I created this belt buckle to learn about designing for casting and laser cutting, working with brass and shop experience

SolidWorks mockup, with and without gating

Transfer the outlines from SolidWorks to the 3D printing software and cut out 

Assemble molds and attach gating systems

Place critical features face down and use shake table to compact sand 

Cleaning and post machining

The finished product

Lessons learned:

1. Thin features are difficult to cast. The minimum thickness for this specific process is about .25 inches. 

2. Layering molds gives sharp corners and works well. 

3. Glue adds itself as part of the mold and will cast along with foam. 

4. Brass is difficult to weld or braze. In the future I would cast on all features as part of the mold