Casting wax with 3d printed mold

SketchUp 3D Printing
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Hi everyone,
I’m working on a project where I need to design a plastic mold for a BIC lighter case. The mold will be 3D printed and used for pouring melted wax, which will later be used in a lost wax casting process to create a silver version of the lighter case.
I’m a bit stuck on how to properly design the mold so that:

  • The wax can be easily removed once it solidifies, without breaking or damaging it.
  • The mold separates cleanly (likely as a 2 or 3 part mold), with proper seam placement and no undercuts that would trap the wax model.
    I’ve uploaded several screenshots of my current SketchUp workspace to help visualize what I’m trying to achieve.
    Could anyone guide me on the correct approach for modeling such a mold in SketchUp? Any tips on workflow, plugin recommendations, or mold design best practices for wax casting would be greatly appreciated.

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There are a a number of really good YouTube videos on this subject. Do yourself a favor and spend some time there, as to achieve your ultimate goal is a a bit more involved that you might imagine.

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Thanks for the advice. I’ve checked out some videos on YouTube, but if you know any specific ones or good channels on this topic that’d be a huge help.