Hi,
I need to make some molds to create some aluminum signs. I will be 3D printing the “plug” for the molds. The design includes text. So I need 3D text fonts with a taper as the 3D print will be used to create a sand mold. Therefore the taper needs to be on all sides so that it can be released from the mold. I have tried using the regular 3D fonts and then scaling each character such that the top is 90% of the base. However while this gives a correct taper on the outside edges of the font, it of course gives an inverted taper on the inside faces of the font, when I need the same taper in and outside. e.g. Create a 3D number 8, scaling the font to 90% at the top gives all outer edges tapering inwards to the top of the font, BUT the inside edges i.e. the two holes in the 8 are now tapered such that they are smaller at the top of the font and would therefore not pull out of a mold as the holes would “key” onto the mold material. I have searched for Sketchup 3D fonts that may already have been created tapered but cannot find any. Short of moving EVERY UPPER EDGE on each character needed in 3 font types, which would take days or weeks, can anyone offer another solution or point me to an already existing 3D font set. (I am using Sketchup 8)
thanks in advance,
Hi John,
Making my own, that’s what I was afraid of !
I think life is too short to do this with ALL letters/numbers/other characters in 3 separate fonts.
Instead a friend has suggested and is experimenting with printing in 3D the required text on a base in a non tapered font slightly deeper than needed and then filling the whole base area to half font height with varnish. Hopefully this will create a curved meniscus around each font edge, so allowing removal from the mold. Else I guess straight edged 3D font in HIP or PVA print material, then dissolve it out. that however would mean destroying the mold after each pour of aluminum as the final product would only come out when the mold was broken.
Maybe we can entice Fredo into adjusting his taper tool to work the way you need.
It is close as is but I can see that tapering on the loop/ring rather than the shape would be very useful.
It is entirely feasible that I nave missed this option within the toolset.
This reminds me. I was wanting to make a donation to the Fredo page for some plugins but keep getting stuck on the translation in paypal. Move this post to the proper place if you need to.
By the way, have you been fishing lately? Last summer a fellow from Oregon whose family has a fishing boat in Sitka sent me some lovely salmon fillets. OH boy! Were they good.
