Magical Magnetic Mold Box: Casting Resin Parts

[@asroneightyseven3854]

This is the best channel that I've randomly stumbled on. You are living the life I wish I could. Amazing work, truly an inspiration.

[@EricStrebel]

Thanks

[@JT99JT]

I am glad that I am not the only guy who gets excited watching silicone degass.. :)

[@themadmachinist8637]

Eric. I'm a machinist that recently got into making small aluminum castings and recently someone asked me if I could make an part they assumed would just be 3d printed but the volume of parts needed per month exceeds the feasibility of that method so I decided to try to make a mold. I'm still working on it but I want to tell you your videos are a life saver as I step a little out of my comfort zone and add this process to my wheel house. Thank you for sharing your expertise.

[@EricStrebel]

You’re most welcome, good luck with your project. Thanks for your comment I appreciate it

[@barndoorbangers4364]

Such a simple but GREAT solution. I cannot see a down side to this.

[@EricStrebel]

Thanks

[@GarlandLym]

Brilliant. I’ve been searching for specific mold boxes. This is the closest I’ve seen thus far

[@Ernzt8]

Magnets... off course! The pouring-on-a-slope is also a great idea, never thought of that

[@Latrocinium086]

Excellent solution

[@karie9890]

Great idea! Would be great in a jewelry application. Thanks for sharing!

[@toddhenkelmon1599]

Thanks for another very inspiring tutorial! Magnets. Wow!

[@negotiableaffections]

The Magma - great reference!

[@gregfeneis609]

Pretty cool mold job where the 3D printed patterns' texture survives on on the molded part. Almost looks like they were machined from phenolic or something

[@coulterjb22]

Love the box. Great explanation as always. I resin print and cast. I've been printing small boxes that have the part needed built into them and filling with silicone. No box-making. But I might try your approach.=less resin.

[@LimabeanStudios]

huh never thought about printing the box and part at once, very interesting

[@coulterjb22]

@@LimabeanStudios Tape the walls directly to the sides (you get the correct wall thickness/model).

[@FranklyPeetoons]

Great molding tech - and beautifully simple. I get a kick out of your text bumpers. When the text sort of "hiccups" as it rises, I always think the video is buffering

[@tvathome562]

Wow even the molded parts look 3d printed, very cool

[@EricStrebel]

Yeah, the silicone is pretty good at picking up the details

[@TheRealJerseyJoe]

Very clever. I like it !!

[@EricStrebel]

Thanks!

[@everydayanalyst]

Shout out to Alex in Illinois, hope your bracket is autographed!

[@LockStoppageSandwich]

Nice

[@carlospitcher4335]

Awesome as usual!!!

[@EricStrebel]

Thanks

[@pedroalmodovar6709]

Do you have a video on making the white box???

[@EricStrebel]

Link in the description

[@lampinainen]

Would you consider making/selling a couple magnetic boxes for individuals?

[@EricStrebel]

Yes, I have considered it. I am hoping to do that someday on Etsy, just swamped with design work these days.

[@denniskluytmans]

Is it possible to work without pressure tank and vacuum chamber? For starting out?

[@EricStrebel]

Yes, it is, you just won't get bubble free parts

[@garagemonkeysan]

Great video. Detailed sound (ASMR?) : ) Useful information. Cool that the box does not leak. Mahalo for sharing! : )

[@karllautman]

Another great video, Eric. Two questions: 1. Why did you use Shellac on the cardboard instead of your naphtha/Vaseline mold release, or nothing at all? 2. Was creating the mold and casting the parts faster than 3D printing them, since you seemed to only need a small number? If not, why cast them?

[@EricStrebel]

Shellac is a sealer, so that works well on the cardboard. The parts need to be resin cast for a specific reason that I can't reveal.

[@ecsyntric]

great idea…maybe print the key as well that matches each size

[@EricStrebel]

Yup, TPU

[@LindyDesignLab]

Yeah ok this is the comment I was looking for, the gluing together layers of cardboard and shellac process seems outdated with a 3D printer on hand.

[@berndtR273]

As always, fantastic video. Probably not critical but the hole you drilled out looked off center. Maybe making some kind of plug with a drill guide would take it to the next level.

[@EricStrebel]

Yes in this situation it was not critical. For their applications it may have been more important to have the hole in the middle.

[@TalkingGIJoe]

is the magntic box 3d printed?

[@barndoorbangers4364]

Did you have to apply any sealant to internal edges of the box so the silicone didn't leak out?

[@EricStrebel]

Nope, just magic magnetic force

[@barndoorbangers4364]

​@@EricStrebel God's gift!

[@EricStrebel]

Lol

[@brappineau4161]

Do we need a pressure tank with bubble free resin?

[@EricStrebel]

Not sure there is such a thing as bubble free resin.......

[@Xidification]

Edit: rewatched the vent&sprus section of the video it's CA glue you use for the vents and sprus. So disregard my question. (Was kind of hoping there was a secret PVA glue kicker I hadn't known about but, oh well). Thanks for the great videos! I assume the white glue you use for the vent and sprus is PVA glue (Elmer's as an example PVA glue), but I am unable to find any listings for PVA kicker (accelerator) anywhere. The only glue kickers I can find are for CA glues (example CA glues are super glue, crazy glue) Is PVA the glue you use and what is the name of the kicker?

[@EricStrebel]

I'm using a cyanoacralade for the vents and the injection sprews

[@Xidification]

@@EricStrebel ya, had to rewatch to figure that out. Sorry for my confusion. And thank you for the really fast reply!

[@UnvarnishedTarnished]

What do you clean the mdf parts with denatured alcohol for? I'm not too familiar with lasercut mdf but assuming that's why?

[@EricStrebel]

Removing the soot from the laser cut

[@UnvarnishedTarnished]

@@EricStrebel Ahh makes sense, thanks Eric! Great video as always!

[@MitzpatrickFitzsimmons]

very cool!

[@fayezalhashem8771]

You are the best can you show us how to make it

[@SimianLive]

he does on a previous video :P

[@EricStrebel]

Link in the description

[@CashMoneyCrane]

Are these mold boxes available for purchase?

[@EricStrebel]

Not currently

[@SimianLive]

hi, how come you didnt make a 3D printed mold key, since the inside size is never going to change and it can be reused to save time?

[@EricStrebel]

That's not a bad idea the one thing to remember is that the contents inside the mold box can be different shape and you might want a bigger or smaller key. But I think it's worth considering. It would not be as fast as the cardboard ones however. Also it could be difficult to remove. But perhaps if it was made in removable sections.

[@SimianLive]

@@EricStrebel ahh true so best have a few different keys for this size box (full , half, quarter) , i thought it would pull away from the silicone easier if it was same material as outside box with 4 parts and use something like tongue and groove joints, I was just thinking of a full ready to go setup for smaller molds that the user wouldnt need to do anything apart from put the product inside and pour the silicone, love the videos by the way.

[@EricStrebel]

It might be possible to print a flexible key seal perhaps out of TPU that would make removal easier.

[@WhenDoesTheVideoActuallyStart]

@@EricStrebel You could cast one from a stretchy polyurethane, it would probably still hold it's shape well enough to make the key, and then it's extremely easy to remove. 3D prints have a lot of texture which isn't ideal since it theoretically increases the mechanical bond strength.

[@EricStrebel]

Actually, I find that texture beneficial for locking the two halfs together

[@zenginellc]

I am having a hard time finding magenetic spheres online. I am only seeming to find steel spheres, but not magnet ones in the diameter you used. Do you know if they stopped selling these? Perhaps I'll just have to try with the tiny ones used for kids toys?..

[@EricStrebel]

eBay

[@zenginellc]

@@EricStrebel Oh wow! I couldn't find a listing the other day, but there's 2 now. both about $36, but one is for 10x the other for 125x! Thank you!

[@johnkeller9290]

Great Stuff Eric! Q: How many casts do you think you can pull from that mold before making a new mold? Again, great stuff.. I'm almost brave enough to try this myself pretty soon : )

[@EricStrebel]

Depends on the part, and the resin you use and what silicone is used., also depends on how difficult the part is, undercuts, sharp details....etc, but you should be able to get 10-20 parts from any mold.

[@konstantingrudnev8374]

@@EricStrebel you can cover internal sides with some chemical resistant coating, like PTFE for example

[@EricStrebel]

No

[@sunconuresolar2658]

I am shocked how well that worked. I thought for sure there would be silicone between the magnetic mold sides. I have magnets coming out my ass! I'm gonna try this.

[@MileyonDisney]

Cool. Don’t like the pack hanger. Like resting it on two knife blades. Won’t last long.

[@EricStrebel]

I should try to cut some vegetables with the pack hanger, I doubt it will work however as a knife as it's edges are quite dull and rounded. It has worked very well as a backpack hanger for several years though.