After getting frustrated with some mechanical issues in my FDM printer lately, and realizing that most of what I do with it are jobs probably more appropriate for a resin printer, I impulse ordered a cheap resin printer just to try if they are a better fit for me.

I have read that you need to be a bit more careful with a resin printer in certain aspects. I haven’t informed myself much about it yet, but from what I understand:

1 - You really don’t want to be in the same room while printing, and it should be in a room with a window open or in a balcony or something similar.
2 - Always wear gloves and a mask when dealing with the material or the prints.
3 - You don’t want the sun to ever hit the material for long until you have completed the print.
4 - Optionally you can get a curing machine that does a “second pass” of light, if you don’t get this you should expect prints to be somewhat “gooey” and less defined.
5 - Always clean the prints with alcohol and scrub them with some sort of brush to get residues off. This would come after the last past of curing.
6 - The prints are done “upside down” and you should set your supports accordingly.

Is there anything else I’m missing? Is any of that wrong, or are there any caveats about it? I would greatly appreciate any info about the particularities, and also any stories and experiences that you wanna share about resin printing.

Thanks!

  • fsniper
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    fedilink
    52 years ago

    Another tip is, if you are going with hollow prints, you need to put drain holes. It’s better to use some kind of uv light that can enter from these holes to cure too. Holes are pretty important. If you forgot the print may break, leak crack in time.

    Also do not forget, suction cups are your enemy. They work against a successful print.

    • BudgieManiaOP
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      fedilink
      22 years ago

      Thanks for the tips!

      Huh, I was always told to add a hole to my models and I never really researched why, now I know lol.

      Sounds like I might wanna add small holes somewhere in the upper area because I’ve always modelled the holes in the bottom of the base and I’m not sure how much that will help.

      Oh I didn’t know about the concept of suction cups either, I’ll try to be careful with that thanks!