Scale Model Shop

**Gary MacKenzie** · 16 May 2023, 10:37

There are a few people here already doing resin 3d printing.
I have done a chunk of research on resin printing, and best answer I can give is go look on youtube at the following accounts

3dprintingpro .... https://www.youtube.com/@3dprintingpro212
modbot ....... https://www.youtube.com/@ModBotArmy
unclejessy ....... https://www.youtube.com/@UncleJessy
vogman ...... https://www.youtube.com/@vogman
makersmuse .... https://www.youtube.com/@MakersMuse

and this video about a cheaper resin that is pretty good @

It has an extra set of cleanup bits
a. wear nitryl gloves
b. have a slap mat under the area you are working on. https://www.amazon.co.uk/TIGTAK-Prin.../dp/B0BM5LGTPS

1. clean model in either IPA/methylated spirits for normal resin, or water for water-washable
2. DRY IT THOROUGHLY, leave it to air dry or use an airbrush/fan to get it dry
3. Cure it in the ultraviolet light
4. put in warm water and the ''supports'' will come away a lot easier
5. tidy up

If I don't have any more vet bills before end of summer I may actually get to order mine.

**Neil Merryweather** · 16 May 2023, 11:32

Originally posted by Andy T

Firstly I should say that I don't have much experience with any kind of 3d printing but my business partner has done a lot of filament stuff in the past.

We bought ourselves a second hand Ender 3 to play around with but it just doesn't have the resolution for the kind of things we want. For me that's diorama accessories & miniatures, for him it's Hot Wheels related stuff (~1/64), so we're considering a used resin printer (as a business expense of course

)

But I'm concerned as it seems a bit of a "messy" process compared to filament.

It'll be sited at work (a car bodyshop) where we're used to paint, thinners, fiberglass & resin etc so no worries there, but it seems like it could get messy lifting prints out, cleaning, curing etc. I bit labour intensive if you like, compared to just scraping it off a glass bed.

A guy local to us is selling up his bundle of a Mono, a Mono X, wash & cure 2, various cleaning liquids like ipa and elbow grease (whatever that is lol) and several kilos of resin, which seems like a good plug & play set up.

So after that ramble the question really is, does resin printing need much more faffing about then filament, or is it more than worth it for the end result?

Thanks in advance :thumb2:

why is he selling.....?
I don't know the Mono, but it might be a good way of dipping your toe in the water, especially if your mate already has experience with stl files etc
yes it's a messy and sticky process , you'll need tons of gloves ,wipes and IPA.
but I still like it, I've used it for some quite interesting bits for my figures
I would checkout the MONO user forums before you part with your hard-earned, though, in case there are known pitfalls with it

**Andy T** · 16 May 2023, 15:08

I've been a little down the YouTube rabbit hole Gary but that's a few more places to look, thanks.

Neil, that would be my first question to him, especially selling a full set up like that. There's even a 3rd, broken, printer thrown in that he bought for parts.

Thanks for confirming about the mess. It did seem that way from the limited stuff I'd seen. Nothing I'm not used to at work though I guess.

How much does ambient light matter? One video I saw said that natural UV was a really bad thing and you should plan for a fairly dark room to work in. Is he overstating that issue?

I know the UV cured filler & primers we use on cars go off very quickly in direct sunlight, but kept in the shadows they are fine.

**Airborne01** · 16 May 2023, 15:18

This conversation is like a discussion of annelid worm courting moves - sorry gents (I'm not quite a Luddite but I am totally out of my depth here !) I'm still learning my 'phone under the glare of the Boss but I have the greatest respect for Techie people!
Steve

**Gary MacKenzie** · 16 May 2023, 16:03

Originally posted by Andy T

How much does ambient light matter?

It shouldn't if it is ''internal lighting'', it's UV at 405nm ( i think ) that activates the curing.
But sunlight will cure it.
The ''lid'' is u/v protection , so put it back on as soon as you remove the build plate.

**Andy T** · 16 May 2023, 16:06

Hey, I'm with you Steve. So far to me it's a fancy machine that can make cool stuff.

Whether I can muster the time & energy needed to get a decent result out of one is an entirely different matter :smiling5:

Gary, I could have phrased the question better, sorry. There will be some sunlight coming into the room from diffused skylights, but no direct glare.

I guess I'll just have to be quick lol

**Gary MacKenzie** · 16 May 2023, 16:09

Originally posted by Airborne01

This conversation is like a discussion of annelid worm courting moves - sorry gents (I'm not quite a Luddite but I am totally out of my depth here !) I'm still learning my 'phone under the glare of the Boss but I have the greatest respect for Techie people!
Steve

So was I, i decided its what I want to do next, as I can hopefully make some parts that kits are not great at, and PE is a nightmare for.

e.g. 1/35 scale Kar98K mounts @ https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/vari...-kar98k-mounts

**Gary MacKenzie** · 16 May 2023, 16:11

Originally posted by Andy T

Hey, I'm with you Steve. So far to me it's a fancy machine that can make cool stuff.

Whether I can muster the time & energy needed to get a decent result out of one is an entirely different matter :smiling5:

Gary, I could have phrased the question better, sorry. There will be some sunlight coming into the room from diffused skylights, but no direct glare.

I guess I'll just have to be quick lol

If you look at a few of the people I linked to, you'll see that you have seconds to do that, it takes about 20 to 30 seconds at least to cure most small models finally, with larger bits taking a lot longer.
I think the warning is there so that people don't leave the cover off for 1/2 hour while they clean parts etc.

**Dave Ward** · 16 May 2023, 20:26

As I've said in my posts, I'd love a resin printer, but not having the right space & facilities, it's a non- starter. If you have the space & ventilation go for it - if you can pick up a used printer & a bundle of associated bits, at a good price, then that's a no brainer. You should have all the facemasks & protective gear already! I'd really like to see an honest assessment of resin printing from a complete beginner & how much it cost to run - at the moment I'm paying £12.99 for a 1kg spool of PLA..............
Dave

**Andy T** · 17 May 2023, 05:54

Thanks Dave. I'm still toying with the idea as it might just end up as an expensive ornament! The Ender 3 sat for nearly a year untouched :surprised:

If we do decide to go for it I'll keep you updated as we fudge our way through. It comes with around 9kg of resin so I think running costs would be hard to calculate as that should last a while.

JR · 17 May 2023, 10:15

Go for it Andy, you have the perfect place to use it. If your mate has some experience already that's a bonus .

**Gary MacKenzie** · 17 May 2023, 11:42

From looking around, second hand and working,
A mono plus wash n cure is worth approx £275
A mono x is worth up to £330
So worth up to £600, or could be sold for that on Ebay.

**Andy T** · 17 May 2023, 13:01

Cheers Gary, that's exactly the figure he mentions in his add: worth up £600 on ebay.

Kinda gets you wondering why he's selling for a lot less than that, including all the fluids, 9kg of resin and a spares or repair printer thrown in.

If it seems too good to be true and all that....

**Gary MacKenzie** · 17 May 2023, 13:22

Maybe he doesn't want the transport costs etc.
Maybe any money is better than it sitting and doing nothing in his house.
I see similar with some computers that get sold for low prices, often by people who need cash quickly short term.

Scale Model Shop

Advice on resin printing

Advice on resin printing

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