Feb 18, 2016 | By Kira
The wildly popular 3Doodler 3D printing pen has become something of an agitator in the 3D printing industry. An affordable, handheld device that uses the same plastic-extruding principles as a standard desktop 3D printer, the 3Doodler has unleashed a flood of spontaneous, experimental and unrestrained 3D printing creativity. We’ve seen 3Doodled mixed media paintings, the 3Doodler for kids, and even an entirely 3Doodled dress, but today, the WobbleWorks 3D printing pen has achieved a new milestone: the world’s first solid gold 3Doodle, which has inspired an entire 14-piece 3Doodled jewelry collection by NY-based DGC Jewelers.
The idea for casting sterling silver and solid gold jewelry from 3Doodled designs came to David Cunningham, owner of DGC Jewelers, in the form of a simple yet unexpected question. His friend, Michael Husted, had sent a freeform 3Doodled heart with the note: “David, do you think this will cast?” That inquiry launched Cunningham onto a mission to find out just how far he could take this new form of jewelry creation.
The result is 14 finished pieces of fine jewelry, including earrings, pendants and a diamond-encrusted flower ring. Each design was first 3D printed in ABS plastic using the 3Doodler 3D printing pen, before being cast in sterling silver or gold. Some pieces even include a combination of 3Doodled and ‘traditionally’ 3D printed elements.
Above: Two-Toned 'Love' Earrings; Below: Splatter Pendant
Most importantly, Cunningham highlighted that throughout the experimental process, he and fellow designer Rob Oakley focused on creating shapes and forms with the 3Doodler that would be difficult or even impossible to make using traditional methods of jewelry manufacturing. After a relatively short learning curve and a bit of experimentation with controlling the pen, they were able to produce designs ranging from classically elegant to modern and edgy.
“The organic look and variation of thick and thin, and even some of the little mistakes, add to the interest and appeal of what we make with the 3Doodler,” Cunningham explained in an interview. “We were surprised on several occasions how different the pieces looked after they were cast, compared to how they looked in green, yellow, pink, and blue plastic!"
For example, when creating the Two-Tone Pin, DGC Jewelers used the 3Doodler’s triangle tip, and twisted the plastic before it hardened. “This allowed us to create an organic and freeform look that is unique to each individual piece, no two will ever be exactly the same.”
The Two-Tone Pin was cast in sterling silver, then gold-plated down the center
The 3Doodler’s handcrafted designs also offer an interesting contrast to the shapes and textures of DGC’s 3D printed pieces. “We do a lot of custom jewelry using CAD software and our 3D printer. So most of what we make is very exact, where tenths of a millimeter matter. I want to explore some options of combining the two looks of precision and organic by making pieces from CAD and allowing room on them for us to add some 3Doodled embellishment. Maybe we will work on a line of 3Doodled engagement rings!"
Two-Tone Flower Ring
While the 3Doodles were relatively quick to produce, Cunningham said that casting is generally a two-day process, and depending on the piece, finishing could take an additional one to two days. “I wouldn't consider any of them really hard to Doodle. I think we were just having fun playing with the pen and seeing what we could make with it and we never really thought of the difficulty level…. Asking which one is my favorite is like asking which of my kids is my favorite, I love them all!”
Above: Scattered Diamond Heart Pendant; Below: Freeform Ring
DGC Jewelers’ 3Doodled jewelry pieces are currently available on the company’s Etsy page, with prices ranging from $75 for the Freeform Ring, to $450 for the sterling silver and 14K rose gold Two-Tone Flower, which includes eight 1.2mm round diamonds and a beautiful Madeira citrine set in the center. The company also has several more rings and pendant designs ready for casting, and will also be offering custom casting services to fellow 3Doodlers.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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Awesome 3D jewelry. My kid birthday is coming, for last birthday I gave her a personalized sterling silver necklace which I got from bomajewelry.com. This time I wanna gift her a two tone flower ring. Can I know the price of it.
Nancy wrote at 4/22/2016 2:34:05 PM:
Awesome 3D jewelry. My kid birthday is coming, for last birthday I gave her a personalized sterling silver necklace which I got from bomajewelry.com. This time I wanna gift her a two tone flower ring. Can I know the price of it.
Jella wrote at 2/26/2016 8:23:33 AM:
Inspiring collection. I haven't seen this 3Doodler, but it's so cool. Here are some jewelry models that I favired http://cadmaster.pro/3d-cad-modeling/jewelry-modeling/
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