Experiments in resin 3D printing... (no pics)

I finally got around to using that resin 3D printer I got last year. It was relatively easy to get up and running: level the print platform to the bottom of the vat, pour in some resin, then start the print.

The resin I had listed a best by date of April or May. I decided to try it out anyways, at least to break in this printer.

Tried my first print (some Sega Saturn power and reset buttons). It took about an hour and a half to print at the settings I had. When it was done, there was nothing on the build plate. I guess I didn't have the first few layers set properly. The print ended up being stuck on the bottom of the vat. With gloves on, I dug it out of the vat and tried again.

I changed some settings, letting the layers sit a little longer exposed to the light. This time the print stuck, but only one of the three things completed printing. After changing a few more settings, I managed to get two of three things printed. I figured that the supports that I had were too thin, so I made the supports thicker in the slicer. I haven't reprinted it yet, but I will soon in the future.

I next tried to print a mount for a Fenrir I still need to install. This time the print took about 13 and a half hours. I just let it print overnight. 

The next morning, after the print completed, there was only one flaw on it. It was at a noticeable part of the mount, but nothing really detrimental.

I next tried printing some gears for a PC Engine CD, which was the main reason for me to invest in the resin 3d printer. I did some slight changes the print settings, mainly how long each part was exposed to the light. This was the first print that I made that actually came out as they should! I still have to test fit them, but they look just as they should.

I tried a few more prints, but those prints didn't complete properly. At that point, I just poured the left over resin back in the bottle and cleaned up the mess.

My take on resin printing? It's really good at getting a nice, smooth print, getting .05mm layers. What I don't like is the post processing. Unlike FDM printing that I'm used to, resin printing has a lot of post processing. The left over resin needs to be rinsed off with some sort of solvent. I used a cleaner and let it sit in an ultrasonic cleaner. Then it needs to be UV cuired, which I just put in the UV bin that I made for retrobrighting old consoles. I also learned that after rinsing, the print needs to dry before curing, otherwise it'll get spotty and not cure properly.

There's still a lot for me to learn about 3d printing, both resin and FDM still. Hopefully, I'll get better at it.