The BEST Way to Smooth PLA Scale Models 3D Prints
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 พ.ค. 2024
- What is the best way to smooth PLA prints? Watch and find out!
#3dprinting
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Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:22 Just Use Resin?
01:21 Print Orientation
02:15 Sanding
03:09 Scraping
04:00 UV Resin
06:47 Spray Putty
07:52 Recommendation
08:29 Pulling it Together
09:28 Sneak Peek - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
I am glad we have people like you wanting to test and find ways to make FDM look even better. I embraced the layer lines and go with them haha.
I’m one of those people who just see the layer lines…
You boss! Some TH-cam channels would break up each technique into separate videos, but you made a one stop shop. Love the sped up time lapses of the sanding too
Thanks!
Thank you Kathy.
Thank You Kathy!
Great tips. I really appreciate your thorough testing
Great comparison video. Thanks!
Interesting, will give the spray putty a go. Just finished a big build and wish I had known about this before painting. thanks for going through all the different ways and showing off how they look at the end.
love seeing 2nd dynasty prints in the wild
Ben from 2nd Dynasty is such a great creator. My next video features the Traveller Rampart from their latest Kickstarter.
Hi Kathy, The things we have to do to get perfection, am with you all the way, (you do get good results) Stay safe All the best Brian 😍
Good stuff.
This is a really interesting video.
Very interesting, this is a good suggestion for FDM terrain and large items.
Very interesting! I appreciate the side by side comparisons and the multitude of methods tested!
Thank you! Glad you found it useful
Great idea. I’ve never tried spray putty. Ty
I greatly appreciate your videos thanks for the great talent
Thank you so much!
amazing video
Thanks!
Really wonderful and thorough testing/research into your process. Thanks. This is perfect for students learning model making and sculpture with 3D prints.
Thanks Stephen.
Great video. I really enjoy your content. FDM printers can turn-out great models. I print figure models on my Ender 3 and use a two-part epoxy putty thinned with IPA into a milky consistency to fair the surfaces. My preferred putty is Milliput. Just mix up a small ball of it and place it in a little bowl with a splash of IPA. I use an old paint brush to apply thin coats over the surface. It's thin enough to run into the layer lines and is self-leveling. When the IPA evaporates (rather quickly) it leaves a Milliput deposit between the lines. Just be careful not to allow it to pool in places where it can obscure fine details. If you've thinned it enough this won't be a problem and can be removed if it happens. A few coats and a light sanding is often all I need. It works very well for me. For large flat surfaces or models without too much surface detail I use automotive filler-primer. It's used in automotive body work to aid in fairing surfaces. It applies heavier than regular primer, but not as heavy as the spray putty you mentioned and sands easily.
That’s really interesting and I have some milliput so will experiment with that in spot places.
Suscribed! Thank you for your video!
Thank you!
BEST method!
(I've tried all the others but the spray putty). Thank you!
Glad it helped!
So glad someone else does spray putty! I usually print at highest res for my FDM printer (0.1 on a Voxelab Aquila X2), and then hit it with the filler primer. I think I might switch to the spray putty for the much larger surfaces of the models I print as it seems to be more efficient at filling the layer lines. Thank you for sharing this with us, and the comparisons were a huge help in explaining both what to expect in regards to orientation on the print bed and what’s involved with the other techniques.
I find spray putty really useful for larger areas.
Nice methodical approach! I settled on spray putty for my 3D print aircraft and it’s much less labour for a good result. Also, Polymaker Polylite PLA (pre-foamed) tends to sand better than most other PLA and is considerably lighter too, without the disadvantages of other LW-PLA which foams upon extrusion. Your prints appear to be of excellent quality too. 👍🏻
Thanks. I will have to look at the Polylite.
this video came just in time. Thanks. Half way through printing a silver surfer and need a very smooth surface to get high gloss shiny chrome finish. Good tip on the spray filler
I’ve got mirror finishes for metallics using spray putty but it took a fair few coats and sanding. Good luck!
z pattern is regular and might be improved by tuning. It can be caused by multiple things: Z axis wobble by the lead screw, make sure it is properly guided. Heat bed algorithm on/off can deform the build plate and cycle, PID algorithm tune the temperature better and even. Drive gear of the extruder excentricity, if not centered well it extrude more or less filament in cycle.
Thank you for a really good, easy to follow video, and thanks TH-cam suggestion algorithm, you have a new subscriber.
Thank you!
Maybe you just solved my problem! I'm really glad to you and to the youtube algorithm! :D
Glad I could help - if you are in North America then spray putty can be hard to find so filler primer is the nearest alternative.
@@KathyMillatt I'm a Hungarain! :D Fortunatelly i can buy here the spray putty!
Hi Kathy, once again you've shown that 3d printing comes with new challenges that require a range of different skills, it is definitely not an easy option, incidentally, I do like that fighter ship, looking forward to seeing the hangar diorama completed, it looks amazing, anyway stay safe, all the best from Scotland, Stephen.
Thanks Stephen. It definitely has challenges but I wouldn’t be without my 3D printers now!
Spray putty seems amazing! I'm not sure we have something similar around here, but I'll definitely look for it.
Yeah, I was going to ask about versions available in the US. I've never heard of it before and it sounds great 👍
I hear it’s hard to find in North America so perhaps filler primer is the closest you get. If you can find it, my favourite spray putty is Motip.
Great video, very helpful & useful techniques. I've used both primer and knifing putty (Cataloy) but I never knew "Spray putty" existed!
Apparently it’s hard to get in North America which may be why it’s less common.
What an exceptionally produced and narrated, fascinating and informative video. Thank you so much
Thank you!
Very interesting, thanks for all the testing. I'll try the putty method you share here.
I hope it goes well for you.
I bought some pla filament recently from Technology Outlet, it's called copymaster3D premium filament. It produces a lot of stringing which is easy to remove, and it leaves an "ghost" of the print on the bed, drop the temp? but it scrapes and sands very well. Talking about sanding, I had an old Oral B pulsar toothbrush to hand, so I glued part of a lolly stick on the back (I left the bristles on to dust down the surface being sanded) to which I can stick various grades of sandpaper. Gently move it over a surface, pla, paint, or filler, and it will flatten said surface surprisingly well! I also tried converting a toothbrush with a circular oscillating head but that didn't work well. I bought a cheap set of stainless steel dentistry tools for the scraping, not very good quality, but they do a good job.
Lee
Thanks Lee. I solve a lot of my stringing issues by drying my filament. I have those heated drier boxes and it makes a huge difference. The ghosting can be mostly fixed and there are loads of articles out there on what to tweak.
Buffer wheel on a rotary tool with toothpaste. I got a terrain piece as a gift for a friend and it had many shallow layer lines on it. I ran my rotary tool (Dremel brand) buffer wheel over it with some standard toothpaste that has grit in it and it seems to smooth out the layer lines. I haven't seen it with primer on it yet, but it really seemed to work. A side benefit is the terrain smelled minty fresh.
I don't have a 3D printer, but i bought the piece on Etsy.
*warning* the toothpaste may splatter a bit.
I'll purchase a piece soon for myself to see how it works all the way to the painting stage.
Great vid Kathy!
Interesting! I’m always worried about heating the PLA too much with a rotary tool so it starts to melt but toothpaste!
@@KathyMillatt
Toothpaste (not gel ) is a polishing abrasive , I used it as a kid to clean up glue smears on aircraft canopies. (tube cement is evil !) Also used it to finish restoring my (real) car headlights !
A good tip when rescribing to a straight line on a curved surface is...... Dymo plastic embossing label tape. It has a good solid edge to run along.
This is Dspiae scribing tape. It’s actually cheaper than Dymo tape and comes with lines to help line it up!
Thanks ! This is a great Benchmark. I tried the UV resin method with mix results. In figures it helps a lot to cover the lines but in other cases did not. The main issue is the odour. I'll try spray pytty ! That sounds interesting.
I suspect that different methods suit different models but spray putty is by far the easiest I’ve found.
Man, I don't know why I didn't think about scraping layer lines... I do it for injection molding parting lines all the time! Excellent video! I wonder if thinning the resin would help it self-level better. I'm sure you'd still lose details just due to the nature of the material, but I really like the fact that it's ready to sand right away instead of having to wait for something to dry/cure. I spent weeks filling and sanding ad infinitum with my last prop until I discovered the UV resin method, then I was done in a day.
It is much less fun to sand than spray putty, though.
I definitely prefer to sand spray putty. It’s almost enjoyable.
Thinner resin may work better but take more layers perhaps?
Great info. You should try my acetone/putty combo, of course a great filler primer like bondo is key. I’m not a huge fan of resin for smoothing, I like using puttys and fillers which can be reactivated & reduced which helps keep details in the print. For models I find printing at a significantly finer layer height it ideal. Models are a ton of work, it’s not like helmets, so much fine detail. Great job in the video explaining everything!
Thank you. I did use thinned putty with acetone on my next job and it dues sand nicely but I find sprays easier for layer lines on their own.
@@KathyMillatt spraying it is fantastic! Don’t be afraid if anyone gives you grief on spraying it. Acetone is in every rattle can & primer used! Just some ppe & your good to go! What is your go to filler primer currently?
Great video! Very informative with great demonstrations of the different approaches. As someone not familiar with spray putty, I am excited to check it out.
I have 1 comment/question on your UV resin technique though. I think you said you went to the second coat due to still being able to see the layer lines. Was this prior to any priming? If so this may have greatly increased your struggles with the clear resin not having good visual cues for the actual smoothness. Curious if you would get better results with less resin as it definitely looked like a nightmare to get the details you wanted back in. Or if you did try priming after 1 coat how did it look compared to scraping?
Good question. I’ve done one coats in the past and it often depends on the model. I’ve found one coat can work but if your doing thin coats, two is better.
I found a super cheap and fast way to fix this problem...
Simply use some liquid nails and smear it on with one finger.. it would fix all this in a fraction of the time...no mess no fuss. Not only does it set like solid plastic, but it strengthens your models a lot. You can control where it goes on easily as well. Its sandable smooth (not that Ive had to even do this)...and there's no messing around with gloves/masks/resins etc etc. At less than 10 bucks per tube it's awesome.
Also... I never see anyone use a soldering iron to smooth off really bad areas at the edges of models (where the striping occurs)... this works REALLY well.
Hope this helps someone.
Thanks. Two great suggestions!
Hey Kathy, this video lead me to try the scraping and then i tried card scrapers. You can get tiny ones or make them yourself. Please, please try them, they are much better than a fresh scalpel blade as the burr acts like a miniature sanding plane. You get no blade chatter and can very quickly smooth the layer lines off completely.
Please try it, I 100% guarantee you will never use a knife again, and thanks for setting me down this path x
I must get some! I looked a couple of times but haven’t committed yet. Now I’ll have to!
My tip is hot a hot air station (Usually used for soldering). I have seen some people use a Hot air gun, but they lack the control in airflow and temprature. With a hot air staion you can achieve really good results in a short time, without making a mess. A good one cost around 200$, but if you dont like it, you can always return it.
Is that to melt the side to hide the layer lines? I’ve found heat warps my prints so I’m unsure how that would work.
@@KathyMillatt Here is a video where someone used a torch instead of a hot air station: th-cam.com/video/-zWXFQKt0w4/w-d-xo.html the idea behind it is basicly the same.
@@arcadebit1551 Cool, I'll check it out - I have used a blow torch on stringing and tbh, it warps so much I can't imagine it working on a print for layer lines so I am intrigued.
Love this video and thanks for the clear comparisons! seems like spray putty doesnt exist in the US... At least not easily attainable online. Ill have to search in store.
Apparently it isn’t a thing in North America so filler primer is the nearest available alternative.
@@KathyMillatt I've come to realize we are stuck under a monopoly of Rustoleum and 3m's Bondo!
I like to use a cream putty for car bumpers to straighten 3d prints, the thing i use is quite difficult to sand but result is very good, especially if you use an aerosol primer on top
Thanks. That sounds interesting.
So much work! I think you should try sandblasting your PLA parts.
I do have a sand blaster but it’s messy so I’ve never actually used it in anger.
So glad I found this. I have a huge project going with a load of large FDM printed parts. Do you have a link to the brand spray putty you're using here? Thanks
It’s apparently hard to find spray putty in North America. There a links on my website (link in description) but my favourite brand is Motip.
@@KathyMillatt Great. Thanks
I use Automotive Spot putty thinned with acetone. You can thin it to suit the surface condition and then wet sand. Fine details can be covered with very thin putty ( more acetone) and let gravity flow the putty. Let it evaporate on a level surface. Ethyl acetate can also be used to melt the surface directly.
I’ve seen that used a lot recently but it’s always brands you don’t get in the UK.
Thanks for the video. I HATE layer lines. It’s why I started and stayed with resin for 5 years. But, I want large prints and functional prints. So I’ve finally bought my first FDM. Now I’m hoping there are amazing new ways to reduce layer lines without sanding…😅
Coming from resin though, with antialiasing, you can eliminate layer lines completely. And there are specialized resins that work really well for functional parts, clips and joints and hinges… etc. but resin printers are small. And they can distort depending on how well you support them.
I’ve found FDM to be more robust and dimensionally accurate plus cheaper on the large terrain items but like you… I hate the layer lines!
My god, thank you so much!
I'm currently printing a Warlord Titan from Warhammer 40k, and was dreading doing this on the entire model. Now it seems doable, I just have to find a way to source spray putty...
Any links/stores you would suggest as well as brand of spray putty? I just went straight to amazon and found some results, but not much (I live in the States)
Apparently it’s hard to get in the US but I get my favourite Motip on Amazon in the UK.
@@KathyMillatt I'll be sesrching around for it then :) thank you!
TOP
Nice workflow! It’s the same one I’ve come to use - scalpel, spray putty, and sanding. I also use a small detail, draw type scraper which you pull towards yourself - it works well in corners. The 3D resin you mentioned is expensive and IMO, not worth the effort.
I totally agree on the resin. I’ve bought a scraper but haven’t used it in earnest yet.
Thankyou for sharing. I can now make a better formed decision for working with my FDM parts, especially the miniatures people keep telling me I need a resin printer for (though with the drop in resin 3D printer prices...).
Resin printers are brilliant but not for everything. The printers themselves get cheaper but resin is still more expensive than filament and harder to print large flat structures with plus it usually lacks the spring and resilience of PLA.
@@KathyMillatt noted! So, hang on to FDM printer if I get a resin printer!
Definitely!
I look forward to when we can look back at a video like this and laugh at what we used to have to deal with. It's come a long way, but there will come a time when printers no longer leave these artifacts in the prints.
I wonder when that will be as the layer lines are inherent in the technology. Perhaps an external treatment that just sorts it?
Thanks. I’ve had a resin printer for a couple of years but just ordered a FDM and wondered if I was just going backwards - seems ok now.
It’s not going backwards but it is a different beast. They each have their uses and strengths.
This is great info. I’ve been scraping my prints and it’s great for small, tight spaces. Also: I played Traveller when it first came out. My first foray into RPGs.
I’m old.
Old is good. Just means more experience!
Have you tried using acetone/nail polish remover to smoothen out the lines? I use it on ABS plastic to weld together parts. Not sure how acetone works on the plastic used in 3D printer but worth a shot? When i use it on ABS plastic i smothes out the surface in matter of seconds.
I tried acetone smoothing on ABS and it didn’t work on my filament. There are chemicals that do a similar job on PLA but I wasn’t sold on the process I’m afraid.
I've tried printing some of those ships in resin too. I print the clips in PLA and that combination works fine, but the serious warping problems with large flat objects is a problem I keep hitting too... and the resins which don't do that tend to be brittle, expensive, or both.
I’ve ended up having to learn FDM to print those big items and it may be more prone to layer lines but it handles the big ships so much better.
I'm still not a convert to fdm as terrain. I like it for organizers and widgets. Still, this is a very useful video for those that do.
Part of me wonders if this is a design issue. When creating models to be resin cast, or made into steel molds, the designer makes changes to make it work better. You could see this in early Conquest models where the sculptors, former jewelery designers, were obviously unfamiliar with hips casting.
Perhaps so to should FDM designers consider how they designs will be smoothed.
Good FDM designers already factor in a lot of ways to improve the printing process such as orientation and texture to help mask layer lines. Having printed large items in resin and FDM, FDM would be my go to now but there are upsides and downsides to both.
3:35 Old trick I learned from car painters years ago: To get out runs, you take a straight edge razor, and run it in one direction against very find sand paper (1000 grit or more). This develops a burr on the opposite side of the blade, and you use that burr as your scraping edge. Much better than using a curved blade (which doesn't have a burr developed on it)
That sounds like the cabinet scrapers which have a burr. The round edge was to stop me putting the tip in but does mean very little surface area. A straight razor would do large flat areas much better. Thanks!
@@KathyMillatt Yes, it's exactly like a cabinet scraper, but since they are smaller, you have much more control over it.
Interesting to see the trials and tribulations of 3d prints, I guess you could mask areas you don’t want filling but could be tricky the more detailed the model is.
Masking is definitely a good idea. I did want to see how much these filled in the details.
@@KathyMillatt you could try masking with toothpaste or a gel. Something that adheres but can be easily removed. That would let you keep details where you want and easily removed when the time arrives to prime
@@Qis4Question Nice idea - blu tack would also be good.
May want to experiment with some sort of media blasting/ shot peen process to reform the surface without really abrading or etching it away. Vibratory Tumbler? Break the parts into components between broad flat surfaces to fine mesh with different processing appropriate for the desired details. Possibly preheat the parts or media to distort just the top layer. Potential for causing warpage if excessive. Point being to minimize as much hand work as possible and speed up the processing time.
Interesting ideas. I think that’s why I like spray putty, it’s relatively quick to apply.
Just a tip! UV resin is extremely fluid so you have to thicken it up so it doesn’t pool, best to use some talcum powder until you get it to the consistency of syrup and it is the best option out of them all for speed, time and strength. Give it a shot!
Interesting. The last few times I put talc in something I got a lot of lumps so it put me off adding it to stuff. I still prefer the ease of a spray as it’s just quicker for bulk items like my current hangar build.
@@KathyMillatt Won’t this time, if you get the resin a little thicker again to the point of syrup it’s much more difficult to pool. The thing about filler primer and this applies to all regardless of which one you use (some say they don’t shrink but they all do) is they shrink over time so what looks good now won’t look good overtime, this is the trade off for ease of sanding. Automotive 2k primer is much thicker of a build and the thickness on that would be enough to compensate but the stuff in a can takes many coats and you start loosing edge detail the more you have to put on in order to compensate for the shrinkage overtime. Resin won’t shrink so whatever you put down it’s staying in place so using a combo of the two is a sweet mix, 2-3 coats of very thin resin followed by sanding in between coats with 180 to 220 then filler primer to cover the scratch’s left by that and sand as high as you need depending on the type of finish you need.
This combo works a treat and allows me to finish the coating and primer stage in 45 mins or less for a full size helmet.
@@techguy38 I can see you are sold on the resin method just as I am on the spray putty method although I like the idea of a combo. Spray putty doesn't shrink - I did my Halo diorama with it 18 months ago and it is still a mirror shine finish.
*looks at stack of different grit sandpapers that I went out and bought to smooth out my fdm terrain*
*looks at the hobby knives ive had sitting around for ages*
shit.
I use the sandpaper after filling and priming so don’t worry, you’ll still get to use it.
MirageC did a really good video on "Z wobble" for layer lines on high end FDM printers.
In his testing and experiments, he found that the extruder itself was not extruding filament evenly due to poor tolerances in the drive gears, which was causing a ripple effect in vertical layers.
Once he removed the tolerance issues from the drive and idler gears, he was able to get amazing vertical prints with all but invisible vertical layer lines.
This might reduce or remove the post-prep work you need to do for your PLA models.
It’s always possible to tweak more but I do think that there are layer lines whatever you do because the nozzle extrudes a round profile and you may want a perfectly flat wall. I certainly need to improve my actual printing though.
@@KathyMillatt He is using a high quality FDM print head, which helps a lot with the layer lines, but he noticed that his prints became much better on the z axis when he was running it in Bowden mode. This is what lead him down examining the direct drive extruder itself.
He found that you can test if your FDM printer is having this issue by changing the extrusion speed. If the Z axis layer lines have different repeating patterns with different extrusion rates while in Vase mode, part of the issue is from uneven filament flow.
@@nilok7 Interesting - I can imagine the cheap filament I use is partly to blame as it is not as dimensionally accurate but I didn't notice twice the improvement with filaments twice the price. The ringing from direct drives is definitely more pronounced than with a Bowden arrangement but I like the design better overall.
Might also be worth masking the grid parts before spraying the putty on.
That’s a great idea. If I was doing this on a final part rather than a test, I think I would definitely do that.
I will try that. I printed myself a Temuera Morrison head to go onto my Boba-Mannequin and I really dreaded sanding off all the intricated veinwork and details that is sculpted into it.
If it should not work, I can still try the old-fashioned method of sanding and filler primer...actually, I will try that with PETG, too. A nightmare to work with...particulary the fine details.
It is so hard to keep that fine detail when sanding, isn’t it.
@@KathyMillatt I really hope I succeed. The print came out perfectly, the parting line (I had to print it in two parts) is very smooth and not very visible. Also, the sizing ratio on my mannequin is perfect, and the helmet fits on perfectly. So I really do not want to blow it. But of course I also want him with his helmet off. So...I have to do this somehow. I will take my time and try out your method (maybe before I do this head, I will practice on a faulty print).
Practice really does make perfect. I’ve been sanding my helmet for ages and every time I prime I spot another area to improve!
masking off area's that you dont want to spray putty or resin to get into, is key to keeping detail. I've done majority of these methods from spot putty, to plastic filler, primer filler and find working small areas and using very little amounts is also key to filling in unwanted layer lines. I take some primer filler and spay into a sealable jar and use it with brushes to control the amount being used on the model. Also using water washable 3d Resin for 3d resin printer is great, and you can use small detail burshes to minimize over doing the layers. Also burshes can be used over, washing the brushes in warm water and mild dish soap will clean the brushes easily (still following the do not pure down the drain rules). I just take the extra time, and not over do the amounts you put on to cover the unwanted areas of print lines. Slower is always better!
Interesting and masking is the way. I’m not sold on water washable resin though. Resin is hazardous whether it’s cleaned with IPA or water and the thought of putting a hazardous waste straight down the sink seems wrong. I hear mixed results from people who use water washable but the consensus seems to be it’s not as good as the normal stuff so I’m glad you have great results from yours.
Oh and I realise you understood the drain point but so many I see using water washable don’t. What to do with all the used IPA/water is a conundrum.
@@KathyMillatt after about 100 or mor washes and has settled to the bottom remove most of the top clean water with a turkey baster or syphon, it can then be cured in the sun or under a uv light and then deposited in the trash just like any other cured resins
@@cowboy124aa3 And the water is still full of dissolved resin so needs to be disposed of as hazardous waste or left to evaporate - I struggle as when I put stuff out to evaporate - it just fills up with rain!
@@KathyMillatt Resin doesnt dissolve in the water its suspended in it, it will settle to the bottom of the container after a few days. the water taken off the top can be put into a new clean container and be reused into a new cleaning tub.
I use simple woodfiller (cheap stuff) thinned down with 1/3 alcohol 2/3 water to about a running yoghurt consistency.. dries quick because of the alcohol and then sand it down. I apply with a mini paint-brush wich gives better control than a spray. It's really cheap and sands down great. After this primer (wich locks it in) and a sanding to bring out spots I forgot....wich I always do 😂
Sounds like a great system. Thanks for sharing.
Great video! The only thing I'm wondering about is how durable the spray putty is? How 'sticky' is it? Is it going to stay on there forever (or near enough), or will it fall out of the cracks in a few years or even months? Sometimes things like that dry out and shrink over time.
I’ve had it on my helmet for years with no problem.
@@KathyMillatt that's what I wanted to hear, got a Spacemarine helmet in the works!! 🤣
Awesome! It’s worked a treat on my Titanfall helmet.
i gotta ask, what's the best option / technique for small figures and busts (like 20cm tall)
sanding organic shapes is difficult and I'm not sure what to use for it - there's blocks and paper and files, but they don't go around fine curves in the way I need to
maybe my dexterity just sucks LMAO
that sprayable putty looks awesome
I use sanding sponges a lot. There are some like DSPIAE that are excellent. Although, I wouldn’t print small figures in FDM, I’d use resin.
Resin expeeeeensive ;3;
Thank u though XD
spray putty, never heard of that before. Where do you get that? What brand?
I get it on Amazon and like the Motip brand best. I put links on my website if you want an actual product link.
i cant seem to find spray putty here in the usa, is it the same as primer filler?
Do you live in North America? It’s not the same but filler primer does a similar job. You may need more coats of it though.
@@KathyMillatt yes North America
I had terrible luck with XTC and taking forever to harden completely. Even after several weeks, I. had a few pieces that remained "sticky" when pressed. And yes, I had measured corectly when I mixed up the resin. It flashed in the expected time but didnt harden completely :(
I’ve never tried it so thanks for sharing your experiences.
Hello, can you spray paint over spray putty?
Yes, it takes paint beautifully.
Spry putty is the same as a sandable primer?
It’s not. It’s specifically made to sand and gas not paint in it. You do need to prime afterwards.
where do you get that spray putty great video
Wish she would put a link to the spray putty as I never heard of it.
@@gvet47 i know there are primer with a filler in it and i use that but the stuff she is using looks thicker and i been looking for it on line but not finding anything
Would also like to know what that spray putty is or where to get, please.
@@victoriaq5157 me too
@@victoriaq5157 i can't get it in the usa but there is a link under her video about 3d printing and you can find the putty in that list
Not sure if anyone else has mentioned this, but what about using spray putty, but taping off the fine details? Wouldn't that help with overall quality?
I think it would help and I’m going to do that on a future project.
Where would i buy spray putty in the US? When I Google it I find Bondo and primer products. Is there another name for it? Is it acrylic based? Thank you .
Apparently it’s not common in the US. It’s not the same as filler primer but that can stand in but with more layers perhaps.
@@KathyMillatt Filler primer doesn't work that well. Can you post the name of the product you use?
@@gg48gg I use Motip spray putty.
man all these seem much more work than they are worth
If you want something unique, sometimes it’s the only way.
Is there another name for spray putty? I can't find it when searching on Amazon or in general searches. Can you provide product details? Or a us link? Thanks
I have a link on my website (link in description) but I believe the problem is that it’s not a common product in North America. You do have filler primer which is similar but a bit thinner so needs more layers.
@@KathyMillatt yeah I found high filler primers which may be similar, Bondo makes a spray version of a high filler, going to give them a try.
@@KathyMillatt another question I have is those filing sticks you are using, it just the same ones used on your nails or is there a specific brand/type?
@@DanielChaves1984 Emery boards are good but I also use the dspiae sanding sponges as they are more flexible for the smaller pieces.
@@DanielChaves1984 Please let me know how it goes.
I just print with a 0.2 nozzle and 0.08 layers, 0 layer lines at 45mm/s. Sure it's slow but there's 0 post process work so overall saves time.
Sounds like a dream! I should swap out my 0.4 nozzle and try but I’d probably just go resin instead for the finer detail.
Do you always wet sand?
If I can. It cuts down on dust which is a pain for getting everywhere including in lungs.
Try ethyl acetate vapor smoothing?
I tried acetone smoothing on ABS once very unsuccessfully and it put me off the vapour methods. I did look but don’t see many people using it so I wonder why that is. Carcinogenic warnings perhaps?
Ethyl acetate is not a carcinogen, itsmsimilar to acetone in regards to safety.
And sadly comes with the same vapor smoothing "issues". Even if you are unwilling tondabble in the dark arts of vapor smoothing, the possibility of solvent welding parts still deserves a mention.
P.s.: ....hopefully i am not debating with the church of " every chemical is unnatural, thus carcinogenic"
@@martonlerant5672 I just filled a whole massive hangar full of models with Tamiya putty thinned with acetone (wearing an organic solvents mask!).
Use Bondo car body filler. Sands easy
I like spray putty because it’s a spray so easy to apply. Bondo is sadly very expensive here as it’s an import.
Maybe put a tiny Mill in place of the Print Head and leave it to go over the whole surface automatically?
Interesting. My flatness problems are often the sides which may be more of a challenge.
"Spray Putty" - what kind of devilry is this?!!!!! Seriously, I bought a large Starbug print a few years ago but couldn't make any progress with the sanding - it just seemed impervious and the spray primer method was equally frustrating. Hopefully a bit of SP will prove to be the answer. Not sure I'll be using it on My helmet though Kathy (lol)!!!
Sanding detailed prints is such a nightmare! Hopefully the spray putty will help you.
If I ever get a FDM I will have to remember this . Then I can feel like I am working at the auto-body shop fixing cars ;)
🤣🤣🤣
You could just use a smaller nozzle for higher detail prints when printed horizontally, if that would take too long then why not print the mesh separate with a smaller nozzle and glue it on.
I’ve always gone resin rather than a smaller nozzle. I guess it’s the way I think but maybe I should experiment with nozzle size.
@@KathyMillatt A smaller nozzle makes quite a big difference from what I have seen. I use a 0.25 mm nozzle to print small objects like gears and similar and it definitely is a lot better than using a 0.4 mm nozzle, if you combine it with a tiny layer size it works well too, like I use a 0.075 mm layer height. Resin printers apparently have a 10-100 um layer height which you can get within with a FDM printer, like the height I print fine details at is 75 um and that si with a stock lead screw on an ender 3, it should be possible to go smaller and definitely if you use a finer pitch lead screw.
@@conorstewart2214 Definitely one for the future
IMHO, if you need product quality, the best solution is to use a photopolymer printer. It seems more expensive, but if you take into account the number of working hours, it turns out that it is cheaper. I myself suffered for a LONG time until I came to this decision.
I have a resin printer that does great quality but it lacks the mechanical qualities of PLA. Price aside, there are some items that DDM printing just does better.
I’ve had some luck using watered down wood filler, then sanding. Your mileage may vary.
Thanks Ed.
try CA glue... 😉 pen makers have been doing it for years :)
I don’t like using CA as it’s harder than the plastics I am sanding so they get worn away first making it so hard to get a level finish. I know adding baking powder helps but I prefer the putties as they’re softer and sand more nicely.
@@KathyMillatt that is true! to use it you need to flood it. I used high filler primer the other day and the lines were gone after the first round of spraying and sanding. it was a large flat surface though.
It went from: “ah, it might be useful to know ig”
To “I’m fucking all ears!”
When I saw that Pilot helmet in the beginning! Will be waiting for a separate video on that one)
Defs like and sub from me,miss
Thanks! The helmet is a personal project so it will probably just be photos on social media I’m afraid. I may make another one eventually!
use ABEK filters not just ffp
Here is an other one: Wood glue watered down 1:1 with hot water and either sprayed or brushed on. No dangerous fumes, no special gear, very cheap.
Interesting! Thanks.
Use PU varnish
I’d not thought of that. How thick is it? Does it fill the lines easily and sand easily?
@@KathyMillatt It depends a little on what kind of varnish you use. I have tried 2 different kinds with variing results.
1st I used a varnish with black pigments water basis solvent. This didn´t work at all because this varnish was very very runny and thin.
2nd I used clear coat varnish (glossy) on oil basis. (the cheap kind from my local hardware store for food etc.) This time it worked really well. The coat was much thicker and did build up. It worked for me on a 0.2mm layer height. It´s kind of like the UV resin but much easier to handle since you don´t need a mask, it´s not as volatile, it does not need UV light to cure, it will not wrinkle during curing etc. BUT it takes longer to fully cure.
I did not sand it afterwards since this was my whole point for doing that, so i don´t know how hard it is. But it is supposed to be for a final surface finish for furniture, I would assume it will be quick hard and easy to hand. Just try it out.
@@sierraecho884 thanks. I still wear a mask for any solvent I’m using a lot of but I’m guessing you hand painted?
Im a fan of the spray method because it is so quick and then using a hand painted on detailed areas.
@@KathyMillatt I just hand painted with a window open. It´s just normal varnish, nothing dangerous unlike UV resin.
You can of course spray paint it instead. And wear corresponding safety gear.
I would suggest you just try it out your way and see what you are comfortable with and if it has the results you are looking for. It might not be for you after all.
If you try it out, please give some feedback here, I would like to know if it works for you etc. =)
@@sierraecho884 Will do!
Spot putty would be quicker, cheaper
I have tried it and much prefer spray putty.
Так себе результат. Если эти игрушки из PLA, то лучше попробовать нанесение лимонена. А до этого заняться принтером. Заменить прямой привод на боуден и использовать более продвинутую управляющую прошивку.
So much expense, cleanup, time, and waste with 3D prints, not to mention sctructural and quality issues, I'd bet that traditional construction methods would be better, and likely quicker in most cases.
I think it depends what you’re printing. I print a lot of figures which I could never sculpt in a million years. I’m also awful at cutting straight lines on styrene so 3ad prints are more consistently accurate than I am.
wood filler. easy and not toxic, can be removed with water, it dries quickly, I might as well color it...
I like spray putty because it’s a spray but it does put out a lot of bad fumes.
Have You Ever Printed Anything That Wasn't So Sad People Thought You Were Actually a Woman? LOL!
What kind of rude comment is this?? That’s awesome she’s into this stuff and she is a woman and a very beautiful one at that
i’ve had great luck with first spraying a lite coat of filler primer, then a heavy combination spray of a cheap spray paint and spray varnish. smoothes things right out. Shouldn’t drip if you do it right so heavy but no too heavy. For some reason, the combination of the two sprays mixes and creates a nice smooth coating. I guess it may gel a bit so it doesn’t take on and reflect the under surface thus covering up all the layer lines.. Quick and easy and gets the job done fast
I’ve seen that on videos so good to hear it works for you. Is it sandable when it’s dry?
@@KathyMillatt When its very dry its sandable to a degree. It can gum up the sandpaper a bit so for me, its the last step and i don’t intend on sanding if i can help it.. Sometimes its unavoidable. But hit it with filler primer first and do any initial sanding which will lessen and fill in the layer lines a bit and then paint/varnish simultaneous spray to pretty much knock out what remains. That usually smooths things right out. Once I’m happy, i may wet sand to get a surface the paint can stick to and/or hit with a lite and thin primer, like Vallejo. If i recall correctly, i found a video on this technique too.. I think the person was trying to smooth his Mandalorian helmet. If not for that technique, the normal fill and sand work was estimated to be a several week process and this took care of things within a day.
Nice! And thanks. I saw it on a video as well but finding the right paint and varnish seemed quite a few variables to work out. Thanks for the help.