MakerGear Forum

This was a learning experience. If I were to do it again, I'd back off on the supports, do it in PLA not the more expensive PET+, and I'd print it at the high end of PLA temp range. You can see some splits, especially the one right on Lincoln's nose. There were 3 or 4 other minor splits. I was printing at 245 and I think 250 would have been better. The mask is only 1/10" thick (75% of the original mask) so printing hotter and maybe a little slower (used 2400mm/min default) might have kept the splits from happening.

I used a heat gun to soften the plastic so I could close the gaps most of the way, then used CA to close them the rest of the way. Not sure if that will be a permanent bond, but we'll see.

All told, a 36.5 hour print...the supports really jacked up the time and cost, and could have been less beefy without compromising the print.

I decided to do some work on the print, since I wasn't too happy with the result overall. I've always been curious about faux stone finishes and thought it might work for this print. I wouldn't want to do this all the time, but I think it helped hide some defects and make it more interesting in this case. I'll mount it on a wooden base, but for now it's just sitting on top of an upside down coaster.

i dont know if it looks cool or a bit creepy lol. the stone effect is pretty cool. to make it look more like a sculpture. i dont think i my wife would like it looking at her.....hmmm on second thought maybe ill print one hehe

jimc wrote:i dont know if it looks cool or a bit creepy lol. the stone effect is pretty cool. to make it look more like a sculpture. i dont think i my wife would like it looking at her.....hmmm on second thought maybe ill print one hehe

I got the same reaction to a black PLA print I did with this same life mask. At work, one guy thought it was George Washington, another guy guessed Benjamin Franklin. Nobody guessed Lincoln. And more than one person was creeped out. It's the eyes, I think. I should look for some prosthetic eyes on Ebay and really go for the creepy factor!