My Adventures in 3D Printing

[masterjedi322]

So I tried the exposure test, and two things I immediately noticed...

1. I am using the Lychee slicer program. I put in the AnyCubic Photon Mono X as my printer and have been using the defaults for the resin, which I thought would be matched to the printer and resin type. They were not. The burn-in layers settings were way off along with the general exposure settings being much shorter than recommended.
2. One of the reference sheets included in the video specifies a 16 sec exposure time for the resin I'm using. The resin itself specifies 3-15 secs. Based on my test results, I think 16 sec is way too much, and I'm actually leaning toward 3 sec based on the fact that my 4 sec cure appears over exposed based on the video.

So for the AnyCubic Basic Gray resin, I think I am going to go with:

• 4 burn-in layers each cured at 30 sec
• 50 um layer thickness - default
• 3 sec exposure time

Will try these settings with the exposure test again and report back, but happy to hear any thoughts in the mean time!

Thanks again for all the awesome help! This forum rocks!

Sean

 

[janglesworthy]

Now your 3D printing like a pro. Let the addiction begin, give into it.

 

[ID10T]

I'm totally missing out on all this fun...

I sold a rare riflescope over the weekend, so I have some funding available now. Of course, I'll be diving into the Marianas Trench, with blasters and com links for Corporal Rostok...

But I still don't have a good place to set this thing up... I mean, just HOW stinky is this stuff? Compared to say ammonia or acetone, spray paint fumes, etc. (for point of reference). Is it irritating, or just unpleasant? Should it be mixed with vodka or whiskey for best flavor?

 

[janglesworthy]

all resins have different smells, some are super stinky other not so much. The not so much ones are the sneaky killers, the smell is so you know this **** will kill you. Air filters help a lot. If you smoke/grow a lot of weed you may already have one.

 

[ID10T]

I don't smoke (unless on fire) and the weeds are all doing fine out in what is supossed to be a yard.

So, I should go for the silent killer. Got it.

 

[janglesworthy]

elegoo makes these little small air filters to fit inside the printer, but they are always sold out on their and site and amazon won't ship them to california because ca(a state on constant fire) hasn't PASSED them.

 

[ID10T]

Yeah, that place is DANGEROUS. Even plywood gives you cancer there.

I’m glad I live on the toxic east coast.

 

[masterjedi322]

I'm totally missing out on all this fun...

I sold a rare riflescope over the weekend, so I have some funding available now. Of course, I'll be diving into the Marianas Trench, with blasters and com links for Corporal Rostok...

But I still don't have a good place to set this thing up... I mean, just HOW stinky is this stuff? Compared to say ammonia or acetone, spray paint fumes, etc. (for point of reference). Is it irritating, or just unpleasant? Should it be mixed with vodka or whiskey for best flavor?

You can definitely smell the AnyCubic resin…smells like burnt plastic. It’s not terrible, but I wouldn’t spend a prolonged period near it. I crack the window in my workshop and that seems to be enough.

Following up to my previous post - I think I’ve got the resin settings dialed in! I’ve done a few prints now and they are kicking ass! For example - here’s the cylinder that was giving me trouble. Printed right on the build plate with no supports.

I even went back and retried my first big print - awesome!

I can’t thank you all enough for all the help in getting this going! Off to print the rest of the kit parts!

Sean

 

[janglesworthy]

remember don't cure your prints with the supports on, remove them first. Warm water can soften them a little and help removal after the alc rinse.

 

[masterjedi322]

remember don't cure your prints with the supports on, remove them first. Warm water can soften them a little and help removal after the alc rinse.

Interesting. From what I’ve read so far, curing with supports is recommended, but I can definitely see both sides of the argument…

Sean

 

[janglesworthy]

here is another test print video. Sometimes hearing the same thing explained by 2 different people resonates differently with people.

 

[ID10T]

Congrats on your success!

I am very close to pulling the trigger myself here. Looks like I’m getting a new one, since the refurbished ones are all gone...

Reading some mire reviews now, and my jump by Friday. I have a bunch of stuff to print and as long as the failure rate is reasonable, it will be paid for pretty quickly.

 

[TazMan2000]

Interesting. From what I’ve read so far, curing with supports is recommended, but I can definitely see both sides of the argument…

Sean

The supports post printing are much softer and are easier to cut. When they are cured solid, they tend to sometimes shatter (depending on the resin type). Sometimes it takes out a big chunk out of the model. But you can try both and see which you prefer.
However, sometimes it is best to cut the supports post curing, to prevent the part from deforming. But then again, depending on the support placement the thin supports will cure faster and actually cause deformation.
So the right or wrong answer is totally dependent on the object printed and the supports.

I don't find the Elegoo resin to be that stinky. Or prehaps I have inhaled enough of it, not to notice anymore. I recently bought some Anycubic resin, so I am hesitant to try that since I have yet to have failed print on my Mono X.

TazMan2000

 

[janglesworthy]

I use the anycubic basic grey, I would say it is mid stinky. As far as failures I wouldn't try a real print with it until you have printed a few matrix chips.

My uniz IBEE just came in today so I will soon test out the infamous uniz zmud resin. It seems to be a soft resin requiring heavy support so people are having a hard time learning how to use it. The final result looks really good though....

 

[masterjedi322]

Congrats on your success!

Thanks! Couldn’t have done without the support of the folks here, namely TazMan2000 and janglesworthy - I owe them a beverage for sure!

Good luck with yours!

On a related note, finished another print yesterday. I lost one of the triggers in the vat. I’m guessing I need to reapply some of the lubricant to the FEP since I had down a handful of prints in a row.

I also picked up some Mando armor files yesterday that were on sale. That will be my next big project with the printer.

Sean

 

[janglesworthy]

See the 3D printing gods demand failure before they grant you success. Just like every new mandolin requires a blood sacrifice of your thumb or pointer finger. These are just the facts of life.

 

[masterjedi322]

Kicked off my longest print yet - 12 hours!

Should be finishing up this morning, so I’ll let you all know how it went…

Sean

 

[Noeland]

I've recently picked up the photon mono, and the wash and cure 2.0 and I promptly punctured the fep trying to remove cured resin from it when the little spatula broke very easily and cleaved the plastic open. After swearing like I had tourettes for about 2 hours (I have a habit of breaking things right after I get them) I ordered replacement frame/feps from anycubic (because the frame holding the sheet is glued together), which I've heard can take months to actually arrive, so I hit reddit to see what the "experts" are recommending. I then ordered an aluminum vat with an already installed fep. My first test print was pretty good, not perfect. Did the cube. It's wonky here and there. I was happy with it enough to set up some Silverhand grips (which is the reason I decided to finally get into resin printing) and YEAH, weeks have gone by now and I don't have a single successful print other than that first cube. I have some 3in1 PTFE lube on order, that is my next step to try and get a decent print done.

I also picked up a pack of feps for the aluminum vat, and that came with 2 plastic spatulas that are much better than the one that came with the anycubic.

In the meantime I've found a use for the wash & cure 2.0. I'm using it to cure parts from the FDM printer than have been primed and painted. Works GREAT.

 

[ID10T]

Geez... Every time I get excited about jumping in I see another report like this. Sorry to hear about your issues!

I'm thinking the Elegoo 2 (NOT the pro version) is the way to go, but sometimes the pro can be had for less. Why not the Pro? The fan. I've been watching reviews/tests etc. to be sure this is right for me and the fan runs continuously, so it pumps the resin smell into the room once the print is done. One person, with an older printer as well as the pro 2, said the pro 2 stinks up the shop if it's printing during the night and stops. If you unload it and shut down right away, it's fine. Another reviewer blamed the fan for depositing resin condensate on the inside of the cover too. This matters for me, because I will often have the machine printing overnight.

So, if I get a pro, I will unplug the fan (has anyone done this? Any problems with the software realizing it's off, or the unit getting too hot?), or just get the way cooler looking (I like green) regular 2.

I'm also budgeting for the clean and cure station (forget the name) with the yellow lid. Also found a vat draining stand on eBay that looks like a good idea. And a dust cover for the printer, because I'll have to have it in the dusty shop.

Software will go onto my Macbook pro. Anyone have issues with the software on the Mac? My understanding is that it is more "PC friendly" than Mac.

 

[Noeland]

I'm slicing on a mac, and I haven't had any issues on that end. There is a learning curve with anything new, and there was when I got an FDM printer too. I had to learn all the stuff I didn't know I needed to know.

I love 3D printing. I'll learn the resin side of it too!! I'll get there.