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How do!

So amongst my non-gaming pastimes, I’ve been doing resin castings here and there and find it super enjoyable. And having seen my friend’s 3D Printer kit, I am tempted to get involved. Not for printing models, but for other projects, like Spooky Ghosts for The Great Global Ghost Hunt.

Ideally I want something where the finished prints have minimal print lines, as I don’t have the inclination to spend yonks sanding prints smooth. But also, I want to get something that’s decent value, rather than top dollar.

From the software my friend showed me, my standard, nothing special, 3 year old, off the shelf PC should be plenty. So really I’m just looking for the printer and curing station.

The one my friend has is a few years old now, and I think it’s this one https://www.amazon.co.uk/ANYCUBIC-Printing-Monochrome-Detection-130x82x165mm/dp/B08HRWTJ18/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2JRNGDHT6PVQ5&keywords=resin+3d+printer&qid=1666953595&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI2LjMxIiwicXNhIjoiNi4wMSIsInFzcCI6IjUuNTYifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=Resin+3d%2Caps%2C87&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

However, when it comes to these things, I’ve about as much of a clue as Liz Truss has a clue about politics.

Any and all comments and recommendations gratefully received.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh, and I suppose it would help to at least give an idea of what sort of things I’d be looking to print. So here you go.

https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/art/little-ghost-narnaa

I'mma going to be lazy and point you to this thread where there are already some very good answers as well as some fancy links to good information :
https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/807342.page


You also don't "need" a curing station, but they are handy and most who own them get good use out of them. I'd also be sure to budget around £100 on top for all the safety, accessory and other stuff that you'll need on top to get started. Most of them are one time or steady repeat cost things (gloves, mask, silicon spatula etc...)



Also those ghosts are what I'd class as models. That printer you link will 100% print those. Right now if I were getting into it I'd likely grab a Mars 3 as that's got the same build volume and 4K screen and is a reliable printer and being sold pretty cheaply all round.

Fair on the link! Should’ve checked the sub-forum first.

If the Moderati are watching, feel free to lock this ultimately duplicate thread.

Naw its sometimes good to have your own as you might well end up with different questions, requirements, ideas and such and go down a totally different pathway. I was just saving my fingers typing out a lot of the common early repeat answers and such.

Reckon I’ll take the plunge next month. Should also probably crack open the PC, figure out it’s memory and see if I can punt some more in.

I mean, it’s been near 20 years since I last effed around with such things, and I was never all that knowledgable, but I’m pretty sure it’s expanded memory you need for graphics based shenanigans.


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In terms of other peripherals, I’ve already a decent supply of PPE gubbins, due to my resin casting.

Also, can anyone recommend retailers? I’ll use Amazon otherwise, but if I can put some dosh to a smaller company, one that actually, y’know, pays its taxes, I’d prefer it.

Well you could try it right now.

Grab Lychee off their website https://mango3d.io/downloads/

Install it and then grab a legally free STL and see how it all performs and try adding supports and slicing it.

You can do all that for free as the printer itself runs on its own, its only the supporting and slicing steps that you use the PC for.




Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:


Also, can anyone recommend retailers? I’ll use Amazon otherwise, but if I can put some dosh to a smaller company, one that actually, y’know, pays its taxes, I’d prefer it.

I've mostly used Amazon - got my printer from 3D Jake. I've also noticed that Wayland Games are getting into the market and have Saturn 2 printers and some extras for that. About all the rest of my safety gear advice is in the link in the other thread I linked earlier.

Searching around on Thingiverse should met you more files than you can ever reasonably print to practice on. MyMiniFactory also has quite a lot of free stuff available. MMF is dangerous though as it’s so easy just to pick up a couple of cheap files for good looking models…

Also also….total noob question.

My mate doesn’t use an Anycubic curing station, solely because it’s cover is red, and he wanted printer and curing to match. I couldn’t tell you the exact model he has, but it does indeed have a matching yellow cover.

Does the colour of cover make a blind bit of diffference? I understand that on the printer itself, the colour of the cover helps reduce UV emission. But on the curing station?

No difference what so ever. The curing station lids are mostly there to just protect your eyes from the UV light.

Heck the lids on regular printers aren't even all that UV shielded so if you leave your printer in sunlight it will get the resin exposed - which is why many use enclosures (also helps with heating and managing fumes)

If you have any uv light sources, you could test them

I can second the enclosure option. I got a £40 indoor growing enclosure and it works really well.

All I can speak to is my experience with Elegoo printers and curing stations, and learning to use my Mars Pro was an amazing plug n' play level of difficulty given the complexity of what it does.

I strongly recommend researching proper safe handling and disposal methods of the resin and whatever liquid you use to wash the miniatures. If you use the water-washable resins like I do, curing and filtering the water properly before disposal is the biggest chore of the process.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
How do!

So amongst my non-gaming pastimes, I’ve been doing resin castings here and there and find it super enjoyable. And having seen my friend’s 3D Printer kit, I am tempted to get involved. Not for printing models, but for other projects, like Spooky Ghosts for The Great Global Ghost Hunt.

Ideally I want something where the finished prints have minimal print lines, as I don’t have the inclination to spend yonks sanding prints smooth. But also, I want to get something that’s decent value, rather than top dollar.

From the software my friend showed me, my standard, nothing special, 3 year old, off the shelf PC should be plenty. So really I’m just looking for the printer and curing station.

The one my friend has is a few years old now, and I think it’s this one https://www.amazon.co.uk/ANYCUBIC-Printing-Monochrome-Detection-130x82x165mm/dp/B08HRWTJ18/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2JRNGDHT6PVQ5&keywords=resin+3d+printer&qid=1666953595&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI2LjMxIiwicXNhIjoiNi4wMSIsInFzcCI6IjUuNTYifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=Resin+3d%2Caps%2C87&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

However, when it comes to these things, I’ve about as much of a clue as Liz Truss has a clue about politics.

Any and all comments and recommendations gratefully received.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh, and I suppose it would help to at least give an idea of what sort of things I’d be looking to print. So here you go.

https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/art/little-ghost-narnaa

You still Kent based? I have a very gently used one of those I could sell you (less than a dozen prints), along with a wash and cure machine (slightly more used, but still perfectly functional). I've moved onto bigger and better printers!