At this point, everyone knows that the print quality you’ll get from even an entry level UV resin printer far exceeds what’s possible for filament-based fused deposition modeling (FDM) machines. but there’s a trade-off: for the money, you get way much more build volume by choosing FDM. So until the logistics of large-format resin printers gets worked out, folks wanting to make things like replica prop helmets have no choice but to put considerable time into post-processing their prints to remove the apparent layer lines.
But thanks to this somewhat ironic trick demonstrated by [PropsNstuff], you can actually use UV resin to improve the finish quality of your FDM prints. The idea is to put a layer of resin over the layer lines and other imperfections of the 3D print, cure it with a handheld UV flashlight, and then sand it smooth. essentially it’s like using resin in place of a body filler like Bondo, with the advantage here being that the resin cures in seconds.
The thick resin fills in difficult spots quickly.
Now to be clear, this isn’t a new idea. Our very own [Donald Papp] investigated the process back in 2018, and [Thomas Sanladerer] covered the idea in a video of his own the following year. but the difference here is that [PropsNstuff] doesn’t just coat the whole print with resin, he takes a much more methodical approach. working in small sections, he targets areas that really need the high-build properties provided by this technique.
With the difficult spots addressed, he then moves on to coating larger areas with resin. but this time, he mixes leftover resin from his SLA printer with talcum powder to make a mix that can be brushed on without running everywhere. It takes a few thin coats, but with this mix, he’s able to build up large swaths of the print without losing any surface detail.
Is it still a hassle? Absolutely. but the final result does look spectacular, so until we figure out how to build the replicators from star Trek, it looks like we’ll have to make up for our technological shortcomings with the application of a little elbow grease.
Thanks to [Zane] for the tip.
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