Collaborate Disseminate
If you want to smooth out the top surface of your FDM 3D prints, you can try ironing. Many slicers allow you to set this option, which drags the hot …read more Continue reading Non-planar Ironing Makes Smooth Prints
Finishing off 3D prints is a labour-intensive process, and getting a good looking, smooth surface suitable for painting takes a lot of time and plenty of practice. Deeper printing layer …read more Continue reading 3D Print Finishing By Spraying Glazing Putty
There was a time when most 3D printers used ABS, which while it is a great plastic for toughness, is hard to print with since it tends to warp. Worse …read more Continue reading Smooth 3D Prints with Alcohol
Affordable 3D printers let us turn ideas into physical reality without a big expensive workshop, but with their power came some disadvantages. The nature of FDM printers impart layer lines …read more Continue reading Give 3D Printed Plastic a Well-Worn Metal Look
Smoothing the layer lines out of filament-based 3D prints is a common desire, and there are various methods for doing it. Besides good old sanding, another method is to apply a liquid coating of some kind that fills in irregularities and creates a smooth surface. There’s even a product specifically for this purpose: XTC-3D by Smooth-on. However, I happened to have access to the syrup-thick UV resin from an SLA printer and it occurred to me to see whether I could smooth a 3D print by brushing the resin on, then curing it. I didn’t see any reason it shouldn’t …read more
Continue reading 3D Printering: Print Smoothing Tests with UV Resin