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I wanted to gather some thoughts on what people are using to wash and cure their 3-d prints from uv resin. I had a set up working really well and my wife was so nice to get me a curing station; however, it was so small that I could only fit in a few minis - not even a full build plate. Sure, it rotated, but I had to kindly return it and keep using the bin I made.

The white bin below was something I had lying around. I originally got it at Lowe's when I bought some chain and the bit I bought emptied this bin it was in. I asked what do they do with these when empty and he replied, we throw them out. So he gave it to me for free. I had bought a 60w uv light (405u) for $19 on Amazon. I lined the inside with tin foil, cut a hole in the top and can fit about three build plates worth of stuff inside. I have it set up on a variable timer, so it will shut off after 10 minutes if I do not switch off before then. I might need to turn over some items, but this has worked great. FYI - the uv light does not get that hot at all to be a melting hazard with the bin.

Also shown is the simple tupperware bins I rinse with. One to really shake and the other for a final rinse. I use half Simple Green, half 91% alcohol in the first rinse and 70% alcohol in the second and this has been working really well.

What is everyone else using?

For rinsing, I just tip some Isopropyl Alcohol into an old tupperware container, drop the minis in and give them a good swish around, and then rinse them off with running water.

For curing, I put them outside in the sun for half an hour or so.

Well, theoretically half an hour or so. Realistically, they'll stay out there for half the day until I remember they're out there...

For washing, I use a ultrasonic cleaner full of IPA. I don't recommend this, it's dangerous; but it's what I use. A tupperware full of IPA is probably a lot safer.

I don't have good sunlight around my house, so I have a big 'ol UV lamp. I built a custom enclosure for it put it in a shoebox, and added a UV powered turntable, so when I turn the lamp on, it rotates the part.


A note on IPA: I use 90% and it works well. No water, no detergent, nothing else. 5 minutes in IPA, let the part air dry for a long time - a few hours at least - then 5 min or so in front of the UV lamp. I have seen a lot of people have weird problems (white crusty residue) when incorporating a water rinse, using detergents, or curing it while there is still some wet IPA on the part, or whatever - my system has worked really well for me so I can't speak at all to using other stuff in the process.

I know some people reclaim their IPA, but I have not had great luck doing that, even curing the IPA and using a filter to catch sediment - ultimately I have found I can use it for x washes, depending on how "dirty" the resin is (some are worse than others) and then I have to pitch it. After using it x times, it's probably only like 50% IPA anyway so whatever.

I have just been having so much trouble finding IPA, either 91 or 70 that I tried the first wash with some simple green mixed with some IPA to cut down the dirtying of the second wash with just IPA. However, this only marginally works.

Any better solutions out there anyone has found for rinsing with limited IPA?

Yeah, I bet you have been. I'm lucky in that I laid by a pretty big supply before coronavirus hit. I honestly do not know what a good alternative is in the United States.

Googling seems to say that mean green will work. I have not personally used it, and it seems to need an ultrasonic cleaner to really work effectively, but it does beat nothing as an alternative.

Found this on Amazon that only requires 15% IPA to clean: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B089582G5L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have used Siraya resin before and it works great and for a 1kg bottle for $25, I picked one up to see how well it works - we will see!

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I tried the inexpensive 15% resin and it is a semi-transparent black. I really do not want it translucent, so I tried to see if I could mix a little standard resin to make it opaque.

Well, it works great, although I think I lost a bit of the easier cleanup benefit, but a I tried adding a bit of grey and another batch with a bit of black - both printed great and clean up super easy.

I have also had excellent results from the alcohol inks to make my own colors. I picked up some Ranger inks and I can take white and make just about any color (don't have black, so just from primary RBY colors).