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I'm thinking of getting a 3D printer. Can't believe how cheap they are these days. But I'm undecided because I don't know how easy they are to use. I've found a lot of YouTube videos that make them look easy but then those videos all seem to be by people who get their printers for free and therefore have an incentive to make it look easy. I'm also wondering if I would need a curing station as well as a printer if I got one. How easy are the printers to keep clean and well maintained? And I've also already got hundreds of unpainted miniatures. Isn't being able to print them whenever I want going to exacerbate the addiction. I'm hoping to hear some honest feedback from people here. What are your experiences of 3D printing?

P.S. Also I've got no intention of subscribing to any of those miniatures per month sites. Some of them look like they make fantastic models but then my collection really would get out of hand and I don't want the extra cost. I'm mainly interested in printing superhero models for Crisis Protocol that aren't in the range by Atomic Mass Games and also some scenery.

It’s probably easier and cheaper to use Etsy for any printed proxies for MCP. Most of the sellers use the monthly Patreon models anyways. It’s way cheaper and easier to just order what you want from a seller, and let them deal with the costs and problems associated with a 3D printer.

That’s how I’ve been doing it as learning how to use a printer seems to be a lot of work if you’re not well versed in programming and computers. At least everyone I know that uses one, are tech people.

My experience of resin printing is that it is pretty accessible, provided that you have an appropriate place to put the printer and some level of comfort manipulating 3D models on a computer.

I got my printer a couple of years back, plugged it all in, levelled it and instantly got some "good enough" models out. It took me another 6 months or so of light use to understand a bit more about the key variables and therefore how to get better quality finishes, and lower likelihood of failures.

As long as you don't wake things around, the resin tends to stay in the printer vat, so keeping things clean is relatively easy. There are loads of guides online so I won't put one here.

The biggest issue is that the resin is pretty dangerous and needs to be treated with respect. Hence needing the right workstation. Also cant be disposed off down the sink or anything like that, so your workflow needs to keep control of the waste as well.

In terms of maintenance, I have gone through 5 or 6 litres of resin over the past couple of years with no real maintenance needed. Occasional resetting the print bed, and replacement of the transparent foil.

Its all stuff that needs care and attention while doing, but it isn't hard as such.

I also got a flexible magnetic build plate that I am just getting to need to replace the magnetic bit on.

You don't need a curing station, but if you have the space it can help keep things neat. I made my own curing box with some strips of UV LEDs, but I mainly just use the window sill.

If you are only planning on doing a few things, then it may not make financial sense, but it is basically a hobby in itself and can lead to getting a nice range of random stuff if you like varied painting challenges

Also as soon as you print your first army for something larger scale like 40k, then it has instantly made its money back.

I love mine. No regrets on buying them whatsoever. Having bought a new printer fairly recently, I can say that printing is much easier than it was when I bought my first one 5 years ago. The software is really easy to use, auto support does a brilliant job, and nothing has come off the plate mid-print. Haven't had a single failure on it. Plus it's massively opened up new aspects of the hobby at a tiny price. Can't recommend it as a hobby enough.

I have Anycubic Photon 4K, and it is a lot of fun. Especially if you can design or at least modify models in a software, for example in Blender. The chemicals, mainly isopropyl, are quite smelly so you will need a separate room for the printer like garage or basement. I agree with Flinty that you don't need a curing station, cardboard box with some UV LED strips is enough. I don't have any monthly subscriptions, I just buy the models I like.

If you do it in your basement in particular then you will need some decent ventilation. It’s not just about the resin being smelly, it’s actively bad news to your mucous membranes and soft tissues. I use a half-face respirator with fume filters and have a small vent fan running constantly in my printing zone and I can still come out feeling affected.

Also gloves. Lots of gloves.

Interesting and useful responses so far. Now from what I'm reading the fumes issue is bothering me a bit. Not sure how safe that sounds. I was thinking of setting it up in my garage and there are no open windows there. Maybe it's not such a good idea then....

I just bought (last week) the Elegoo Mars 3 Pro.
I'm used to 3D printing, from having a Prusa FDM printer from a few years back.
But, the resin part of printing with the Mars is a new set of skills.

The resin I bought with it is water-washable, so should be less toxic than the usual printer resin, but still smells when you get it on your fingers. Use gloves all of the time.
I print at the front of the garage, so fumes are not really a problem yet (I hope).
Curing is causing me problems though. I bought a 2m strip of UV LEDs, and attached them to the inside of a foil-lined paint tin. It sort-of works, but takes ages.
I am now looking at UV boxes for curing fingernails, as they cost a fraction of a proper curing station.

As for mishaps, a part of a print job fell into the tank on day 3, and the print-bed mashed it into the film at the bottom of the tank, splitting it. The films are consumables though, and a 5-pack is in the post to replace it. Most big companies know the usual issues people will have, and make the replacements available when they release the product for sale.
3D printing is a hobby in itself, and can get out of hand just like any other. Printing booths, fume extraction, protective clothing, etc. If you want to do a proper job, the printer is just the start.

Jandgalf wrote:
Interesting and useful responses so far. Now from what I'm reading the fumes issue is bothering me a bit. Not sure how safe that sounds. I was thinking of setting it up in my garage and there are no open windows there. Maybe it's not such a good idea then....

As with most hazardous things in our hobby, as long as you think about the workflow then it is safe enough.

You need somewhere you can put the printer. It will release fumes as it works, and especially when you open it to get the printed stuff out and to reload the resin.

I keep my printer in a grow-tent to keep the fumes contained while its running, and there is a small vent fan just above where it sits to stop fumes accumulating in the room.

My post-processing and wash station is right next to the printer so limited chance to drip resin over things while I move from one to the other. I think I'm a bit sensitive to the chemicals, so I make sure as far as possible that the fumes are contained and dissipated.

If you have a look online for some videos it can help you plan where you will do this work. Other potential solutions could include, can you open the garage door just before and during when you are opening the printer? Alternatively, buying and fitting a vent fan in your garage will not substantially increase the overall cost of getting a print setup sorted. Especially if you think that an army for 40k can cost many hundreds of pounds, then even spending another hundred or so on protective equipment make it more likely that you will have a successful experience, and still spend less than you would on any one army.

Its fun and the risks can be managed, but I don't want to undersell the safety needs.

its easy enough, though have a realistic expectation of the costs.

you need the printer, a wash/cure station is useful, a pure cure station slightly less so but you want one or the other. stick them near each other

also want gloves, buy them by the box, a waste bin with a liner adjacent to it. I found it very useful to get a couple of silicone rubber trays, the printer is on one the wash/cure on the other - protects the desk

I then got some of the disposal foil platters, stick some kitchen roll on that, when removing stuff from the build plate it protects the rubber mat. chuck in a few measuring jugs to stick warm water to rinse models, somewhere to then dry them etc

gets involved, financially though it can be good, depends what you want to print. e.g. marines for 30k is good, orks presumably, a fair bit of fantasy stuff - you save money when printing in volume though more than one off models - there what you get tends to be something you otherwise couldn't get

also a learning curve about how to support things, and worth learning the basics with Blender to adjust things, also good for making tokens etc

i have a 3d printer a filamennt and a resin one, can say resin printing is a mess best thing to do is work with waterbased resin so you dont have to work with alcohol or other spirits. filament is easy but its more for large things and scenery.
you need to ask yourself how many things do i want to print? I did print a ork epic army with the resin one but now i need to figure out what i whant to print next.

Focussing on the positives, it gives you access to so much stuff that otherwise would be unavailable. I finished main assembly of this beauty last night. I have another 3 similar mechs on the assembly line, and then its on to painting

Also everything there was printed using the presupported files, with the only manipulation to slightly reduce the scale of some of the missiles and things that need to slot into other things to help with fitting tolerance. It was easy and the outcomes are awesome!