Real World 3D Printing with the Elegoo Mars 4 Ultra 9k

[@Cha1k]

For a video I thought was going to be a not so subtle advertisement for a 3d printer, this turned out to be refreshingly informative as someone seriously considering about getting into 3d printing, thank you

[@thestateofplay2023]

I advertise in my day job. On KZbin I try to inform. 🤣

[@fomasfaith]

A most honest and balanced take on 3D printing. I too long for the day where you just pick what you want and press print. I do understand that for some it is a hobby in and of itself but I just want nice models. I have gone down that very same rabbit hole only to discover I had to go just that 'little' bit further, first a flexible plate to make removal easier, then an enclosure and a heater. Ireland also not known for its high temperatures.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks mate. Yeah I thought it was worth documenting a real life experience because most of us don’t live in super heated homes. Ironically right now the heat is actually high enough to print. But that’s like 3 weeks out of 52! 🤣

[@Glennsights]

My friend just up and gave me his Mars 2 and his Ender v2 a week ago. He never printed a thing with them. So this video is almost perfectly timed. I learned a few things. Thank you.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Ooh. Nice! Enjoy printing some cool stuff!

[@Nethezbet]

My first was a donated Mars 2 as well, definitely MUCH slower, I think I was around 9 second exposure time, but just got the one in the video so I am hoping it is better. That old Mars 2 made me a LOT of stuff though, had a bearing not broken I'd still be using it. Solid device.

[@kgeo2686]

What part did he give up on if he never printed anything?

[@rugwalle]

About VOC... I repainted part of my car in the garage and used all proper PPE and also did some creative work with good ventilation. When I got back into the house the whole house was filled with the smell of thinner, more so than the garage. Silly me had my super ventilation exhaust for the garage blowing straight where my houses ventilation sucked in fresh air. There is a leason here somewhere but I have ingested too much thinner to understand what it would be...

[@thestateofplay2023]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 I shouldn’t laugh but man, that’s the kind of thing many of us do.

[@DeVstatrOmga]

I've seen countless "Beginners MUST buy this printer" videos especially with the Mars 5 Ultra and I have to say you nailed every point I had about the toxic chemicals and printers not being quite ready for prime time yet. Thumbs up!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yeah it’s true. The heygears ultracraft Reflex RS comes very very close in terms of ease of use but still has the toxic stuff and the messy cleanup. But it’s getting better if you’re willing to shell out the price.

[@vizionct1]

I’m using Saturn 4 ultra inside a small form factor enclosure w vent fan hose to my office window. Wash n cure station def a plus. This setup has been my easiest and safest method and amazed how fast I’m getting my prints.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I think you’re doing it absolutely right. The amount of people who just don’t bother with safety is hilariously unfunny. There’s like a whole Reddit thread about ignoring safety like breathing invisible toxins isn’t a big deal. 🤣 I want those people to talk to me in 20 years time. Glad your having fun getting great prints whilst being safe!!

[@demonpokemon13]

THANK YOU! I purchased a mars 4 ultra about a couple months ago and only now got around to setting it up. I spent like 3 hours trying to get it to work and start printing with no luck. After following your advice with leveling it against 2 pieces of paper, it now is printing my rook piece. Thank you, you've got my sub.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Oh man, I’m glad you got it working!

[@animateclay]

Those vats of alcohol and resin residue can be nullified by putting them in the sun for a few hours. It cures the resin inside and also helps it to congeal. It will partially settle to the bottom and you can strain it off with a coffee filter for disposal.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks for that. I’ve actually been using cheesecloth which filters it better than coffee filters as I can squeeze it for speed!

[@4hedgesfamily]

No, you didn't jump down a rabbit hole. It's more like you blindfolded yourself, tied your hands behind your back, and then hurled yourself bodily over the edge with a jetpack on full thrust. I've only dealt with an FDM printer. I'd like to get a resin printer, but I have an uninsulated and not real weatherproof shop, so until I spend a small fortune finishing it, I make good friends with people who have resin printers. (I blacksmith as another hobby, so I trade knives for models) I really appreciate your no-nonsense approach, and the way you point out that 3D printing isn't the beat-all end all solution. Sometimes it is nice just to cut the parts off the sprue, gleu them together, get rid of mold lines, fill in the gaps, and someday, maybe someday, actually get to painting.

[@thestateofplay2023]

🤣🤣 oh you’re right. On every count in your comment. Most especially that last paragraph!!

[@ChrisKay-h1j]

Fantadtic video. I got a 3D printer from a bonus at work after eyeing them for a long time. While i think ive bitten off more than i can chew, im very excited to learn more and am determined to it right. Your video is awesome for showing the pitfalls and offering some good beginner advise

[@thestateofplay2023]

The pitfalls are plentiful but honestly the whole experience is worth it in the end. 👍🏼

[@bbening3739]

This is easily the most helpful video I've seen as a beginner thinking about taking the jump into resin 3d printing. Thank you.

[@thestateofplay2023]

You’re very welcome. My pain is your gain. 🤣🤣😜👍🏼

[@sf-studio]

3d printing has gotten so much easier compared to previous years. Exposure settings are easy to find online and in my experience they're set and forget across multiple resins. I've switched to water washable to reduce fumes and ease of clean up, but still give the models a final rinse in IPA before curing and I can use the IPA for way longer than I could with standard resin. I started painting minis a few months ago and used 3d printed ones to practice on because I didn't want to muck up the $60 pathfinder team I bought. In fact my Tau are still in the box and I bought an army from OPR for $50 instead. Considering a bottle of resin is $20 and I can get an entire army and then some out of it, I don't see myself buying GW models in the near future.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I can’t say i blame you as it’s a direction I’m finding myself moving in!

[@Old_Wizard_Minis]

I don't play any GW games, however their sculpts are top notch. I frequently see their non space marine stuff and say "ohhh I want to paint that". But plenty of stl makers are catching up. OPR, Loot, AV, Den, etc. An elegoo mars and an OPR subscription will keep one in models for years at the cost of a couple GW boxes.

[@tiffanybaker2686]

So glad you went into such detail with the printer. I was just about to get one and decided to search videos on how to use the printer and came across yours. Needless to say, I now will not be getting one. I was hoping more for a straight out of the box set it up in a simple manner and then begin printing but unfortunately that's just not the case at all. So I'm truly grateful for your transparency on this 3d printer

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yeah it’s a shame. I’ve waited years for what you describe and well the o my two that come close are the GKTwo and the heygears ultracraft. But with that comes huge price rises.

[@aranathalaconte1583]

Looks like a classic case of drowning in a glass of water on this one! I've been designing and selling 3d prints for three years, only using a 3d printer, a plastic box for alcohol (I only spend a litre every 6 or 7 litres of resin and that's a lot of miniatures), a water sink, and a cheap UV light from amazon. You don't need anything else. Once you calibrate your machine, it will still work perfectly well between 10ºC and 30ºC room temperature... and having it in a room that you use little with a window is enough. It's surprising that using laser cutters that have set houses on fire, the 3d printer gives you so much trouble xD I think those sophisticated curing and washing machines are just to mystify 3d printing, take up more space and spend more money. BTW: I hope you make some more scenery scratch building tutorials, I loved those!

[@thestateofplay2023]

I shall see what I can do. Although on The 3D Print thing, most expense is around safety and environment really. You’re right that it’s line drowning in a glass of water but I prefer my water not to be poisonous, toxic, riddled with bacteria, cholera or legionaries disease. 🤣🤣🤣

[@TheLiberate1]

The dark sense of humor. All the puns both unintended and otherwise + the content. A Job well done. Subscribed. :)

[@thestateofplay2023]

Why thank you my dear. 😜👍🏼

[@daviddrayton3521]

Probably the most useful video on the subject I have even seen

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thank you for saying so!

[@spacedock873]

Thanks for the excellent video. I have had an FDM printer for a few years which i use occasionally to fabricate various odds and sods. I have been contemplating a resin 3D printer for a while but, like you, have been concerned about the complexity and quality issues. What this video has brought home to me is that actually I don't have the time nor space to be going down this road, especially for the limited use cases I have for it (I'm mainly a modeller rather than a mini painter/wargamer). I already get the "And where's that going to go?" look from my wife if I buy a new model kit! 😳

[@thestateofplay2023]

If you’re a modeller not a mini guy then I’d say it’s not worth it. Most resin is kind fragile(ish) so great for tiny minis but FDM is better for parts.

[@Imperialguardftw]

I think we had a similar experience. I got into 3d printing to hopefully print cool variants of leman russes, that was the dream. Instead I kept creating elephant foots on the bottom of the vat, cleaning non-stop being pedantic on the cleanliness, attempting to create supports to hold the side of a tank, watching it fail, cleaning the vat again, trying again but making it too hollow, failing, cleaning, trying again. I eventually gave up and put it aside for a year and learnt how to airbrush. Until one day my older brother expressed some interest in using it to print a resin guard for his lathe on the on/off switch (random I know) Once it works, its great but getting there and learning can sometimes drive you absolutely nuts that it pushed me back to just buying GW products lol. I guess my top tips for anyone getting into it, is just buy the pre-supported models or whatever it'll save you the headache of cleaning the failed prints.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Hey Josh, yes, I was in this boat a few weeks ago and as you say, nearly gave up. What pushed me was I HAD to make this video. Otherwise, I may have passed.

[@BKDenied]

On your model time one very important thing that got left out, is that often you can print 5-12 models with that same time cost on a resin machine. It processes every layer all at once so load the build plate up and print out 7 guys in that 3 hour time frame.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes, totally agree!!

[@bop3635]

Just found your channel this evening and been binging the videos. I have an Anycubic 4K myself and went through all the trials you describe. Still have issues now and again (alot from an uniformed user's errors though lol). I love the models I can print and the extra bits I can produce for my GW models to make them unique. Some creators have created some free models over the last few years specifically for painting competitions.I have found that printing these and painting them has pushed me to enter more of these and push my painting skill further than I would have, if I had to buy the model myself (at retail pricing). I feel that I can try weird and wacky things with my painting, becuause I screw the model up I can just print another for pennies worht of resin! Alot of the painting paralysis I faced before this is now gone and I can just go wild with paint schemes and finding models where I might love the individual but dont necessarily want a whole army.

[@thestateofplay2023]

You know I never thought if it that way. Makes a load of sense.

[@carlosmelendez8317]

I had the same learning curve with my Ender 3 Pro FDM printer. Took me months after buying it to get it right where I want it and even then sometimes I have to make adjustments because every print is different.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I know what you mean. But it’s the ongoing adjustments that annoy me. Very few other products need that. Imagine having to adjust your car’s suspension every few months! 🤣🤣

[@carlosmelendez8317]

Do you have tutorial on how you made the vent hose setup?

[@thestateofplay2023]

I don’t sadly but it’s basically two squares of Plasticard with a round hole in the centre. Then you screw the fan parts to it on either side of your enclosure.

[@HavasiP]

Oh boy, I could write an essay about this. I dived into resin printing completely a while ago and absorbed everything I could find. I learned as much as I could apart from making my own supports, that was just not something I had the patience and time to learn. I could give you plenty of tips to make things easier for you and the key, to me, was to streamline and simplify the cleaning process. It's a very good video and it was very interesting to see someone experiencing it for the first time in an honest way without the fluff and BS so many KZbinrs dabble in. Some of your first models were also my first models. Loot Studios are great, though they do over support sometimes but I don't mind that so much. I hope you'll continue with resin printing. Once you get the hang of it and the chores of it becomes automatic for you, and faster, it's way more enjoyable.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I think I will continue. Above everything else I was very surprised at the quality (which I could probably dial in more) and the speed. As I said they take less time to print than some builds. My main issue at the moment is finding models that don’t require a subscription. I simply do t want to pay monthly as I won’t want that many models. My mini factory is good but it’s the worst website I’ve ever used and I build sites for a living!

[@HavasiP]

@@thestateofplay2023 Yeah that website isn't great, but unfortunately it has tons of great models. I belive Loot Studios have free models from time to time and they are always pre supported and they have their own website. Models from other sites are very hit or miss, both the models themselves and the supports. I think some Patreon-creators also have free models sometimes but they can be tricky to find.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Loot looks and worked great but I don’t want or need a subscription so that’s out sadly.

[@SW-wk1pd]

Awesome video. I was very much like you were on the whole resin 3D printing venture. Your insights and learnings have been very valuable and cover some valid and common issues associated with 3D printing. As someone who currently uses FDM printers and who has lived the nightmare of poor QC and the cost of adding more and more parts and accessories to my old 3D printer, I wasn't keen on this journey with resin printing. Hopefully the whole process will be made easier and less messy in the coming years where I can purchase a machine that is consistent and easy to operate and has very little clean up.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I totally agree. Resin creates some amazing pieces but the untested health implications and the faff getting there might put a lot of people off.

[@blacksnapper74]

Thanks for confirming what I expected-I don’t have the time or patience to deal with resin printing. I love my Bambu Labs A1 for terrain printing and around the house fix-it prints, but resin is a non-starter.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes I’m seriously looking at the A1. I’m more a terrain man anyway.

[@impguardwarhamer]

Sold my resin printer to buy an elegoo neptune 3, never looked back. FDM really is plug and play these days, and its good enough for even 8mm terrain

[@markthecruel1055]

I've heard of people using heating elements used for brewing on the resin tank. I've got a small cupboard heater and a silicone spatula for the liquid resin cleaning.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I looked at those brewing heaters but was more confident making a heated box than getting the wrong vat band. Also I didn’t really fancy taking it on and off to clean the vat. 😜

[@lamicrobio...engros5427]

thank you for that demonstration ! Can't have a printer, but maybe one day for the Mars 40 Ultra 90k :p

[@thestateofplay2023]

🤣🤣 nice!

[@bladelaw]

Thank you for pointing out all extras you need to really properly manage resin printing. I too was given a "free" resin printer that turned into a rabbit hole of all the PPE, cleaning products, UV lights, heaters, etc. I love the stuff I can get out of it now that all that setup is done but more folks should be aware of the extras they'll need to get the best experience printing with resin.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I totally relate. When I said yes to being sent it, it’s only then I realised all the stuff I’d still need to buy and was about ready to say no. But now it’s done, it’s done. And I guess I can stick any other printer in the same setup now big or small.

[@richardvardy]

i currently have two resin printers and have had no real issues. they were both pretty much plug and play. with around half an hour to set up. i use a nail salon fan to help vent out the window and i have no issues with temperature. also to reduce extra chemicals i use elegoo water washable resin and a pickle jar to clean the prints. if you have the cash and the space i really recommend going for it as i have printed tonnes of stuff over the years.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Good advice. I wish I lived somewhere hotter but sadly I don’t. Although if I was being totally honest I’d don’t think that fan setup is doing anything for the VOCs floating through your room. No one really knows yet how bad breathing resin is for health. I guess we’ll find out in about 15-20 years. 😳

[@electronicshaman]

I don't know if I've just been incredibly lucky or what but I've been printing on the Elegoo Mars 3 Pro for 12 months now and I never calibrated, I've never messed with settings and I don't clean my build plate between prints. I did get a magnetic build plate I highly recommend for ease of use. I usually print back to back and after removing the print I just give it a wipe by hand (gloved of course), load the new file and hit print. I would only ever clean the plate and vat if there was some catastrophic failure. I use chitubox and have never had issues with autosupports although presupported models from quality designers are great. Sure, I've had failures and have replaced the FEP but the whole process has been way more "plug and play" than I ever expected. I recently started printing again after leaving the machine with resin in the vat for over 3 months and all I did was empty it, put in fresh resin and started printing again. My setup is in a heated studio in my garage which likely helps a lot. Thanks for the video, I think you've given a great overview of the whole process and make a lot of great points. Many people overcomplicate the process unnecessarily. Like many people I avoided resin printing because I didn't want another hobby taking up my time. Compared to the cost of "official" models these days I think if you have the space and time to give it a go it is well worth trying.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Some people end up lucky and some people get issues from day one. 3D printing is weird like that. I found it relatively smooth sailing once I had the setup.

[@johnthomson1149]

Are you supposed to use iso for water washable resin. i have never used it without issue.

[@thestateofplay2023]

No, you dont have to. ISO just dries quicker.

[@mrs5850]

Top quality video as always. The day a resin comes out that I can use in the house without worrying the kids will grow a third eye then that’s the day I get a resin printer.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Wait! Kids aren’t meant to have a third eye? 🤣 A pleasure to see your humour as always Mr S!!

[@MAJmufin]

a decent alternative for the temprature regulation is a brewing belt you can wrap around your metal vat and dial in a steady temprature or use something like Chitubox heater which is kind of the same just air heating instead of direct heating. set a temp and a time to heat to thattemp and its set. pretty easy I use the chitubox heater myself inside my Saturn printer since it can fit inside the cover.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I looked at the chitubox heater but there’s nowhere to put it in the Mars ultra sadly. And I did want a vat belt but a heater was cheaper. 👍🏼

[@ssbtd00m]

Nice fair and balanced take on resin printing. People should know about the mess, and the fiddling around to get a good print. And the cleanup. And the waste disposal. And everyone should know that you'll need to use "High Toughness" resin or your minis will not survive a fall off the table, or a collision with the storage box, or even sometimes survive being removed from the build plate. Get "high toughness" resin to avoid being disappointed and disillusioned. That almost happened to me before I got Sunlu's toughness resin.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes I just ordered abs-like stuff because as you say - dropped. 😭

[@Gateseleven]

how was the washable resin, vs normal ones, can you tell ??

[@thestateofplay2023]

I’ve never used any other resin. But being able to dilute the IPA meant not spending a fortune on it.

[@richardalombro1310]

If anyone can please help, I have had such a difficult time. My prints cannot for the love of it stick on the base plate. I check exposure, new film, leveled plate, good exposure and it's even zeroed in. Loosing my mind

[@thestateofplay2023]

Is the printer itself level? Mine wasn’t printing until I spotter the resin in the bath didn’t look level so I adjusted the printers legs. Couple of other things to try are bottom exposure time. Up that. Up the base layers too. Keep you g them until it sticks. Print something thin so it’s quick. And even rough up the base plate with sandpaper.

[@athollmcnicoll1028]

Thanks for the insight video covering 3D printing, which I have to admit I've been toying with but after your intensive video, I'll pass on and stick with what I know works.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yeah it was a pain in the butt. I don’t blame anyone for going the opposite way.

[@philgee486]

Cool and thoughtful vid Will I'm travelling the same arc but with a much lower spec printer I was given when a mate upgraded. Some common experiences of course. My heated enclosure was the carboard box it came in upended and with a plastic window taped inside a cut-out so I can see inside. I have a battery closet light inside that activates when I move the door magnet it came with off the side of the box. An old throw goes over the box to economise on heating. Inside I have 2 carbon fan filters it came with running with a kids luchbox taped on top of the cardboard box as a filter box for extracting the air, lot of holes punched through and a scented dryer sheet taped inside as a filter. Inside the Dora lunchbox is a usb desk fan and it exhausts through a hose from a defunct vacuum cleaner to a wooden panel that seals the small open top window so we don't freeze. Under the printer is a good quality reptile/insect vivarium heating pad raised on an inverted tin tray to make contact with the underside of the printer. It reliably keeps a temp of 25c in the unheated box room, folks trust it to keep pets alive afterall. Good thermometer shows through the plastic window. Fan runs on the slowest setting and that's plenty. Already had the fan and the heating pad so total cost about £10, mostly duct tape as you can imagine lol I bought an old kitchen unit to go in the shed but brought it inside and now my printer lives in that cupboard alongside my old photon that prints my bases alongside. Contaminated rinsing IPA, I treat the mucky first dip stuff separately to the lighter stuff but both the same way. Tip it into a clear jar with the lid on and put it in the curing station until the resin cures into blobs and the ipa is clear. (Doesn't get hot) It's still a smelly mixture so I take it out into the shed and filter it through a clean square taken from an old T-shirt (my 15yr old grows like bamboo and has a drawer full he can't get on) Ipa is now clean and clear. The first dip stuff makes a real mess of the filter and takes a while to drain, but only once has it taken two runs. Incidentally I use oil paints a lot and recycle my brush cleaning white spirit by putting the jar lid back on and leaving out in the shed till the paint settles out to the bottom then pour off the clear spirit and reuse. I'm currently running three jars in sequence. The paint sludge jars go to the tip with our garden waste, they have a table to put solvent contaminated stuff. I leave the resin contaminated T-shirt squares in a ziplock bag too. (Marked 3D printer resin) Hope this helps, and if you can't make happy use of the printer I'll come collect it and do a long term test for you 🙃

[@thestateofplay2023]

Oh man thanks for that. Some absolutely great info there! A T-shirt filter! That’s genius. And now my kids are outgrowing everything I have loads spare!!

[@philgee486]

@@thestateofplay2023 remember you can't use anything with girly unicorns on it m8 ;0)

[@thestateofplay2023]

Balls! That the T-shirt options out then.

[@Dubious.Bovine]

I hear you with the wash and cure station, now I've used it I can see the point of separate devices. That said, you only forget to change it to cure mode once....

[@thestateofplay2023]

🤣🤣 I was worried about not changing settings too. Without my glasses I could quite easily press the wrong button.

[@TableTopWolf1984]

Cheers for the info mate, I've always wanted to get into 3d printing, but I'm knackered living in a mid terraced council house in Dudley with no shed or garage it seems. I was planning on buying a shed to use one but the heat problem would no doubt be an issue with these entry level ones, I'd probably need a self heated one

[@thestateofplay2023]

I dunno, if it’s a small shed with a small heater you could probably heat the entire thing for cheap. It’s what my dad used to do back in the day in the Frozen north East in a tiny terrace. If you can get the shed to 20 and just up exposure times it’s work. Prints would just take a bit longer. Half hour or so.

[@impguardwarhamer]

Thank you so much for making this video. I had such a horrible experience with resin printers that I almost wanted to make a youtube video myself, but you've covered most of it here. One final death knell you missed in this video though is that most STL's arn't actually free. Sure you can find plenty of fancy free ones out there that youtubers love to showcase, but if you're actually planning on building an army you're probably going to want something specific, and unless you want some awful low poly sculpt you're gonna be paying somewhere in the region of 10-20 quid for it. Sure you can print as many as you like, but unless its your standard infantry unit how many duplicate models does the average person want anyway? Oh, and I also just wanted to note that you absolutely are not being overkill with safety. I did about half of the measures you did but skimped on some others, and I ended up getting severe resin burns within a month.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Omg you’re so right. I looked at buying some armies and they were like £70. Lots of models sure but add in resin at £30, all the disposable items like gloves, IPA, paper towels etc and it’s not really that much cheaper. As you say you can print multiple times but I only need one Army, not two. Add in that most models come in a subscription that I don’t want to pay for because I won’t need ALL the sculpts. I like Loot Studios stuff but it’s a subscription. You cannot buy single models.

[@tinyfishhobby3138]

I think your video here as well as the one that Midwinter Minis did a while back both give a great perspective on what is and isn’t involved in getting into 3D printing. As someone with multiple pets and no spare backyard shed or garage space for this kind of setup, it’s certainly dissuaded me from ever wanting to pick it up. If I need printed bits, I’ll find someone else to do the work if I can.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes I agree. That rabbit hole isn’t worth it for many. Especially those of us who can’t get Ross from Fauxhammer to turn up at their house and fix everything. 🤣🤣

[@---we1ok]

Great video. I've been 3d printing longer than I've been into Warhammer, and everything you said and identified is very true. One thing I might recommend adding for peace of mind is an automatic fire extinguisher. The kind they make for putting inside a car engine bay. I have one in the enclosure for my laser cutter (that you're responsible for :)) as well. It's just a little extra peace of mind in case the thing ever spontaneously combusts.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Great advice. I have an ordinary fire extinguisher in my garage anyway and use a baby monitor to watch. Not as great as an automatic one but better than nothing. Thanks!!

[@freddieharrington6795]

Feels like the first honest print video! Would love to get into 3D printing but with a young son, dog, full time job and a wife I dont have the time to do this plus the actual hobby! Sometimes paying for saving the time with GW models is worth it!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes, I’m still waiting for that elusive plug and play machine

[@StitchlessJoes-m6l]

Great video, way more information than most. I just have been going through this battle myself, one new item to buy after another. No one tells you how easy the vats are to get a hole in either, did that in first month, spilled resin from it. Also despite any type of resin that I have tried the toxic fumes are still pretty high and resin smells even after curing. And its in my garage with an big expensive air purifier, fans, a small intake fan sucking out air from a window thats open right next to it and still creating a bunch of vocs... more work to be done

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes! I get super annoyed when I see videos where they don’t care about airborne VOCs. Barely any gloves, no masks, no ventilation! Wait 20 years. All the “3D printing put me in hospital” videos will be out. 🤣 well, not funny really…

[@carlosmelendez8317]

As a beginner to resin printers should I get the Saturn 3 or Mars 4 Ultra? I have an ender 3 pro fdm rn

[@thestateofplay2023]

As a beginner I’d probably say the Saturn 4 ultra based on bulld size vs cost. The Mars is great but can quickly feel small.

[@Lachdonin]

I was actually very surprised with the ease of my first jump into 3d printing. Minus the initial failure due to me neglecting to remove one of the protective films, i've been using with with no fuss for 6 months now. Haven't even had to re-level it.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yeah I guess now I’ve learned, I’ve learned, so to speak. I can just swap out printer or resin anytime.

[@Lachdonin]

@@thestateofplay2023 For what it's worth, i've also had a lot of success with Chitubox's autosupports. I've actually run into more problems with presupported models than i have simply using autosupport. Though even that has been minimal.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I’m going to have to fiddle more with chitibox. Probably copy the settings from Lychee because it just didn’t print anything for me. I think the lift settings were off.

[@peters.9463]

I have the same thoughts and issues about resin 3D printing. I don't want to deal with toxic substances only to get my hobby miniatures done. I don't have a certain room or area I could use where my kids won't be arround, so this is not an option for me. One question which is not often discussed, as far as I have seen it, how sensitive the finished models are to heat or direct sunlight exposure? Like transporting them in a car in the summer, when it has nearly 50-60°C inside the boot? Will the models, even after they got cured, primed and painted, warp or melt or whatsoever? Whould that already happen at temperatures of about 30-40°C, like it has in summer in my attic? I mean it is difficult enough to find some sort of storage system for the regular plastic and metal miniatures. Thinking of a special storage system for resin models in addition is just a bit annoying.

[@thestateofplay2023]

That’s a very good question and one I can’t answer sadly. The U.K. just doesn’t get that hot, even in a hot car so unless you put one in the oven as a test…

[@peters.9463]

@@thestateofplay2023 I have made some copies with milliput and bluestuff molds from oldhammer models. Maybe I will try it with those models. Milliput is some kind of resin too, however I don't know about the differences to printer resin. Could be kind of an interesting experiment. If I will do it, I will let you know about the outcome.

[@G_Threepwood]

Thanks Will, this captures exactly what has stopped me getting a 3D printer. It still looks to be a bit of a pain in the ass

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yeah it was but the redeeming feature is you only have to do it once. I guess.

[@timmehwimmy]

Cool video. I have a similar setup. There are thicker gloves that you can keep reusing rather than disposable. I've not yet had to get rid of IPA, but there can be more kit for that too.

[@thestateofplay2023]

🤣 nice, you’re suggesting a further rabbit hole on IPA and gloves. Love ya!!

[@timmehwimmy]

@@thestateofplay2023 well, if you want to look like you are about to help birth cattle... I have yet to find an area of resin printing that can't be "upgraded" and become a rabbit hole :)

[@thestateofplay2023]

So I’m beginning to learn. 🤣🤣 There’s my month gone….time to fiddle.

[@timmehwimmy]

@@thestateofplay2023 I'm up to my eyeballs in it already. If you want pointers / advice / to scream in to the void, give me a shout.

[@Nethezbet]

I live in Arizona, a cold day in Phoenix in winter is like 65 degrees (18C) whereas summer can hit 115 easily (46C). I do usually print in the house, because I wasn't sure what 110+ would do to my prints, but I guess dying of lung cancer without smoking sucks, too. Great video, I love your take and your production, even if I do avoid GW like the plague. Can you avoid a plague? Can you avoid GW...? Regardless, keep up the great work!

[@thestateofplay2023]

I think we all try to avoid both plagues and GW, but if you’re anything like me - I suck at avoiding both!! And Arizona sounds lovely. Here in the U.K. 65 degrees is like the middle of a hot summer day! 🤣😜

[@gus.smedstad]

Those adapters you improvised for the hose are a typical use case for a 3D printer. Usually FDM printers. I've got an Ender 3 and I make things like that all the time.

[@thestateofplay2023]

You see now I want an A1 Bambu. See what you’ve done now. Another rabbit hole. 🤣🤣

[@gus.smedstad]

@@thestateofplay2023 - I'm on the other side of that. Staring into the abyss of resin printing. I seriously envy the precision of a resin printer, but I don't want to deal with the fumes, cleanup, or disposal of resin washed off the models.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Its annoying but surprisingly easy after all my moans

[@LetsSmokeAboutIt]

@@thestateofplay2023 I got an A1 Mini this summer, while they're not resin quality, it's so much fun printing minis on it all the same. Also terrain is great on them. Oh, and it basically is plug it in, slice, and print. So that's worth it for me.

[@fabius88ita]

Thank you, very informative video. My friends gave me the printer for my birthday, it was a much-appreciated gift since I wanted to get back into the world of miniatures. I really want to start using it, but I had no idea that so many requirements were needed just to get it working... I have a question: is the printer noisy?

[@thestateofplay2023]

Hey! No 3D printers aren’t noisy. To be honest you’d barely no it’s switched on except for a small fan.

[@pomkin355]

This was a great video, you answered all the questions about the current state of tech. I don't want another hobby, I just want to print models of SciFi/movie ships that aren't available and spend time on the modelling. So I will continue to whittle away at my stockpile instead. I subscribed a few months ago, and based on the standard of your videos (and sharing a similar sensibility and age) I look forward to your KZbin success. Please don't start adding stupid reaction faces to your thumbnails!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Haha. Thank you. Honestly I never understood the reaction faces. What are people reacting too? The thumbnail? The video? Tbh it’s too much faff spending extra time photographing myself and I’m hardly photogenic! 🤣🤣

[@saliston]

Well done video. It was very helpful

[@Vizeroy9]

Well... you can get sls printers, which work with powders instead of resin. Sadly, those start at about $8k and go up to 6 digits - not counting in the cleaning stations, where you get the excessive powder off to reuse it.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes I watched a few videos on those. Looks like there’s one at $2999 but the quality doesn’t look that good.

[@Vizeroy9]

@@thestateofplay2023 Yeah.. I could only find half decent ones, starting at about $8k. Good ones seem to start in 5 digit regions.

[@BlackRabbitDigitalP]

Been using an Uniformation GK2 for the past 2 months, which is my first 3D printer. Also live in the UK and use it in my garage, I have never had any issues and the process is EXTREMELY straight forward if you do 5 minutes research on how to use it, wash it and cure it. I have spent about £650 for Printer, Curing station and washer from the same company on their black friday and that makes it one of the cheapest at the level of quality and simplicity. I use a slicer like Lychee which has already the settings made by other people based on my printer and my resin. Again, I never had to faff around with settings or figure things out, until I decided it was time to get better results because I am OCD nitpicky with details, and even that took me 1 day to figure out. If at this point people still complain 3D printing is hard or complicated, they really need to start collecting spoons or something as a hobby, because they obviously cannot even find where the sun is, in the middle of an open field at midday. Like all things in life 3D printing is EASY if you put MINIMAL effort.

[@thestateofplay2023]

The heater in a GKTwo solves almost all cold garage related U.K. problems. So there is that. It’s not hard to get a 3d printer to print. It’s infinitely harder to get one to print stunning quality ultra high detail models. I only realised this after upgrading to a Heygears Reflex RS. The quality difference is night and day.

[@FlesHBoX]

To answer your question, yes, ACF does come at the cost of some softening of the print. Depending on what you're using it for, this can be a big problem, or it might be basically meaningless. That being said, a lot of the resin printing community dislikes acf for this reason, and it appears that newer models are returning to PFA release film. There is also some new hotness called HCF that is supposed to be better than ACF, but it's in the "engineering sample" stage and has not been used on any consumer-level printers. As for other handy items... a silicone spatula to replace the awful yellow scraper the include with the printer. Nothing but a gloved hand, a silicone spatula, or a microfiber cloth ever touches my release film. As for cleaning the build plate, I never clean it unless I'm switching resins, or need to put it somewhere other than on the printer, or on some paper towel on my silicone mat. I remove the prints from the build plate and put it right back on the printer. Then the cover goes back on and it sits there until the next print. As for IPA wastage, the key is to only open the container as long as you absolutely have to, and always seal it up after. I bought 4 gallons of IPA almost 2 years ago now, and I still have one unopened gallon, and about a third of another. Most of that has been used in my spray bottle when I'm either cleaning up the area, or going over prints after they come out of the wash. Resin printing certainly isn't a hobby for everyone, and for some of us the printing is a hobby unto itself. I just got my second resin printer, and will be selling my Saturn 2 to my DM. My new printer has a lot of nice features that will make it a much more user-friendly printer, but the future is coming when a lot of the fiddly stuff is made much more simple. About the only aspect of resin printing that doesn't appear to have a "coming soon" solution is the toxic nature of the resin itself. Proper PPE is hands down the most essential part of the hobby.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks for this. This is fantastic info!

[@fatelux]

A useful and entertaiment video as always. I'm not into 3 d printers and after watching your video I can't be less interested. I think I'm still buying plastic models from GW and 3d printed minis from professional printers. I have the space and the money, but I don't have the time and the interest to jump in another time consuming hobby.☺️👍

[@thestateofplay2023]

I get ya! In its defence though it’s only time consuming at the very beginning. Once setup there’s little to do but print. 😜

[@bryanswift6301]

I’d recommend the Uniformation Gk2. They might send you one if you want to do a review of it.

[@thestateofplay2023]

That is the direction I’m leaning but feels a bit like there might be a GK3 round the corner with a better bulld plate connection. And I always feel guilty asking for free stuff. I much prefer when they reach out to me - feels less like shilling. 🤣

[@bryanswift6301]

@@thestateofplay2023 well I wouldn’t want you to be known as a shill! Integrity is hard to keep and harder to get back once you’ve lost it. I respect you for that. I own a GK2 and it is a great machine. I am not sure exactly what they could improve on it’s performance but there are some quality of life improvements they could make. A pouring lip on the vat, and a lid that stays open on its own, in any position being two. My garage is pretty far from the WiFi too so I usb drive it too. Keep making quality content and the reviews will come knocking like the lasers did, lol!

[@philgee486]

@@thestateofplay2023 Honestly, the quality of your review vids they'd be happy to I'm sure

[@Vizeroy9]

On removing supports: I usually remove them before cleaning the models - just less uncured resin in the IPA. On the printer heating: There is a heater add-on, you can buy from Elegoo - which goes in the place of the carbon filter (which doesn't do much anyway). Other printers have similar heaters, or heat the resin vat, or even the resin itself (Anycubic M7 Pro) In contrast to the Saturn 4 Ultra, you can also directly attach a fume extracting hose to the printer when using the heater. On the S4 Ultra, the heater attaches to the same hole as a fume extraction hose would. This way, you would also directly extract the heated air, rendering the heater useless. The M7 Pro heats the resin directly and keeps it at a defined temperature. The Elegoo printers also have a bug, they share with all printers, which have a board from Chitu inside. You can see details on the bug on J3D Tech's channel.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks for this!

[@pbkobold]

It hurts that resin tank heaters aren't on every printer. I'm waiting until they are standard to consider another printer purchase. I wrap a heating pad around my Mars 3 in my cold garage, but I shouldn't need to do that.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I agree. Considering the machine requires a specific temp to work. It’s like buying a toaster with no heating element!

[@pauln6917]

I think I am less inclined to print models, as much, as I am wanting to print my own detail pieces for wargaming terrain. Things that would be fiddly and tough at small 28mm scale. Window frames, stair railings, pitchers, tankards and cups, packs, bags, and bundles. Things to dress up terrain that are rounded and detailed in ways the laser cutter or hobby knife can't replicate. That being said, the models of commoners and NPC every day people and live stock for your campaign from various sellers are getting really, really good.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yeah that’s a very good point. Right now I’m using it for basing bits. Mainly because I’ve too many unpainted models already. 🤣

[@TheMrPhiladelphia]

mini magnetic torpedo level you need for leveling. that may work .. buy at a hardware store

[@thestateofplay2023]

I had to look that up to be honest. 🤣 but thank you!!

[@MrJHDK]

Wait... what did happen to the toxic waste? 😮 (I did an oil change on my mother's tractor four years ago. Her brother used to do them before he passed. There's still a bin filled with over 30 litres of used motor oil in the garage - right beside the one filled with rusty coolant)

[@thestateofplay2023]

That’s about right. It’s all still in my garage. But now after this video I have loads of tips from viewers on how to filter it all! There’s method to the madness! 👍🏼

[@aslskfan1]

So, how much did all of the extra setup and supplies cost? I am still on the fence about resin printing myself…

[@thestateofplay2023]

About the same price as the printer and wash machine. Maybe just under. I’m sure you could spend more or less depending on what you buy. One thing I’d say is, once you get it working and get your first print you then realise how many models you could print in a week from one bottle of resin.

[@Vizeroy9]

If you increase the resin printer size, you have to raise the k to keep pixel size more or less the same, compared to the smaller printer. Sou you still have to up the k to shrink the pixel sizes. Unlike with cameras, smaller pixel sizes are better. J3Dtech has a video, comparing print quality between 3 types of vat film: fep, nfep and acf (the cloudy stuff). You can get each kind for every printer - you need them as spare parts anyway.

[@thestateofplay2023]

👍🏼

[@suekuan1540]

What software do you make these figures

[@thestateofplay2023]

I do t make the figures I got the free from Myminifactory.com. But the software I use to print them on the printer was Lychee Slicer.👍🏼

[@suekuan1540]

Thx for replying 🙂 I thought you sculptured.them.with software like zbrush or mud box.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I can use Z brush, maya and 3d studio max which I use in my day job in the computer game industry. But… all those models are copyrighted by the games owner.

[@bluebens2761]

Well I can never get that time back. Thanks for that

[@thestateofplay2023]

You’re welcome. I’ve got quite a few other videos that can steal even more time. But hey, I bet it was nowhere near the time I spent printing, calibrating, recalibrating and reprinting just to find out it would never print in a cold garage.

[@TheInquisitor7]

damn dude you went ALL OUT on extras. looks like you may have over complicated your work space a bit, but also your work space is going to be way cleaner than mine hah! im surprised the mars plate doesnt fit in the wash tank, whats the point? appreciate your adventure, also glad i didnt get a mars

[@thestateofplay2023]

🤣🤣 Yeah I wanted to be thorough and safe. And you’re right. Considering the Mars 4 plate is the smallest they have, not fitting in the wash and cure was a massive oversight. Means no other Elegoo plate will fit at all. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@TheInquisitor7]

@@thestateofplay2023 thats just wild to me. i got an anycubic mono on sale at some point and the plate just drops in. i think its even the same bucket. you have issues with temp because of your location, and it doesnt get THAT cold where i am at but in the winter here its still too cold to print effectively (in the garage). I used the foam that came with the printer to cover the plastic on the plastic printer cover and put that over the top to insulate it. just keep it away from the heater you got in there :P

[@chuckocenasek5651]

I want a 3d printer, but the fiddlyness of the settings, smell, and wet resin being hazardous put me off as I have a toddler/child who cosplays as a Kuiju often and I worry for her safety. Plus I get frustrated easy. I am lucky as I have a friends who prints for me. Great to see hobby videos from a fellow parent.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yeah I want my kids nowhere near resin or unsafe lasers. I see too many videos of people just printing in their house with no safety. Just because it’s invisible doesn’t mean it isn’t bad for you. 😜

[@brennonr]

I got a upper cabinet from the local home goods store. it was on a super sale because the color was messed up. I ended up fashioning a very similar vent set up out the side of it. I also added some weather stripping around the door to make a good seal and put a baby lock on the door for extra safety lol. Even though there are no babies in my house... that i know of...

[@thestateofplay2023]

You wanna check under the sofa. I find babies usually end up there for some reason. 🤣

[@brennonr]

@@thestateofplay2023 Babies... so sneaky

[@thestateofplay2023]

I just dress ‘em in a lint free cloth so they can clean under there as they go!

[@brennonr]

Smart

[@fturfler2]

great insights. You may want to try Anycubic's water-washable ABS-like version 2.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks for that. I probably will. I’m still getting the feel. I’m not keen on the water washable standard elegoo stuff. Seems a bit soft to me

[@Antesyd]

But a resin printer and resin that have finished settings to download. Like Sirayatech abs like resin and a Creality printer. No failed prints after hundreds of tries. It IS plug and play. Just use Chitubox

[@thestateofplay2023]

Try printing in a non temperature regulated space when it’s cold. It’s easy to print “something”. It’s much harder to print super high quality detail.

[@paytreonsuhks]

charcoal does in fact filter VOC's, it's the same thing in your respirator filters.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Oh I know it does but I can’t believe the tiny one in the Mars 4 is capable of doing anything useful.

[@Kendoujo]

Yeaaaahhh this absolutely put me off, I was considering buying the Mars 5 ultra which comes out tomorrow as my first printer, but it just looks like a faff. I just want to take it out the box, grab a model file and say print. In my room, not caring about temperature. Wait a while and come back to a good quality figure. I'll wait another 10 years 😂

[@thestateofplay2023]

Hmm I wish it was like that too. But for that you’ll need a much more expensive printer. And even then, you’ll still need a ventilation tube to outside.

[@The-Avien]

You’ll be waiting longer than that.

[@donalddickson6354]

I got the Mars 5 Ultra and it is absolutely plug and play. Yes, you have to follow some simple and easy safety protocols. Simple venting and gloves. Yes, you have to clean the parts. I remove mine from the build plate before cleaning. Auto supports in Chitubox pro works fantastic. I think your issues are because thats an older model. Everything on the 5U was auto. I printed right out of the box. Oh, also, use denatured alcohol. I dont use a cleaning station. Just toothbrush and a plastic container. The model isnt going to warp. Thats just silly IMO. I use a simple UV light to cure them and do so after removing the supports.

[@thestateofplay2023]

But there’s no way the resin was calibrated properly to get the best print. That’s what I mean by plug and play. Not any old resin profile but the absolute best one. I can stick a model in any printer and print it but if that model isn’t amazing with pixel perfect detail then the whole process is a waste of time and money. 👍🏼

[@MiszAgrippa]

Very nice review of overall 3d printing experience, some of the stuff you mentioned can be hard to catch for people that 3d print a lot. As you said, I still think it's more of a hobby then a tool, but we're getting there. Some 3d printing machines have exposure finding options, so you can make one print with 8 models, each with different exposure time. Sounds great and hopefully it will become more common feature. You're also very correct with the focus on the resolution. It's easy number to market and compare. "Our las model was 6k, now it's 9k!". Ease of use features would be much more appreciated. Like mentioned exposure range finder or built in heater. (some machines do have them, but I'm not sure how well it works.) But most importantly I can imagine you sitting in the night in front of the computer when working on this video and smirking while picking the stock footage. And it gives me a smile too.

[@thestateofplay2023]

🤣🤣 bang on with the stock footage! Yeah I know exactly what you mean here. Seems like Bambu labs have got a great balance with FDM. But resin manufacturers seem to be pushing K and anything else that looks good in an ad but not necessarily what users need. I’d love to see Bambu do resin. The Mars 4 ultra will read UVTool exposure finder files I discovered but it was still quicker to print the XPS than spend time making the file in the software. I think all printers should ship with a exposure file on the usb as you say. Would make things much easier.

[@ninjassasen]

I recently got my first ever resin printer. I've very much of the same opinion. Plug and play. But I caved since at the time the Anycubic photon mono 2 was on sale on amazon. I figured if I was going to give this a shot, a good sale was a nice starting point. And I don't regret my purchase. Anycubic has a great exposure time finder that lets you test 8? (I think 8) exposures at once. So I was able to do a single cones of calibration test using it and there I had it. Done. And yee. I'm with ya on Presupported models. I stuck to it a lot. And I printed a lot of things I've enjoyed. The number of models I have right now outweigh the cost I would have spent purchasing them. And that's awesome. More recently I've finally printed a model I had to support. The presupported version failed me and I desperately wanted this model printed. I prayed and used autosupport, using the medium option with the large option's base. And it worked out. Oh and I also recently had to tune the tolerance setting so parts would fit together smoothly. Aside from that I do not change settings and never intend too. I couldn't care if it takes 5 hours to print or not. It prints and that's what matters to me.

[@ninjassasen]

Oh yeah I also don't use an all in one. The cost isn't worth it. A couple Tupperware and lots of vigorous shaking does the job for me. A machine to spin alcohol seemed like a needless expense. I benefitted from having a nail curing station that I use in tangent with a cheep solar powered spinner for curing.

[@ninjassasen]

I remove my supports prewash. I've not seen any videos suggesting it but the idea of washing my supports, the material I'm going to be tossing out, seemed like the wildest thing to do. I've not had any issues doing this and it helped get in the tight areas that the supports otherwise cover up.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I think we have come to pretty much the same conclusions. I’m thinking just like you.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yeah I had noticed that after pre cleaning I didn’t really need a wash machine.

[@The2010designer]

Several yers ago, I wanted to try 3D printing, after research I came to the conclusion that living in a mid-floor flat, the resin printing is a non-starter! I've persevered with my Ender-3, FDM and I get good results - but the printing takes time, tinkering for best results takes time & you then find that 3D printing has BECOME the hobby, NOT the models you produce - at least I'm not in danger of poisoning myself!. Whichever way you go, it will at least twiceas long as you expected, you will learn a Zen-like patience, and also exhaust your store of Anglo-Saxon profanity!!

[@thestateofplay2023]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 You are so right!

[@kekker_]

A few tips to make printing easier/cheaper: | *Leveling* | You don't have to use paper to level. It's not hard, but it's tedious and error prone. Do this instead: 1. Put the vat in 2. Loosen the build plate screws 3. Lower the build plate to the bottom 4. Tighten the build plate screws Very easy, _very_ fast, perfect level (almost) any time. | *Calibration* | It's intimidating to open the resin settings in your slicer and see 100 options thrown in your face, but for most people there's only two that matter: burn-in exposure time and normal layer exposure time. If your built plate is level but pops up empty after every print, bump up the burn-in time. To get perfect details, dial in normal layer exposure using one of those print tests. 3-4 seconds for burn-in and 1.5-2.5 seconds for normal layers is pretty standard for most recent printers & resins. | *Clean & Cure* | You have the right idea with dirty wash/clean wash. Dirty wash to remove the bulk of the resin, then clean machine wash to remove the rest. Most resins can't be "over-cured". Once resin is cured, it stops reacting to UV light. As long as you cure resin for some minimum amount of time, it doesn't matter how much longer the models are exposed for. I usually cure for 15 minutes just to be certain they're fully cured, but if I forget and leave them overnight it's fine. Removing supports before vs. after a print is personal preference. It's easier to pull off supports before curing, but that can leave pockmarks on the model. It's harder after curing, but the model cleans up nicer. I usually don't see the difference after painting so do whatever you want. | *Waste* | The cheapest and lowest effort way to get rid of waste liquid is let the liquid evaporate over time, then cure the resin. You can toss the cured resin with your normal garbage. This does take a lot of time though, especially if you're using water. | *Self-Leveling* | As an aside, self-leveling print beds can't be (easily) fixed once they go out of level. Manually leveling your print bed is usually something you do once and don't bother with for another year or so, and that's if you're printing a _lot_ of stuff. Regular print beds are also a lot easier to clean and lower the cost of the printer. To me, leveling the print bed is like moving the brackets in the paper tray of a regular printer. The brackets come from factory opened all the way to the sides. If you toss paper into the printer without adjusting the brackets, the paper stack might slide around and print funky or jam the printer. So you spend half a second one time adjusting the brackets (or with 3D printers, you spend a minute one time leveling the build plate).

[@thestateofplay2023]

Oh man, I wish you were around when I started!! I'm now lucky enough to have been sent a 'plug and play" printer which has made everything so much easier. Video coming tomorrow - ssshhhh....

[@Chimer24-qs5wo]

A really good video on the pros and cons of 3D printing. Personally, yes I want to [and will soon] but it's always good to have an honest appraisal of the expense and concerns involved. Thank you )O(

[@thestateofplay2023]

I’m glad it helped you make a decision. Whichever way you go. 👍🏼

[@darrenj3720]

Interesting stuff. Ive never printed anything in my life and if im honest i dont intend to. But the information here has really helped soldify my thoughts, its just not for me. Thanks for the information, very good as usual.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I don’t blame you. It took me 3 weeks to do this and well… the hobby shop is 12 minutes in the car.

[@Captn_Grumpy]

I literally spat the snack I was eating all over myself at the younglings reference. And it was worth it.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Glad to be of service. 🤣🤣

[@pbkobold]

Once in a Six Side recently did a resin review. He liked a few different ones, but the SUNLU ABS-Like is a great combo of tough enough for minis plus really reasonably priced.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks for that. Yea I watched that video out of the hundreds I sat through. 🤣🤣

[@piptarou]

I've been printing since 2021 and can add a few things to the conversation! My printer is an older Anycubic Photon Mono with a 2k resolution. You don't need high resolution, mine prints off spectacularly. However, it did take some time to precisely dial in my settings to the point where I can print off 3mm birds with feet and I only use a resin that I dialed my settings in on (Phrozen Aqua Green). I get amazing detail with low resolution. My reasoning for getting a printer was because I wanted to paint display models for competitions and the ones available were generally across the pond in the UK and elsewhere in Europe. So with the cost of display quality models and shipping... it was just far more worth it to me to get a 3d printer. I'd say it's also worth it if you want D&D minis. You can make custom heroes and the monsters available online are WAY better quality than what you can pick up at a game shop. You can often find prints on Etsy as well, but again with the cost of shipping it was better for me to pick up a printer. I also started 3d printing with the mindset it would be a full-on hobby... Now it's mostly just a tool so I can have cool minis. I pretty much never level my printer, I think it's been over a year since I levelled it? :| I have my printer situated in my unheated basement and I usually have no issues until it gets around 15C.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I think this is also what I leaned. When it works - it’s a tool. But when it fails and you need to figure something out - it’s a hobby. Funny how there’s such a weirdly clean line. 🤣

[@piptarou]

@@thestateofplay2023 There very much is! But once you get setup, like you say in the video, if you run into issues then it's usually an environmental cause.

[@larry84903]

The closest printer to the one you have described in your video is the ultracraft reflex by heygear. It does all of the leveling heating and supporting of models itself, and is probably as plug and play as printers will be for a while. The only downside is that you have to use their resin, and the printer comes at a premium price.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes I watched a video on that one but as you say, locked into one resin and system doesn’t really appeal. It’s basically a subscription model which would be cool if the initial printer was cheaper.

[@ssbtd00m]

lychee is absolutely the way to go. I don't understand why anyone complains about making supports. Lychee's magic wand tool is near perfect. Especially for minis. Getting the right exposure time and getting your area heated and Bob's your uncle. The resin I use for minis is Sunluu's High Toughness. The minis are now durable and don't snap in half if I glance at them.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Totally. I couldn’t get Chitu to play ball at all

[@Row.]

The thing with 3D printers is that you have to spend a bunch of money and time before you can get your first print going, so there's a very large barrier of entry. But after that, it's just a matter of filling the tank and pressing Print on a presupported file you got off of a site or another, and that's where it becomes cheaper (5-20% of MSRP, depending on unit type and army) and faster than GW models. I say faster because even if a print takes 8 hours and assembly of an official model takes 3, the official models are 3 hours of work, but the 8hr print you can send at night, or before doing literally anything else for 8+ hours, and then work on it for half an hour when it's done. So, effectively, almost any print only takes half an hour of work, because you're not going to sit there staring at the printer for the whole time it prints. You'll just spent some time on the print when it's ready.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes I totally agree. Well, unless you change resins and then you need to go through the entire setup again. 👍🏼

[@Row.]

@@thestateofplay2023 Yeah, I have 1kg of a different resin I was given by a friend to try out that's just laying around specifically because I can't be bothered to do the whole exposure testing thing again... It would take 1-3 hours tops, now that I know how to do it, but I'm not looking forward to it (nor to the cleaning I'd probably have to do to switch resins).

[@TapCat]

I have many of the same issues that hold me back from 3D printing. With collections of board games, comic books, movies, and more space is in short supply and time is even shorter. I'm currently trying to work my way through a large backlog of miniatures that I need to paint so I can play the related games. If I have to go down the resin printing rabbit hole, I will have significantly less time to paint and less time to play which seems counterproductive. And if I start printing terrain to try games like Rangers of Shadowdeep then it would push my lack of space to the breaking point (not to mention the new time requirement for painting up all the terrain). And if all that isn't enough, there is the mess and stink of the chemicals and both my cat and my wife are going to be very unhappy about that. Put it all together and it remains an intriguing prospect that I will not pursue for the foreseeable future because it just doesn't fit into my life and I don't know that I'd get enough out of it to make the changes necessary to make it fit.

[@thestateofplay2023]

You totally nailed why I avoided 3D printing for as long as I did. I’m still building my backlog of models let alone started painting them. I’m now looking at the printer and all I can think of printing are …..base toppers.

[@FarawayPictures]

That was fascinating, thank you Will.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks man!

[@1orael]

I love this video. Especially because all these "save money with 3d printing" are 90% BS. Wow, you bought an STL and can now print it 100 times to save thousands of dollars... because you'd really want to have the same model again and again. Time, costs of stls, cost of resin, cleaning supplies and other consumables and the base cost of a safe setup is something a lot of people, including manufacturers, happyly leave out

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes, totally agree with you

[@davidharms9288]

thats pretty good setup. i just use mentholated spirits for cleaning cause its a lot cheaper then iso here(Aus). i haven't bothered getting water washable resin cause it kind of pointless. the stuffs way more brittle. you still need to clean the resin with alcohol and you cant tip that toxic resin filled water down the sink. i fine that if you leave the resin alcohol out in a coke bottle with the lid off it will slowly evaporate leaving just the solids behind. that you can just throw in the bin.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I looked at mentholated spirits but boy! I can’t stand the smell. But it’s think you’re correct on all points.

[@Old_Wizard_Minis]

This video describes my journey when I started out with the Saturn 2. It has very nice prints, but it is fiddley. The Saturn 4 Ultra is supposed to arrive today and should alleviate most of my pain points. Self leveling, wifi, vat sensor, etc. Lucky for me I only need a heated vat one month out of the year. With all that being said all of this stuff isn't cheap. But the real main advantage is I can print as many models as I want. Meaning I can have whole armies, I can give them to friends, I can throw paint parties, if they break it can be replaced, and I never have to worry about am I good enough a painter to do an exceptional model justice. I'll just print another one and try again.

[@thestateofplay2023]

All makes sense to me. The only issue o h e with the Saturn ultra is that plate. I can’t imagine having to clean in between all those springy leg connectors. I think the GK Two solves that with the flat sides.

[@Old_Wizard_Minis]

@@thestateofplay2023 yeah the GK2 is strong, probably the printer to beat at the moment. I went with the S4U mainly due to bed tilting and the cost. If I had more need for the heater the gk2 would've been my upgrade.

[@eastpetersen]

For filament, the Bambu a1 and a1 mini are damn close to that 2d printer level of simplicity.

[@thestateofplay2023]

They are. But sadly not at the quality of GW minis yet.

[@ObiwanNekody]

8:38 The Mars 5 Ultra packs the Saturn's psudo auto leveling feature, just like you want

[@thestateofplay2023]

I spotted that a few days after I uploaded my video. Not sure why Elegoo didn’t send me the Mars 5 if they knew it was coming so soon. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@ObiwanNekody]

@@thestateofplay2023 probably trying to build interest and empty their old stock.

[@bjbrak-3924]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! The first video, that tells me, man, you are far to lazy for a second hobby, just don't do it! Wait another 10 years, safe money and time and order your 10mm minis online like you did the last ten years. It worked wonderful, still does. And I can stop watching "3d printer videos". That's a lot of time I will have for painting. So, this video helped me a lot. Thx, wish you the best, greetings from Germany

[@thestateofplay2023]

You’re welcome. I do like 3D printing but as you say, it seems like most videos are from people already fully invested. It’s like watching a football fan tell you his team is the best. Of course he thinks that! 🤣it’s takes someone else on the outside to look objectively at whether it’s true or not. 👍🏼

[@virrcraft]

You had an option to ask me any time 😂 and, actually, you still have this option. Would be happy to help. But video is great! And… yeah, resin 3d printing is a mess

[@thestateofplay2023]

I know I did but sometimes the deep end is where you learn to swim the best! 👍🏼

[@virrcraft]

@@thestateofplay2023 that’s absolutely true. Also ultrasonic cleaner could help to achieve even better results… but it’s extra cost. But what I heard in your video - you got everything more than right and doing great 😊 so if you have small questions - feel free to ask :)

[@thestateofplay2023]

Actually I do have a question. I personally think the standard elegoo water wash resin runs a bit soft in detail for my liking. What resin would you recommend that’s darker grey and holds detail better?

[@virrcraft]

@@thestateofplay2023 recently I tried Faux Hammer's "Wargamer" Resin. I really like it, it’s on expensive side, but result pretty great. Also it water washable. If you looking something cheaper - standard Sunlu dark grey resin is nice and really cheap (but need to be washed in IPA alc). Also I used Elegoo ABS like v2 (which is still more on bright side) and may say it’s not too bad, but again - not waterwashible. And Elegoo have now v3… which might be better 😅 I saw someone advise to try Sunlu abs like - but not tried it myself yet. From “expensive” in my list to try - TH72, Phrozen RPG resin, Siraya fast abs-like and Amerlabs TGM-7

[@denesszanto3130]

Just discovered your channel, great videos. One note regarding your mask: I don't think you are using the right filter and it won't filter out the toxic particles from the resin fumes. That one is more for dust etc. You want to use a A2P3 filter, it should fit in the same mask I think.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Oh! Thanks for that. I’ll double check!

[@popcorngenerator1925]

For me, the hobby (what I enjoy) is the building and painting of models. Any other faffing around to get to the starting product is just not something I'm willing to waste my time on. My hobby space also consists of the dining room table and a portable hobby case, so honestly the need for a set place for ventilation and stable temperature is the biggest drawback for me.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yea, I agree. Just wait until my wife finds out there’s no more storage space left in the garage.