What is the best material to cast an Iron Man suit?

[ZoiddBergg]

Hello, I will be getting a 3D printer some point this year, the first project I want to work on is either Iron Man Mark 46 or 85, once the 3D prints are done I will be making silicone molds of them but I don't know what to cast them out of, can anyone give any recommendations?

Thank you.

 

[Quantum Stan]

Just curious why do you want to cast the pieces, the 3D prints are fine, seems like extra work.

 

[PropReplicator2]

I would go with fiberglass.. keeps it thin, but strong

 

[Captain Dunsel]

There is a durable material described in the TESTED Martian Suit video for the chest plate that sounds very lightweight and durable (described as bed-liner like), if your really want to cast your 3D parts in another material:

 

[DrCyanide]

Just curious why do you want to cast the pieces, the 3D prints are fine, seems like extra work.

This video does a pretty good job answering that. (at 15:50 and again at 34:25)

Granted, he's using SLA resin instead of the FDM filament that most people use, but you can imagine similar benefits.

 

[Quantum Stan]

Thanks... my PLA has been dropped with no adverse effects, and I'm not making these for commissions so I really do not see the need, but to each there own preference. I spray mine with polyurethane after the smoothing of layer lines that seems to make it a bit stronger, just something someone else shared with me. For me it's just cosplay and my time is worth more than perfection. Working 50 hours a week its all about compromise...yet still producing decent results.

 

[ZoiddBergg]

Just curious why do you want to cast the pieces, the 3D prints are fine, seems like extra work.

Yeah gonna make molds of the pieces just in case any of them were to break, there's kids in my house who can't keep there hands off stuff and almost all the time break everything haha plus if I ever want to sell suits I'd have the molds then to make them

 

[ZoiddBergg]

There is a durable material described in the TESTED Martian Suit video for the chest plate that sounds very lightweight and durable (described as bed-liner like), if your really want to cast your 3D parts in another material:

That's very interesting I've done a bit of research on that and demo videos it can take the weight of a human standing on anything sprayed with it, Thank you!

 

[Heaven]

That's very interesting I've done a bit of research on that and demo videos it can take the weight of a human standing on anything sprayed with it, Thank you!

If you find a site to purchase this spray from, let me know please! From my googling I'm only finding spray services which apply these coatings on floors and such. the only spray bed liner I can find is polyurethane, but not polyurea

 

[Psicorp7]

I guess it depends on your total budget for this project. What are you looking at spending?

 

[kyl3id]

Just my 2c, I have printed tonnes of PLA and ABS on different printers. Unless youre planning on reproducing parts regularly, molding and casting is just a headache and an extra cost.

Anecdotally, my 18month old has only managed to break a few of my prints, and I fully expected him to be able to because they were rough drafts or test prints - ones with 5% or less infill, parts only held together with registration keys or ones only glued together with a few dabs of superglue. The properly completed prints are fine - he throws Destiny hand cannons around, and even gave my Iron Man helmet a 'battle damaged' paint job on the driveway

 

[ZoiddBergg]

If you find a site to purchase this spray from, let me know please! From my googling I'm only finding spray services which apply these coatings on floors and such. the only spray bed liner I can find is polyurethane, but not polyurea

I found some on alibaba but I'm not quite sure to trust that website or not

 

[offearth]

This video does a pretty good job answering that. (at 15:50 and again at 34:25)

Granted, he's using SLA resin instead of the FDM filament that most people use, but you can imagine similar benefits.

Resin v FDM is a bad argument. FDM Printers print much stronger parts with ABS, ASA, PLA and PETG filaments. Unless you're going to pony up for a resin printer and spend extra on the "tough resins' that won't shatter in a drop test the typical FDM printed armor parts will be strong enough!