Large Format Resin 3D Printer Workflow (Best Practices)

[@MarkPickavance]

Enjoyed your video. I have a few tips... I noticed in your video that you hollowed the model out leaving a void in the antenna. Uncured resin will reside in this and over time it will react with the cured resin around it and can cause the model to crack and weep uncured resin. This probably won't happen with yours because the translucent resin let the sun light cure it, but it can happen with opaque resins. So, find all voids and give them a drain hole. Or, use PrusacSlicer to hollow out before loading into Chitubox and set those awkward areas to be filled solid, not hollow. PrusaSlicer is much better at hollowing, but Chitubox is better at making holes. As a rule, I always put holes where they won't be seen, like the underside of the feet or inside the mouth. Another trick I've used is to size the hole to fit cheap magnets, and then if it is on the underside of the feet I use those to fill the hole holding them in place with a little superglue, and then I put the same in the base (if you have one) that then allows the figure to hold itself on to the base. And finally, always sand with water on the model, it will clear away the dust and you will get much cleaner results. Use 800 or 1200 to finish, though it is possible to use higher grit and put an almost mirror finish on the model. Keep up the good work!

[@ModBotArmy]

Pinned your comment! So many great tips. I do think like you said with the antenna and it being translucent that it did cure (I did not see any wet resin through the model) but absolutely. I need to take a look at Prusa Slicer for that. In this instance, I would have just made everything solid with the exception of the head and body. Perhaps I will make an updated video on hollowing and use prusa slicer to show that off. The magnet in the feet trick is also genius. This model can stand on its own but the idea of having magnets in the feet is so cool. Also the wet sanding with a higher grit I am sure would have made it much smoother. Always learning and I really appreciate you taking the time to share your recommendations.

[@MarkPickavance]

@@ModBotArmy that is great. I should mention that if you want 5mm holes for 5mm magnets you need to cut them slightly larger (5.3 say) as otherwise they will be super tight. When you glue them in you can make them flush, or push them in a tiny bit more and then cover them with resin so they're invisible after curing and sanding.

[@saschaschneider6355]

@@MarkPickavance I normally follow the formula I've found in the OpenSCAD manual: radius*1/cos(180/fn) - with fn being the number of fragments in 360 degrees used for the holes and so far this has worked perfectly for me

[@markz5771]

Cool video and model. For your air compressor you can get a cyclonic separator (for water) then coalescing filter (for water and oil) then desiccant dryer for any remaining water. You can pick these up as sets from the usual online stores. Probably 1/4" BSP/NPT size would be appropriate for your air brush.

[@ModBotArmy]

Thank you very much for the recommendation I will definitely look into it. I really want to get this thing operating correctly.

[@frannyfranfrancis]

New subscriber and new to printing, great channel! Invest in a California air tools compressor. Worth the money even if you get the smallest one you can find. They are quiet, hold more air and last longer. also get a moisture trap for airbrush, iwata makes them. you can get at hobby lobby

[@trebooN]

That's so sick hahaha, it came out so awesome looking dude!

[@ModBotArmy]

Thanks man :) I was super happy.

[@xXKisskerXx]

if your still looking for your air compressor help, a CENTRAL PNEUMATIC Oil/Water Separator - should help, or just any "moisture filter" for compressors. Every compressor will create moisture, it's not just cheap versions, it depends on volume of compressor storage, temperature, and your areas humitidy among other things like compression rate. (if you compress harder, filling more air into a smaller spot, it will make more water than if you compress lightly into a larger spot)

[@jon9947]

Fantastic video, love the model!

[@ModBotArmy]

Thanks Jon! I am very pleased with how he turned out. Looking forward to seeing other's prints of him.

[@WhamBamSystems]

very nice video! love the new mascot!

[@ModBotArmy]

Thank you! I am super happy with him :)

[@DonaldDrennan]

I had a print run out of resin, and of course fail. Is there a way to make it automatically pause before the resin runs out?

[@dillonpartridge142]

Love your videos they are very informative

[@ModBotArmy]

Thank you for the kind words and for watching :)

[@Culturedropout]

Most compressors produce condensation in the airline. You need a moisture trap on the output of the compressor. They're cheap and simple to install. Also, have you tried having the slicer save the "holes" (plugs the same size as the holes that print along with the model) and inserting them in the drain holes instead of super glue, etc?

[@ModBotArmy]

I have not but I do like the idea of that and may need to try it for fun to see how well it works. I would imagine some sanding or gluing may still be needed unless you are able to just press them in place. Have you tried that?

[@s8nlx661]

Great video. Resin printers get no attention.

[@ModBotArmy]

Thank you :)

[@Emily-fm7pt]

I have a tub just like that, and let me just say that people are very oblivious to signs that say "DO NOT POUR THIS OUT"...

[@cnc-maker]

He's a little too big for an ultrasonic cleaner, isn't he? Last year, I picked up an air compressor from Home Depot. I primarily bought to dry of resin prints, as well as reduce the fuzzies, shinies, and "puddles". It makes it much easier to create functional prints that don't need post processing. Did you watch the Creality anniversary video with their new offerings? They have like 5 new resin printers, as well as other products. While all of the new printers appear to have good specs, they are extremely over priced. They don't have anything in the Phenom class, as their largest printer is a Saturn clone for $949. I might try printing a ModBot Robot in TPU to sort of get a Weeble-Bot effect. 😉

[@ModBotArmy]

Haha yeah a little to big for a cleaner. Maybe the new Anycubic Wash and Cure they released that is for larger prints. I did not! I saw someone share it but completely missed it. I used to know nearly all of their printers but the last generation I have not used many of really just the Ender 3 v2. I would like to get the 6 se, Ender 6, or CR-30 in. I havent been to crazy to test out their resin printers but I really have not heard anything bad about them. I will have to check out that video when I get a chance to update myself on new models haha. Do it! I may need to do the same at some point :)

[@smallnuts2]

Say you wanted to do a 4ft model. How would you slice it to fit on printer and to alighn to other pieces? Can you scale it to 4ft then sluce it in that program to what you can print? Then next piece and so on?

[@charlesforbin6937]

IT'A A BOY......

[@AdamMann3D]

I don't understand why guys like you that don't 3D model even like 3D printing as much as you do. I got in to it to be able to make my 3D models real things. You should learn Max or Maya.

[@ModBotArmy]

I got into this technology with an idea of what this could be and what I could possibly do. Not having a background in anything related to design or electronics made the learning curve quite steep. I have learned a lot since then and have made projects of my own like this mini arcade cabinet that I designed from scratch www.thingiverse.com/thing:2768973 My primary interest does land in functional prints but I do have a love for art so I can appreciate character/fantasy models. So far I have chosen primarily the hardware side of things as far as dedicating my time and hours to.

[@Survdim]

How much resin do the supports contribute to the consumption....or are the supports thin enough that it does not really matter?

[@ModBotArmy]

I am pretty sure I show it in the video at some point but it is a bit. The raft adds quite a bit as well. I think in the end it was around 388 ml roughly (off memory) or about half of the solid model. It can add up but it still is not terrible.

[@petercasper224]

That turned out awesome!

[@justinbuck974]

Hi, I am interested in purchasing a Resin 3D printer. What type of printer are you using in this video? And, would this be big enough to create wearable helmets/masks. I am new to 3D printing and only now learned of the resin printers. I would love to make my own prop replicas, but would like a machine big enough to print large parts. Thank you for your time and I enjoyed your video.

[@Panthera_Leo_]

Huh, I guess resin printing isn't as messy as I thought it was. Thanks

[@ronm6585]

Thanks.

[@AndrewAHayes]

I have noticed with 3d printed parts that people model them with far too much plastic compared to how much a commercial product would contain and this also makes a difference to the aesthetics of my 3D printed parts, I am now keeping an eye on all my home designed parts and keeping walls thinner but with more infill in them.

[@michaels3003]

I've seen just the opposite; ridiculously thin walls (two filament layers) without putting any thought into it.

[@pascalgarcia5161]

The ball on top will be full of uncured resin. You should have made a hole. When you hallow before adding supports, some supports are created inside. I close the holes with a bit of resin in a seringe, and a small uv-lamp.

[@ModBotArmy]

Thanks for the comment. I am going to play around with prusa slicer for hollowing certain areas and leaving others solid. ChituBox seems limiting in this regard.

[@christopherenoch4230]

Nice second hole... Did he pass resin poop? 😉 Looks awesome... Great video.

[@ModBotArmy]

lol when I placed it I was like welllll this feels weird haha. Yes, he did pass resin poop haha. Thanks buddy :) Have a great weekend!

[@lolmandood]

You will need something like " Desiccant Air Compressor Filter with Teflon, Water Separator, Air Compressor Dryer" for your compressor to capture the moisture when using the air brush for painting.

[@ModBotArmy]

Thanks for the recommendation. I will look for something in that area. Ever since I purchased this compressor it has had moisture issues. Since I had nothing to base it on I though maybe it is just me. However, after upgrading everything but that I clearly see now it is hardware that is missing.

[@JohnJones-oy3md]

@@ModBotArmy Yup, moisture filter is the way to go. Any compressor, regardless of quality, will introduce some moisture into the air stream - it's unavoidable.

[@jon9947]

@@ModBotArmy Iv never used an airgun like that, but it is my understanding that you can buy cans of compressed air to use them. It seems like a waste of money to keep buying small cans of compressed air to use it, but they do sell air tanks. Might look into buying something like that and refilling it with your compressor. I personally wouldnt want to sit next to a noisy compressor while painting like that. Air tanks are fairly cheap too.

[@chillnick1865]

Nice vid.

[@ModBotArmy]

Thank you :D