In our time exploring the vast universe of 3D printing projects, we’ve seen a number of distinct 3D printed planters and other gardening tools that help the seedlings of creativity sprout from our minds.
But sometimes, a pot made from 3D printed plastic doesn’t satisfy that green thumb itch. You need a planter that is sturdier, that can be quickly replicated, and will contain all of the water you’ll feed to your plant.
That doesn’t mean you can’t use your 3D printer, in fact, it can be used to make molds that you can later cast with concrete.
For today’s Weekend Project, we’ll look at 3D printed geometric concrete pot molds, created by Argentinian designer Espartaco Degano and recently featured by Thingiverse. By 3D printing molds and casting the planter in concrete, you can add a variety of creative elements that would otherwise be impossible to achieve with a standard desktop 3D printer.
Let’s take a closer look at how to make your own geometrically shaped concrete planters.
What You Need & How to Make it
The STL files for the geometric planter mold can be downloaded from Thingiverse. There are three different parts that need to be produced before the mold can be assembled.
You can 3D print the lock and two side pieces with regular PLA, but for optimal results, the inside of the plaster mold, labeled under FLEX, should be printed with flexible filaments such as TPU. When preparing the STL files on your selected 3D printing slicer, set the inner model to Vase Mode.
With flexible filament, you should be able to produce at least five concrete pots from a single mold. If you print the mold slowly and carefully wash it out after use, it’s possible to create up to 20 concrete pots before the mold starts to deteriorate.
Once you’ve 3D printed all of the required parts, simply put the mold together and get ready to start mixing some concrete. You can find concrete mix on Amazon. After you’ve made the mold, you can use acrylic or solvent-based concrete sealer to create a smoother finish and prevent water from leaving out of the pot.
Degano shares a number of fun ways to customize the project, including printing at different scales to create a set of different sized planters, mixing colors into the concrete mix to create a marble effect, or simply painting the concrete mold once it’s dried and finished.
Feel free to experiment and customize your planter however you see fit. If you have any questions for the creator of these molds, drop a comment on the project’s Thingiverse page.
License: The text of " 3D Printed Geometric Concrete Pot Molds" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.