Help creating a mold from an existing model

[domad]

Hi Domad, Would it be terribly difficult to reduce the thickness from 20mm to 7mm?

Hi TuttleJA, good morning to the Community!

I would have given the same method as @TheMarkster (which I thank), and he was also very meticulous and precise in suggesting you some fundamental tips for 3D printing.

[TuttleJA]

Hi @Domad and @TheMarkster,

Thanks to both of you, I was able to get the cost of the mold to under $125.00. The thinnest that Shapeways would accept was 7mm, but I made a file that was only 4mm. The error message Shapeways sent about the thinner mold simply said "Model is not manifold.", which I don't understand. Oddly enough, it rendered just fine in both CAD Assistant, FreeCAD, and the Shapeways preview window. What's a bit more confusing is that they had no problem printing the 'positive' mat, which is only 2.34mm thick. I'm going to try exporting the FreeCAD file as a STEP file and try Shapeways again.

Thank you again for your help.

[TuttleJA]

Hi @Domad and @TheMarkster,

I found the problem. I checked the FreeCAD file of the 4mm part and noticed that there was an Error (!) mark by the 'cut'. So, I tried converting the part to a solid and then deleted the 'cut' with the Error mark. Then I exported the file in STL and uploaded it to Shapeways. That brought the cost down to $62.50.

Thanks to you gentlemen, I've learned so much about FreeCAD. Thank you again.

[domad]

........... "Model is not manifold.".....

.... I'm glad you made it.
Here is the explanation to your question: https: //www.shapeways.com/forum/t/model-is-not-manifold.53744/

[TuttleJA]

So, while the image in FreeCAD 'looked' solid, it really wasn't. I'm guessing that it was missing the bottom face, which got 'cut' off during the Boolean cut... And, that converting it to a solid put that face back on... (my simple understanding of the problem...)

[TuttleJA]

........... "Model is not manifold.".....

.... I'm glad you made it.
Here is the explanation to your question: https: //www.shapeways.com/forum/t/model-is-not-manifold.53744/

Hi Domad,
I hope you are well. I feel like such a beggar, but I've spent literally dozens of hours reading forum posts and I've watched more Youtube videos than I can count, and I'm no closer to understanding the problem I'm having. Here is the link to the new FreeCAD and STL files I've created. https://player-care.com/FreeCAD/ (FreeCAD says that the FreeCAD files are too big.) I need to learn how to embed them in a 6mm thick block to make the mold. Your advice and help would be most welcomed.

Also, this is the best I've been able to accomplish. See attached. I thought I could negatively extrude the mat and logo. Didn't work. You can see what I mean as compared to your file (the color image). Notice how my monogram is above the grooves and yours is embedded -as it should be.

[heda]

interesting stl as starting point.
doing a "split components" on the stl, it ends up with close to 80 of them, wonder which program was used to make the stl.

anyway, @TuttleJA - where did you get the model and what type of license is it on it.

if it is a free license, might be worth that someone from the community makes an advanced "make something useful of a completely broken stl file" type of advanced tutorial for the wiki.

[TuttleJA]

interesting stl as starting point.
doing a "split components" on the stl, it ends up with close to 80 of them, wonder which program was used to make the stl.

anyway, @TuttleJA - where did you get the model and what type of license is it on it.

if it is a free license, might be worth that someone from the community makes an advanced "make something useful of a completely broken stl file" type of advanced tutorial for the wiki.

I created a .ems file in eMachineShop. (It's a free program) Then I converted it (in that program) to an .stl file. My goal is to create a mold so that I can make new pedal pads (like the one in the attached picture) for a 1920's player piano.

[domad]

.......

Hi TuttleJA, greetings to the Community!
…. in recent days, due to various commitments, I have not been active in the forum.
I have read some interesting topics (of course they are all interesting, but on some there is nothing more to add, compared to what has already been repeated) I will try to recover a little during the week.
I have inserted in a file "matrix3_6mm.zip" (link: http://www.filedropper.com/matrix36mm) which contains:
- a “matrix3.FCStd” file containing the complete matrix having a thickness of 6 mm;
- a "matrix_construction_components.FCStd" file containing the solid bodies that make it possible to obtain the matrix, in particular:
a) 6mm thick block (which you can modify);
b) the punch (or positive mold);
c) the trimmer for cutting the stock (knurling lines on the treble clef) which must be removed after the Boolean operation difference [a) - b)] between the 6 mm block and the punch.
The operations to be performed are:
Wb. "Part"
1) boolean difference [a) – b)];
2) boolean difference [1) – c)].
Please note:
if the dimensions of the block a) are changed, the new block must be re-centered with respect to the punch and the stock finishing trimmer.
I hope the translation was understandable.
A greeting

[TuttleJA]

Hi Domad,

No problem. In fact, with all that you taught me before and with all of the practice I got working with the files, I finally figured out why my 'reversed-logo' .stl file refused to convert to a solid. Once I separated the lettering from the 'monogram' (which I had no problem converting to a solid), and adding a base to the lettering, I was able to convert it to a solid. I did some more work playing with the thicknesses of the monogram and lettering before I was able to create the mold (using the boolean cut feature). And, since the mold requires much less material to print, the cost came down.

Thanks again for all of your valuable help.

John