3D Printing Hack - Filling Gaps & Seams with Resin and Baby Powder
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.พ. 2025
- 3D Printing Hack - Filling Gaps and seams with Resin and Baby Powder. This is a must try!
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This trick works a little too good!
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Another cool thing you can do with UV resin: Thin it with lacquer thinner and airbrush it onto your FDM models. It's pretty thin, but you can build coats or introduce this towards the end of your processing. It's almost like UV-drying micro filler paint. I use it to fill sanding scratches and leveling out imperfections. surprisingly, it still cures well, and hey, no brush strokes. I imagine if you use a larger sprayer, you can hog out the thicker resin. Something to consider with your masks or other props.
@@jasonMontalvo1 Spraying resin into the air is not recommended
When you mentioned talk, it reminded me that minerals are often used as fillers into plastics. E.g. PVC can have addition of like 80% of calcium carbonate (nanometer (
“I’m trying to fill the void with resin” can be the name of your memoirs.
Merch madness ;)
I am amazed when I see people wearing gloves with resin prints and then dry sand them. Wet sanding keeps dust down, and if you use my favorite trick (using windex instead of water) it will dry faster and even allow you to smooth/strip paint.
Awesome video as always, but I would recommend to use a transparent resin and milled glassfibre as a filler, this would then also fully cure, to prevent monomers migrating out of the resin. The talcum absorbs UV light and therefore it can't fully cure when used in larger amounts.
Funny story, this is basically what automotive body fillers like Bondo are made of. They're usually polyester resin, like most fiberglass resins, with fillers like talc. I frequently mix up my own body filler with talc and epoxy or polyester resin, it works great. Just make sure the baby powder you're getting is actually talc, and doesn't have a lot of fragrances, aloe, etc in it. Most baby powders nowadays are actually cornstarch.
Great info! thanks! I do a lot of resin work and I used to us small amounts at the point where ut starts to thicken to patch and sand. I never thought to just add talc. Thanks so much for adding more great info!
Would it okay if i use cornstarch instead?
Between this and your last video, you have literally saved me days worth of filling and sanding - you are an absolute godsend to my workflow!
Loving these little tricks. Less stinky and cures so dang fast
1. Add the resin to the filler (baking soda or talcum powder) so you don't end up with too much goop.
2. Use painter's tape to mask off areas that you don't need to fill to reduce sanding.
3. Use a silicone spatula (Dollar Store item) instead of your gloved fingers to smooth & wipe the excess filler before curing.
Just bought a flexible spatula the other day!
Totally makes sense. One if my favorite fillers is Thick CA and Baby Powder. Nice trick I've got a project I'll try this on.
Nice man! I need to binge some more of your videos. About to start painting some of the statues I’ve printed
@@UncleJessy Awesome, looking forward to seeing some paint on them.
ok well ive been using flour for the last few months i might need to swap to baby powder lol another trick mate , is get a big Syringe , and i use ( squeeze) it into gaps, then UV light then again , not only does this seal it up but its stronger that superglue, , its a little time consuming but i get better control with gaps , rock on
Oh man I need a resin syringe 😂 that sounds even crazier to use.
Jessy, the problem with this method (and minorly the paint on method) is that your only curing the top layer (maybe the second layer with the more transparent resins) So when you were doing the mask you were then sanding down the top layer which was then freeing up the resin that wasnt cured onto your sand paper (likely you didnt notice this)
Durham's Water Putty is my go-to gap filler for my prints. It's incredibly cheap, you can get it at any home depot, it doesn't smell, and it's relatively clean. It comes as a powder that you mix with regular water, dries super hard and sandable. Only real downside is that even in its cured state, it will soften if dampened, so it needs to be coated with something to protect it and you can't just rinse the print to prepare it for painting.
Oh nice. Adding that to my shopping list
One thing to watch out for is that thicker globs of the mix might not cure all the way.
Also, lil tip for gap filling on GK style prints where you wanna paint parts separately for strong color separation, paint some petroleum jelly (Vicks vaporub works great) on one side, glob in you filler on the other, press fit the two parts together, clean up the squeeze out, then cure. Bam, perfect gapless press-fit ready for cleanup and painting.
Thanks for the tip. One point, as I make and paint injection molded model Aircraft, there are very small metal spatulas and apply tools designed for modeling. You can apply tiny measured dabs to the model, avoiding dealing or masking it off beforehand with tape.
Resin mixed with talcum powder is a classic way for resin thickening for resin casting. But with the mix, it's also brittle.
Adding angel hair might be a better option
@@previctom I prefer vermicelli
Great to know thanks!
inbe4 someone steps in with dollar store ramen and superglue
@@Metroidf4n no
Nice!
I think we're all enjoying these videos on prop making techniques.
Great video!
😬🤘 thanks! Should have more on the way between videos on new machines
@@UncleJessy Cool!
Wow! Thank you for sharing this because I was on the way to the store to buy wood filler to fix a print I'm working on. Your da man!
Nice!! I do still love some woodfiller but this method works great if you have resin on hand
** COUGH COUGH ** print a stir stick.
Now that would be too sensible.
Lol
Why they them give away for free at Sherwin Williams if buy something. They sell bondo spot putty there
Really useful tip for larger surface area coverage. May have to use this for some of my ThorDalorian armor plates when they come off the printer.
For smaller areas or details I generally use either Vallejo or Tamiya plastic putty (since I'm primarily a miniature / bust kindda guy) since I have those laying around. They tend to be less thick than bondo, have a really good working time and take very little effort to sand smooth.
Will need to pickup some of that Vallejo or Tamiya plastic putty and test it out!
Been using this technique for years. I thought it was common knowledge. lol. You're essentially home brewing car filler. Except its UV resin instead of fibreglass resin. One reason I use it, is that different fillers sand at different rates to the surface. Which can still leave a raised ridge, or depression after sanding. Only to come back after painting. With the UV/talc filler. Its basically the same material as the surface. Which means leveling is far easier, and less likely to leave imperfections. Less prep equals a happy modeler in my case.
Awesome to hear! Yeah, have never seen or heard about it but clearly a lot of people have been doing similar things for a while now
This is smart. I was going to try to find some kind of gel or thickener used for fake UV nail art but baby powder is the much cheaper and more convenient option. Using essentially the same resin to film gaps and sand the surface finish smooth will be so much easier and more effective then messing with the bondo which I don’t really like using. Thanks for the update!
thanks and hope it works well for you!
GENIUS! I remember your video on Bondo spot-filling from 2016-ish, stoked to see a new and better way of smoothing parts!
🤣😂 indeed! Thanks man
If you need to sand a very smooth finish, you could flash spray over the filler with a contrasting color paint spray can and then sand till it's almost completely gone, only the low spots and pits should be left, then repeat if necessary until you are left with a thin even coat of filler.
Love your content! cheers
I love this idea for bonding two sides of a helmet together on the inside. I usually use a FDM pen to weld together helmet prints on my FDM printer and this could work great for resin prints in the same way. Using it thick could give it some nice strength to keep those seams nice and strong.
Its nice to see guys like you playing with things to make things easier for everyone! Thanks for that! Ive been playing with it and you can really get in trouble with the resin trick...but I think once you master it....it was be an awesome tool for the toolbox! Thanks for video!
I have a 7" tall multipart resin print that has some gaps between the parts. I may use this for that.
Nice! I will be using this on a really large upcoming statue project build
Now this is neat
Great use for left over resin
100% I end up with a small amount of left over resin and sometimes not sure what to do with it
I LOVE the smell of that spot putty!
What really stinks? Cutting and sanding Elk antler for a knife handle. Oy... Learned that one today too.
Some great experimental tips Jessy! Love your stuff buddy!
Nice one! For small holes I use CA glue and baking soda. It's super fast.
Ummm that sounds awesome. Going to have to try that out
The benifit of this over CA glue and baking soda is that the glue and soda is instant. You put soda where you want the fill (which is a powder so not alot of control, besides using gravity to hold it where you want) then apply CA glue on top, very hard fill....
But this method is leaps and bounds better, you have a workable paste till boom instantly cure when and where you want it. With much more carefull application, like with a toothpick for instance..... This very well may have replaced many methods of finishing models and miniatures.
I use spackle paste for drywall( the stuff that goes in between the tiles) to fill holes and layer lines, it can be thinned with water and it's non toxic, i also picked up Vallejo Plastic putty, similar to the drywall stuff but when it dries it has more flexibility where as the drywall stuff gets kinda brittle.
Awesome options! Will look at grabbing some to try out
Uncle Jessy Cool, it’s all I use, I also use a wet brush after applying the paste to smooth it out, also works with a rag, that what I used on the Vigo base.
This is great because you can have a fully resin finish with matched colors if you use the same color as the print! This is perfect for my bjds I'm trying to sell!
Another alternative is using a mix of CA glue and baking powder. If you get a kit that has thin, medium, and thick glues, you'll want to use the thin CA glue, it mixes with the baking soda considerably easier than the other two. The mixture sets rapidly, and will probably be even stronger than the 3D printed part. I watched one video where the mixture was used to fill a small cardboard box that razor blades were packaged in. A small hole was drilled and tapped, a steel bolt was threaded into the hole, and the glue mixture firmly held the bolt. I just used this method to repair a cracked overhang on a plastic trash can. CA glue and baby powder will give you similar results, with the only exception being, that it dries slower than with baking powder, which gives you a longer work time.
Now I have a use for my left over resin!
Exactly! A little left over resin is perfect for this
You're a life saver!! Bondo was costing too much for my projects, this will do!
Woah, this seems awesome. As much as spending hours sanding/priming can be a fun zen sort of experience... if I can cut that time down and get good results... heck yes!
In boat building we call this "fairing". As others have said, the talc probably stops a lot of the UV from getting through the resin and you probably end up with some uncured resin in there, especially where you filled the hole on the sonic. But a great alternative is to just use a 2 part epoxy instead. Exact same process except the resin cures without UV light, and regardless of how thick a layer is.
It needs to be left a lot longer to cure, but if you had deep gaps to fill on a big project, it would be a much better option.
Really enjoyed the video! That's a 3D printing enthusiast, I'll definitely have to give this a shot.
Awesome to hear! Thanks for checking it out
I feel like it’s worth stating the importance of wearing the appropriate PPE when using and sanding resin.
I am really surprised that this isn't mentioned anywhere in the video. I'm always wearing my respirator when sanding, especially when sanding resin. Don't need that crap in my lungs.
This video was very useful, thank you for sharing it and please send thanks to the person who showed you too! I wish I had learned about this when I was making the ace of spades lol
Hey Uncle Jessy. I do this with metallic powder :) and the result is PHENOMENAL when you sand it. You should try.
Clear or opaque resin?
Do you mix in the metallic powders with the resin before printing? I was going to try that out
@@UncleJessy Yes exactly. It's called metal cold casting with epoxy resin if I remember correctly, that's how I got the idea. The powder needs to be thin and the resin clear (even colours work). Try not to put too much at least at supports layers level as you can damage a bit the FEP since the build plate collapses on the FEP and might apply pressure. After that this is all good.
I am now experimenting with crushed golden/silver leaves but this is not as cool 😎.
Please let me know how it turns out for you !
Cheers.
(Also select a metal that is not too dark)
Jesus christ, you are a wizard. This is game changing.
Works amazing for filling seams in your prints!
Corn starch would be my go-to fine powder, though as you might imagine, it's a bit more tricky to get your mixture spot-on as it absorbs moisture readily. It'd be very easy to get a paste however, and a 1 pound bag lasts Forever.
Something you would benefit to work on personally is keying your models, which can be done very easily in Fusion 360, even if you're importing it versus having it natively. If you have zbrush, that's also an option and probably easier as it will import OBJ files without having to convert it through Fusion's various preferred file types. Though going through Fusion, you can be 100% certain you'll maintain manifold shells.
Game Changer with this..again!! lol What a great tip
😬😬😬😬 thanks for checking it out!
This would be a great use for old resin.
Thanks Uncle Jessy! You rock!
This is great to try on my Ironman Mk 85 armor project.
We use the same resin to seal, glue, and gap seems and fill areas that got damaged or messed up either during print or finishing. Best to use the same resin you printed with, in the case of FDM, never tried this with FDM before, but I would think it should work about the same.
This is definitely a game changer!
Thanks for checking it out and hope it helps!
UJ You rocks...thank you for this great And time saving technique.
Lots of love from INDIA 🇮🇳
Have you ever tried dipping small prints (like RPG figures) into a vat of resin (pure or thinned) and let drip dry? IF it works out the way I'm thinking, then you should get a smooth coat with only a dried drip spot to clean up.
Also, have you ever tried using a thick needle syringe (like they use in cooking) to inject thicker resins into voids to reduce the amount of sanding needed?
I use Alabastine Polyester Repair Resin normally I use it with fiberglass to reinforce armors or helmets but solo works amazing just brush it in wait to cure and prime it. and you retain a lot of details. it is amazing You should try it out.
How thick do you want that mixture?
Uncle Jessy: TTTHHHHHHHHIIIICK!!
🤪😬
I use powdered chalk when using fibreglass resin. Same principle. Great job.
Now that is a stinker, and the fumes! I used to make nosecones with fibreglass, switched to laminating epoxy resin for the fibreglass, almost no smell, a bit of soap smell...
Great idea! It reminds me of the marble powder you can use with urethane resin. It slows down the curing time but adds so much weight and it creates a paste that I often use as glue instead of the two part tubes you can buy normally. I will be doing this for the handle of the lightsaber with the leftover elegoo resin. Thanks man!!
If you try to put the filler on the peices pieces before you put them together then use a bondo spreader or razor knife to take the excess off arter you put the parts together it might make for a smoother finish with a lot less sanding.
Epoxy + Silicd powder or Apoxie or polyester paste also works well
Nice video.
The curing times may have me change from using epoxy resin to UV resin.
We use laminating epoxy resin mixed with a filler, cotton flock, glass balls and other materials.
We usually add enough that the mix starts to look and feel like vaseline or smooth peanut butter.
I can use the same with the resin and then just sun cure it in minutes, instead of days like with the epoxy resin.
I just realised that this would be perfect for quick, on location repairs to model rockets.
This is the same thing as thickened epoxy sailors use for patching holes in fiberglass. Genius
I have actually done something similar with fiberglass resin only on an fdm print and had great results.
It’s like the model trick of getting rid of seem lines with baking powder/soda and super glue. I didn’t even think of something like that. Gonna need to do it to fix some seem lines.
Pour resin on it and let it drop off until there’s a thin layer and stand next to a window for a few seconds. The wet resin hardens a little. Then take it outside and bam. It has that wet look forever from the UV.
Stuff I can vouch for:
Small holes:
Tamiya putty (grey), my absolute favourite, it's decently cheap, comes in decent size tubes, and it dries quickly.
AK interactive grey modeling putty, great stuff, bit more expensive than the Tamiya one.
Vallejo putty, decent, cheapest of the bunch
Big holes:
Alabastine Drywall filler (quick drying stuff), kinda brittle but due to that it sands down really well.
Yo momma sized holes:
Epoxy putty and prayers, and probably some other hole fillers after that.
I've had no issues with paint adhesion, then again, I always tend to prime with polyurethane primers.
@Uncle Jessy please be aware of another saftey issue: inhaling resin dust is extremely toxic. Make sure to always wear at least an FFP2 face mask and vacuum the workspace after you've finished.
Awesome tip Jessie, thanks!
I've used superglue and babypowder as a filler... Combined with an superglue accelerator it also cures instantly. But this I gotta test 😃 Great video
have you tried to use this as glue to connect pieces together?
Can it be painted after getting this resin? Has it good durability for outside tools?
I'm going to get a resin Printer soon, but may pick up extra resin for my fdm prints.
Really going to come in handy making my prints smooth in a much easier way than bondo and filler primer
Just a little sanding and it should work great
Wipe it down with a wet sponge or dab with a rag for varying textures. Sponge should smooth it and the rag will make for a better landscape texture.
Thanks for both videos on resin filling. I tried the resin only from the first video and it works really good, and saved me a lot of time! Only things I've run into is the fumes are pretty nasty and even after curing the resin for about 5 minutes, the outside is really tacky and residue comes off on the gloves (fingers if no gloves). Any tips on getting a non tacky result? Maybe dust with baby powder after curing?? I look forward to trying the tips from this video.
Whoa, shouty at 3:53. Almost cracked my speakers.
Automotive Bondo works really well too. It does smell bad but works great on prints.
Seems to work similarly to glass bubbles in epoxy for composite/molding applications, neat trick!
Oh cool I need to look into that. I've never heard of glass bubbles before
@@UncleJessy they're pretty hazardous (need a respirator) so probably not great for this use case, but maybe there's a safer alternative as a thickener?
The benifit of this over CA glue and baking soda is that the glue and soda is instant. You put soda where you want the fill (which is a powder so not alot of control, besides using gravity to hold it where you want) then apply CA glue on top, very hard fill....
But this method is leaps and bounds better, you have a workable paste till boom instantly cure when and where you want it. With much more carefull application, like with a toothpick for instance..... This very well may have replaced many methods of finishing models and miniatures.
How does this compare with wood filler? Also would a foam brush work better than a chip or finger? Just printed 4 out of 5 Bad Batch helmets and looking for some good easy tips to save on the sanding. GREAT VID UJ! 👍🏻
Ohh well there you go. Do 2 with resin and 2 with woodfiller 😬🙃
The resin can leave you with a slightly tacky surface but I always prime and sand more. Woodfiller is also an awesome option
How about fillers for hollow prints? I just started printing recently and couldn't find much info on the subject. I found one video suggesting casting plaster, so I used that to fill my Samaritan that I just finished printing and it's great! Added some nice heft to the piece.
Thank you
You can grind up your supports in an old coffee grinder and mix that in with liquid resin.
so smart i can finally get resin without an resin printer! also would silicone tipped make up brushes be easier to apply the resin?
This would yes. Also you can buy silicon mixing cups! www.amazon.com/Facemask-Include-Silicone-Measuring-Brushes/dp/B07VCDJDQS/ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&keywords=silicone+mixing+cup&qid=1614530631&sr=8-12
I don't have any affiliate links so if you see a link its straight to amazon.
Micro balloon filler powder should also work well for this method, and are engineered for easy sanding.
With trying to fill larger voids, I'd be concerned that you might only be able to cure to a shallow depth. Maybe a simple-ish solution would be to add a small bevel to the holes and design a cap or plug to fit inside, then apply this technique over it for the finished look.
i use steelwool + resin to fill in holes. I wonder if theres other powers out there that can give it a lot more strength , like mix it with metal powders ? This is better than bondo because u can use leftover resin to reduce wastage
Oh man I love the idea of resin+Steelwool. Do you think that adds more strength to your prints?
@@UncleJessy i have only used it to cover drain holes, so not really sure, i use dip the steel wool in resin then jam it into the hole and cure it, then apply some more resin on top and cure it again
@@UncleJessy and its also easier to close holes with steel wool because it acts as a mesh/bridging layer to prevent resin from dropping down into the model instead of staying aroudn the hole.
Hey J man I used a system similar to welding ( I call it ) . I use filament and a hot wire tool .
Are you trying to put bondo out of business at this point LOL. Anyways, another great hack and I’m going to try this out with some nasty gaps I need to fill in on my Bo Katan helmet tonight!
for many years I've been using baking soda with cyanoacrylate (super glue) to make it much more resilient for filling gaps, would baking soda work similarly to the baby powder in the resin hack you're doing?
Someone else asked the same thing, I will need to test that out and see. Pretty sure it would work
Ever try MAS cell-o-fill thickener
It will spread well if your sanding so much polyfilla or hard set wall fill. They paint well for models but not good for strength
I had something 3D printed via resin and when I put the miniature together, there are big gaps where each piece connects. What do you recommend to solve this issue? Put it together after primer and painting then fill the gaps? This will be my first time doing anything like this and so far I havent even started yet.
This method reminds me a lot of Apoxie Sculpt, a 2-part "epoxy clay" just obviously not as pasty, but you can smooth and thin it slightly with water
Quick question, how well does the mixture clean up? Reason why I ask is if you use tools that are less disposable (dental tools, sculpting tools) , how difficult is it to clean them off?
hi, i have been trying to look for, materials i could use to fill my hollow prints, do you have any idea what is the best fillers? thank you
Good tips, thanks!
Super cool tip but is it any better then wood filler?
Would you be able to lightly use a heat gun on the resin after its spread to help smooth it better before curing?
The seem filling could prove useful, I might have to steal that for larger prints. (If I ever figure out what printer to pick(
What brand of UV light are you using? Thanks for the video!
always wet sand when your sanding resin jessy. :) last thing you need is resin dust in your lungs take it from someone with emphysema. look after your lungs. :)
Hi, I’ve been using printer resin like this myself but I have a problem, my resin seems to cure the top layer and creates bubbles and voids full of liquid resin. I’m wondering if it’s because of the if lamp I’m using. Mine is a LED party black light. Is that the problem? I can get very thin layers of resin to cure but if there’s too much resin I’m getting incurred resin issues. For example if I fill a mould on the the top surface cures and the rest remains liquid. It’s really frustrating.
Also need a really good mask to handle the baby asbestos in the baby power and fumes from the resin.
Try corn starch instead. It's cheaper and works a little better.
Also remember that if you deep fill a hole, only the top 1 or 2 mm will cure as the UV light has to illuminate it to set it.
So, like normal filler, do it a bit at a time.
Would using a clear resin help get a deeper cure?
thanks for the tip! excited to sue this on my current Clone Wars Obi Wan armor build, would you say this mixture is more brittle than bondo? there are some thin parts that might flex just a tad, im worried the resin will crack..
If you left the mixture a little thinner it likely would self level and smooth better on things like the mask.