Mold Design & Slipcasting
An ongoing exploration of digital prototyping, scalable manufacturing, and material aesthetics.
Ongoing since fall 2023
Skills:
Drawing
CAD
3D printing
Mold design
Ceramic fabrication
Softwares:
SOLIDWORKS
OnShape
Morning Star Flails
The iconic medieval weapon, slip-casted with a six-part mold and multiple two-part molds. Fully “functional.”
I modeled and PLA printed a block-and-case mold (a negative of the desired plaster mold) to greatly increase the precision and efficiency of the mold making process.
Once all six parts are made, I can begin casting the balls.
In my newest iteration of these forms, the handle is casted from a two-part mold that I designed and created with a PLA-printed case mold (left.)
Freshly cast handle coming out of the mold.
Each chain link was made in a two-part mold. Each mold was made with a 3D printed case mold.
Cup V1
A series of cups made with 6 identical plaster molds made from one PLA printed case mold. First foray into large-scale production, with 60+ pieces produced so far.
Freshly created plaster cup mold with PLA printed case mold still inside.
PLA printed case mold on left and cup mold on right.
16 freshly casted cups.
3-Part Bowl
A series of bowls made from two 3-part plaster molds. Each part was casted with a parametrically modeled, PLA-printed case mold.
Finished bowls, soda fired to cone 10.
PLA printed case mold on left, one part of a mold on right.
How the mold parts fit together.
Ripping off the rim of the bowl.
Spiked Chain:
A slip-casted chain using 3D modeled originals and a single two-part plaster mold.
Mold-making process.
Pieces coming out of the mold.
Pigments are added to the slip to create colorful pieces.