3 D Printing Why buy Moulds and presses

[alaninkarachi]

Just starting out and reading about moulds etc.  Anyone experience of printing their own moulds. Seems to me we could use the new 3 d printers to make all our moulds, presses including threaded bits, wing nuts, base plates and colanders etc. I'm thinking for us beginners this could be a great way to go. Down load the software design and using your own or a friends printer and produce exactly what we require. I'm no techo but do see this as a real possibility if we have some gifted persons here able to help. Instead of buying a started 'kit' you just make your own. I don't have a 3d print but some people out there have access to this stuff and possibly be very keen to show off their computer abilities and help the rest of us. Anyone tried this approach or has any experience in this avenue?

Interested to hear some views on this?

Comments please...

[linuxboy]

I'm not so sure it would be efficient. Decent printers that work with thermoplastics are still a bit pricey. I've thought about it...

[Boofer]

Seems like it would be cost-prohibitive over just buying commercial moulds. First, the cost of the printer...$1000-$3000. Then, the cost of the moulding material. Finally, the time required to print one mould.

I also have reservations about strength of the extruded material when pressing, viability in boiling water, how the draining holes get installed, etc.

A lot of questions hanging out there when a solution is already available.

-Boofer-

[tnbquilt]

It doesn't sound cost effective at all. I don't know anybody with one of those expensive printers, and a 2lb mold is about $15. If you buy one mold you can use it for a long time. $3,000 would buy a lot of $15 or $20 molds. I have a 1lb, two 2lb and two 4lb so I figure that's $100 I've spent in molds, and not all at once. I can't see ever using more two molds at a time so I'm set right now.

It sounds like it might be fun to play with the fancy printer, but it would cost a lot to make the molds from it.

Having said all that I would like one of those fancy molds gouda molds that makes the pretty round edges on the cheese and you don't have to use cheese cloth, but I'm not worried about it right now.

[mjr522]

I brought my 4kg gouda mold into work a couple weeks ago and everyone asked if I had used the 3-D printer because of the surface texture.  As I answered they all replied with something along the lines of, "Yeah, I can't imagine you spent hundreds of dollars on the material for that."  We've got 2 different printers available, and the new one uses material that costs about 1/5 of the old one, but it's still pretty expensive.

I think I'll look into how much it would actually cost to do a mold using the new printer.  If I can get the time, I'll see what data there is available for the strength properties for these printers material (if there isn't any, we'll generate some).  Then, I'll run some calculations and figure out what pressures the molds will tolerate as a function of size and wall-thickness.

I really like the idea of using the printer to make funny shaped molds and followers.  I think it would be fun to have a round cheese with a smiley face indent on the bottom, or a star shaped mold, or one shaped like a face, or one that looks like my initials...think of the options!

[gsager18]

I've been wondering about this idea for a while now! It seems like it makes sense.

For those saying that $3,000 is too much for a mold, of course it is! But a 3D printer could do so much more than just molds. The added cost of making a mold once you already had the printer wouldn't be very much. Right? Plus, it's generally awesome.

I've seen the website http://www.shapeways.com/ where people can sell 3D-printed real-world objects they've made , and where people can request all different variations. No cheese molds listed yet, but I'm sure someone on this board has the ability to change that...

For now looks like I have to just keep asking friends to buy me a 3D printer, hoping that eventually someone slips up and says yes

[Tiarella]

Mike,  could you get food/dairy grade plastics for the printer?  One cool sideline for someone would maybe be making followers with designs as you mentioned.  I've always wanted a cool follower pattern but I do wonder how to make sure it lines up right after each flipping of the cheese.  Or do folks just use the design follower for the last pressing? 

[dthelmers]

I use plastic letters and a piece of stainless steel that I cut on a waterjet. I put them on for the last pressing.

[Tiarella]

 Thanks, Dthelmers.  Where do you find plastic letters?  Food grade?  No cheesecloth for the final press I take it.  I like this idea.  My dad has some sort of computerized cutter in his shop.  If I could find the right material he could make me an insert for the last press.  Thin would be best because then it could used in different size molds under the follower.

[mjr522]

I'm not sure what is and isn't food grade.  The two machines we have at work us ABS and PLA.  Wikipedia tells me that they use PLA to put in people's bodies, so unless milk changes it somehow, I don't think it would be harmful.  With that said, it also says it breaks down in the body over time, so a mold made from it might not last a long time.

[Tiarella]

I'm not sure what is and isn't food grade.  The two machines we have at work us ABS and PLA.  Wikipedia tells me that they use PLA to put in people's bodies, so unless milk changes it somehow, I don't think it would be harmful.  With that said, it also says it breaks down in the body over time, so a mold made from it might not last a long time.

Wow, what use do they put PLA to in people's bodies? 

[dthelmers]

The plastic letters were from a craft store, not food grade but I'm not worried. The circle design was cut from 1/8" thick stainless steel. I'm going to cut some more designs to identify what type of cheese, and just the date numbers.

[mjr522]

"PLA is used as medical implants in the form of screws, pins, rods, and as a mesh. Depending on the exact type used, it breaks down within the body within 6 months to 2 years. This gradual degradation is desirable for a support structure, because it gradually transfers the load to the body (e.g. the bone) as that area heals."--wikipedia.