time. Sometimes I add sprues to the parts when I make the model and sometimes I use a short printed pieces to join the model to the sprue. I've also done a few larger parts where the entire sprue is printed with the part. The resin I mentioned above is Siraya Tech Cast and I have gone through several bottles of it during the past year. The parts I cast a few days ago again came out perfectly and I continue to be a fan of Sirya Tech as a moderately priced resin that both prints and casts well. I have used it for U-joints to extend valves on a full-sized steam locomotive that are about 3" long overall and made of three castings. I then scaled and printed the same model at 1/6 size to make U-joints that were about the size of a pinto bean. A Google search on "u-joint USATC S-160 Consolidation" should find the photos.

[@jbmetalworks4661]

Would like to see more forging,blacksmithing vids plz...thank u

[@GraceNoteForge]

I definitely have some blacksmithing videos in the works 👍

[@kitjunya2450]

Like how you add sprues to the models and sculpted it

[@GraceNoteForge]

Thank you! It works really well.

[@-_-ok9550]

thankyou

[@GraceNoteForge]

Thank you for watching! 😁

[@-_-ok9550]

@@GraceNoteForge it is surprising that you have very few subs considering your video is actually informative than most useless tutorials on yt. i guess youtube runs on algorithms. anyway u got a new sub. all the best brother.

[@itsmeaylin8893]

Perfect 👏👏👏💍

[@GraceNoteForge]

Thank you! 😊

[@sirridok]

One more thing that may help with that turbulence is placing your model closer to the table side of flask so the air pressure can escape as it floods. I use 1/4" as a rule of thumb but i don't use a vac table..

[@roden9182]

like ur videos ,, keep going

[@GraceNoteForge]

Thank you, I'm glad you like them!

[@MrGekken]

0:40 before my adventure with casting jewellery, i am study a lot of movies on KZbin. I've notice that a lot of people use some "sticky wax" to overcome this stick problem :)

[@GraceNoteForge]

Thanks for the tip! I'll have to try that :)

[@AbueloHuerta]

Wash the piece after curing, some resins leak oils in the curing process witch does not let wax to adhere to it, if you wash it after curing you get rid of the oils and wax will stick much better.

[@GraceNoteForge]

Thank you for the tip!

[@Faisal1979nasser]

Great work, about casting its good but you must wait more to more mold and great temperature for silver ، After melting the silver well, you should pour the silver quickly and not slowly, because the silver cools quickly once the flame is removed, and thirdly, after you finish printing the design, you must design a silicone mold to pour wax in it because the wax melts quickly and does not remain in the plaster. As for resin, it is a hard material and it is It is possible that the remnants of the packages are stuck, which is the reason I think to get a perfect design, and I wish you success

[@GraceNoteForge]

Thank you for the advice! Resin casting definitely has its challenges and I still have a lot to learn. 😄

[@Faisal1979nasser]

@@GraceNoteForge yes i have lots of learn also, i have problem with my 3d printer ( photon mono x 6k ) When I finish the design and start to slice the printer always print halg design no complete so i move the design in corner ,, i dont have all my space ,, i don’t know how i fix this problem

[@frankmons4889]

Product called Sticky wax is good between wax and resin. Saw that on another KZbin channel. Hope that helps.

[@josesifuentes5201]

Use boric acid in you investment. It will strengthen the investment. Also pour your silver as quickly as possible. Make sure your vacuum has reach near max before pouring your silver.

[@TechNick3D]

Whats your investment? Did you add borax/boric acid to the metal for flux? How long was your bench time before you went into the oven? Also a tip i swear by with solid flasks: add sprues around the wall of the flask. Allows vacuum to “pull” deeper up into the mold I was having firescale/flashing/imperfections for the longest time. I added a kiln thermocouple to my oven to read the temps alongside what the display said and found i had alot of deviation. I follow what the kiln TC says. That eliminated a ton of issues I swear by bluecast x5 Your supports may have pulled off due to fep tension being loose. These newer machines dont allow for adjustment. Look into NFEP Did you vac boil your investment before and after your pour of the mold? Metal temps - sterling i end my cycle with the flask at 537c and my metal at 895c pretty good casting man.

[@GraceNoteForge]

Thank you for watching! I use Minro sc20 investment and borax for flux. I believe I left this flask out for 2 hours until the investment hardened, then placed it into a ziploc bag until I could start an 8 hour burnout the following day. The ziploc bag helps not to lose all the moister in the investment before the burnout. Thank you for the tips! I've been meaning to get a new casting resin to try out and I've heard a lot of good things about Bluecast resin.

[@cpayne1757]

Nice! So, can I ask why did you put the pendant in a plastic cup inside the ultrasonic cleaner since you had a basket...? Is that to cut down on the amount of solution that gets used...?

[@GraceNoteForge]

Thank you! Yep, the idea is that its uses much less cleaning solution and its easier to replace.

[@martinmicallef4847]

Very Interesting !! What software are you using to create that ?

[@GraceNoteForge]

Thank you! I use Blender for 3D modeling.

[@aroshhbk]

Hi, can you advice me on a kiln question. My power supply in Singapore is 220v so the US made kiln would not work and using a transformer is out of the equation. Is there a another way to melt the wax away without this kiln?

[@ripleyhush]

Once you printed them in the Wax/Resin, did you feel that they were still workable? Like, could one make changes if necessary with a flex shaft or a file or is the material not at all like real wax? Thanks for your time :}

[@josephghonoja999]

anyone know the settings needed for the applylabworks MSLA resin with an elegoo mars 2 pro?

[@brucea9099]

Did you try Bluecast or Phrozen castable resin, and what do u think about new 3d printer like Phrozen sonic mini 4k?

[@GraceNoteForge]

I haven't tried them personally but I've heard good things about Bluecast castable resin. Right now, the Elegoo Mars is the only resin printer that I have used but I've seen some really good results with Phrozen printers too. Its good to see that more and more options are becoming available.

[@martinbreen5851]

can I ask what resin you used for this video?

[@sirridok]

Looks like you need some centrifugal force, you should play with a centrifugal caster, i wouldn't go any other way! Also that investment is made with silica brother, when you quench you're being gassed with it,careful! Tight video!

[@umfan526]

Nice video! What is the temperature of your investment when you pour? Thanks!

[@GraceNoteForge]

Thank you for watching! My flask temperature was 950 degrees Fahrenheit when casting.

[@brandonl375]

What tools did you use to file, grind, clean up, and polish didnt see them in the description.

[@GraceNoteForge]

I use a variety of needle files and abrasives for jewelry but most of the clean-up work is done with silicone rubber wheels. I get most of what I use locally from Armstrong Tool & Supply Co. Here's a link to their site if your are interested: armstrongtoolsupply.com/abrasives/rubber-wheels-mounted/

[@brandonl375]

@@GraceNoteForge wow thank you !

[@DonteKentrell]

Might want to check your setting brother

[@kelna2]

No that resin is cheap for a reason

[@DonteKentrell]

@@kelna2 which one do you recommend

[@kelna2]

@@DonteKentrell phrozen wax cast is good if you can get it. I've been recently bought some of the iFun jewelry casting resin and so far it's been good

[@DonteKentrell]

@@kelna2 ok I’m going to try that I been making hip hop pendants

[@kelna2]

@@DonteKentrell alright good luck my dude!

[@EA-je3ym]

Beautiful, I'm currently contemplating getting a 3D printer. Does it increase production time? is it good value for money? What's quality like compared to hand made?

[@dominicgreen7617]

What's the name of the software the that you are using to design you own models if you don't mind me asking been trying to find the best one not to sure what to use 🤔

[@GraceNoteForge]

I use Blender. If you are new to 3D modeling, it can seem daunting at first but its very user friendly in my opinion. It's also free, which is nice 😁

[@dominicgreen7617]

@@GraceNoteForge ok thank you very much 👍

[@sancakli454]

hey just wondering how many wax pendants (let's say the same model) can that flask get?

[@GraceNoteForge]

The flask in this video is only 2.5"x 2.5" so its only suited for 2 or 3 tops, but these pendants could easily be added to a tree using a larger flask.

[@sancakli454]

@@GraceNoteForge thanks a lot for the answer! how about a 4x8 flask?

[@apr194828]

what kind of vacuum table did you use

[@GraceNoteForge]

I use a home made vacuum table for casting.

[@peteredwards2371]

Put ‘sticky wax’ on your resin piece first then melt your sprue to that. 👍😊

[@GraceNoteForge]

Thanks for the tip!

[@SestoMazzanti]

Great video! What's the liquid at 9:30? Thanks

[@GraceNoteForge]

Thank you! That was a pickling solution. It's a diluted acid used to dissolve the dark firescale from the top layer of the piece. It normally works better when its heated (which is why it was in a small crock pot).

[@SestoMazzanti]

@@GraceNoteForge Thank you!

[@sirridok]

Never seen this resin, actually just started playing with a 3d printer for the first time and realized i can burnout pla and just print my models..any reason you don't just go that route?

[@senghoucheong666]

What is your casting temperature?

[@GraceNoteForge]

For this one I believe the flask temp was 1000f for casting

[@Fidcincin]

how many minutes does this little flash burn

[@one.0921]

The temperature of cylinder is to low....When i cast Gold i make the temperature from my furnace on 690° and for non precious alloy to 850°... The casting will be very clean and after sand blasting with glass balls the result is simply perfect... ;)

[@GraceNoteForge]

Thank you for the tip! 😁

[@one.0921]

@@GraceNoteForge You're Welcome 🤙

[@FairusYusoff]

What type of software did you use?

[@GraceNoteForge]

I use Blender 😊

[@drigodegatodrigo825]

What slicer are you using

[@GraceNoteForge]

Still using Chitubox, but I've been meaning to try out lychee.

[@kelna2]

The Makerjuice WaxCast resin is complete garbage. I posted about it in your last video, if anyone else is thinking of buying it, don't it's terrible.

[@GraceNoteForge]

I definitely agree. Their seem to be way better options on the market for castable resins and if you have the means, absolutely go with something else. This is just the only castable resin that I have on hand at the moment so I wanted to cover how I try to make it work for me.

[@apr194828]

ifun green castable resin on amazon as for the sprue use sticky wax

[@keithgwynn2200]

@@GraceNoteForge Since making this vid, I assume you’ve now tried other cast resin options? Could you name a list of these resins you’d recommend (and which printers they go best with?) -please and thank you.

[@jelljell7871]

It is fantastic but the question is does it worth, financially, all that tedious work, or it’s just a hobby

[@grizzlygamer8891]

Less tedious than the traditional method. Cheaper I should imagine too as a Rolling Mill will set you back at least £500 alone.

[@GraceNoteForge]

Thank you. It really depends on the person making it. This video was really intended more for educational purposes so it seems like a lot of tedious work but with practice, these steps really don't take too much effort. Financially, I think it's well worth it considering multiple models can be printed at once.

[@jelljell7871]

@@GraceNoteForge thanks Grace for The decent response. One question please, I do have an oval gem stone and I need to design a silver mold that goes into that gem correctly ! . Can you tell me please how to do that ? Do I have to figure out the circumference of that stone and introduce the data into the 3d software you are using it get them fit correctly ? Please answer my query and thanks in advance

[@GraceNoteForge]

If you are using Blender as your 3D modeling software, there is a free add-on called JewelCraft that is used for jewelry modeling that's worth looking into. In the add-on you can specify the size and shape of the gem you are working with and it will produce a reference model for you. Then you can use it to accurately model whatever style mount you would like to fit the gem.

[@jelljell7871]

@@GraceNoteForge I found a lot but would you please recommend one by putting the youtube link plz

[@andreasherz4605]

Hi, why not keep the supports added from the slicer? Just use the parts as it comes from the 3d printer without remove the support. The channels are perfect for the air flow/escape - aren't they?

[@GraceNoteForge]

Multiple sprues can help fill a mold but as I understand it, it's a bit of a balancing act. The goal is to effectively fill the mold with the fewest vents and sprues as possible. It doesn't hurt to have extra but the fewer sprues used to fill a mold the better because it winds up being harder/more time consuming to detach the piece and sand down the surface once it's cast in metal.

[@nic.h]

Most support structures attach at fairly thin points to allow easy breakaway, which wouldn't be great for metal flow.

[@PGmining10]

@@nic.h in chitubox you can adjust the contact point size of your supports this is a hacky way of doing it but if you aren't comfortable doing it in another software it is a good alternative.

[@apr194828]

use sticky wax burnout faster can also sticky wax pieces together

[@eqtelevision2376]

how much u charge to 3d design a drawing i have

[@GraceNoteForge]

It depends on the design but I would be happy to give you an estimate for the project. Just shoot me an email (My email is on my about page).

[@rosemarieblazer2246]

Tutorial on how to clean a T-Mobile phone

[@rekhameena-vg7nf]

Price

[@fabiosoares1653]

Resin casting is not good. The surface is full of imperfections. The best resin is ENVISIONTEC.

[@acutian]

Maker juice has completely disappeared.. :(

[@GraceNoteForge]

That's a shame. Thankfully there are much better castable resins on the market now. I'm hoping to review some better alternatives soon. 👍