http://snip.ly/o8h4 - Was just watching this video on YouTube. Looks like a reasonable way to make copies with different material properties. I wonder how much the layers show in the final product though?
Layers can be acetone vapor smoothed, or even sanded away with fine grit sandpaper. As with any other process, finishing techniques are possible with 3d printing.
@N_E11 Well, yeah, I’ve done ABS smoothing (although you lose some dimensions). But specifically, I wondered how much the cast resin “picked up” the ridges. In particular, smoothing often leaves some ridge artifacts on horizontal surfaces. Have you done resin casting?
@Al_Williams Never tried it. Thought about it a little. I’ve done plaster casting, and that’s about as far as I’ve gotten in artistic castings.
I’ve also had a “nose cone” for a lathe spindle cast for me in resin, and witnessed the entire process. We did quite a bit of grinding and smoothing on those afterwards, however, so I don’t specifically remember how much detail that the resin picks up. It seemed like it was a very slow setting resin.