Run into any antique hardware that’s missing pieces? 3D Printing to the rescue! These are a few small projects where we reverse engineered and used 3D printing to create parts out of Silver. These projects were done for for Stephen Visakay (http://visakay.com/), an antique expert, collector, and author. The process to create precious metal via 3D CAD file has become much more accessible in recent years thanks to websites like Shapeways, Sculpteo, and others.

With a 3D CAD file in hand, you can simply upload the part and get instant pricing. The actual process for producing these parts is known as “lost wax casting“. Ultimately, the CAD file will lead to a replica of your part made out of wax. The wax is coated in a ceramic slurry multiple times. It is then heated and the wax melts and is drained away. The ceramic mold is filled with a molten precious metal, cooled, and then processed (polished) as needed.