A 3D Printed Mold Spout

Better Than a Spare for Slip Casting

Available as a Product on the Downloads page

Glue one of these on top of your slip casting mold (using slip) and enjoy the many benefits. These are intended for people who make their own molds using the 3D printing techniques taught on this website. Among the advantages are the following:
-Less mess.
-Smaller, simpler molds (they don't need a spare).
-Overhung lips, more precise lips.
-Visible indication of casting progress.

Available as a Product on the Downloads page

Related Pictures

v6 Beer Bottle Drawing

Fits standard swing top stoppers.

Available on the Downloads page

3D printed case mold for making ceramic beer bottles

This picture has its own page with more detail, click here to see it.

3D print this, pour in plaster to make a slip casting mold! My previous work on this project assumed a smaller 3D printer (making it necessary to print flanged PLA mold sections that clip together). But larger 3D printers are now common, making the CAD work much easier. This drawing is parametric for height, body diameter, wall and plaster thickness, and neck height (for the full bottle set body=160mm, neck=96). This uses my standard natch system. Neck vertices are proportional to height, so resizing works well. The top end is filleted to permit the longest possible mold on the print bed (diagonally). The bottom inside perimeter is chamfered, strengthening the default 0.8mm side wall junction to the base (that being said, be careful not to flex it too much when removing it from the print bed).

Doing this smaller size is for prototyping and testing. Casting plaster on a 3D print creates artifacts, these were not an issue. This PLA mold prints quickly, it has a hollow back side, permitting easy removal with a heat gun. There is no spare, it employs a pour spout, making the mold shorter and producing a better lip.

Need a stoneware slip casting recipe? L4768E or L4768H are a good choice. A glaze recipe? How about GA6-B (or similar)? Go full DIY with this, you will never turn back.

v7 Classic beer bottle mold in OnShape

Make authentic-looking beer bottles that are better than glass

Available on the Downloads page

This picture has its own page with more detail, click here to see it.

The slip casting process is so much more accessible than in the past because of 3D printing. Why not start with this? This bottle has all the same dimensions as my v6 (done in Fusion 360). But, because this is done in OnShape, one click here opens it directly in a browser window with all the power of a professional CAD system. If you have a free account there and are logged in, one more right-click can export it in 3MF or STL format for 3D printing. Or a "Copy Workspace" menu choice will move it to your account to enable editing and setting variables, adjusting the shape, etc. This works in your browser, there is no software to install and OnShape is free for hobbyists. This mold works with my pour spouts (no spare is needed) and natch system (no registration keys are needed). So just insert the clips and embeds, pour in plaster, remove the PLA plastic with a heat gun and you have a working mold. When dry, glue in the natches, attach a spout (using slip) and fill the mold with casting slip.

Need a stoneware slip casting recipe? L4768E or L4768H are a good choice. A glaze recipe? How about GA6-B (or similar)? Go full DIY with this, you will never turn back. Need a guided help to make this happen? Sign up for an Insight-live.com group account and we can work together to make this happen for you.

Videos

Links

Glossary

Pour Spout
Plaster molds intended for slip casting have a spare at the top to act as a reservoir. This enables overfilling the mold to accommodate the dropping slurry level. 3D-printed spouts make a spare unnecessary.

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