This was incredible! You sir are what TH-cam should be. Just a cool guy sharing some amazing knowledge. THANK YOU this is going to help my project so much
thank you! I originally was going to try and make it much shorter, but I realized it helped more to show it real time to get an idea of the speed of drying.
This was all the missing tutorial of what to do after your 3d print is done. WAY to many videos gloss over this as common knowledge, which isn't common for those of us getting started.
This is the best video I have ever seen on this topic! Thank you for this video! Imo, on non-wood parts, wet sanding is always the way to go because it keeps the area cool. Sanding creates friction, and that friction creates heat. The heat causes expansion and contraction which can weaken the bond between the paint, or filler, and the part.
I really appreciate you showing us the full process and technique. Most TH-camrs only show the interesting parts and cut out the labor intensive sections. This is how it’s really done.
@@OddVikingusers always have the option to speed it up. I appreciate this long format cuz it really captured all the nuances and steps and what not. Really nice techniques and I learned a lot of new stuff. Great job.
@@OddViking Not it actually makes it even easier to understand the whole process and it makes the whole video even more interesting to watch to really fully learn all of it
I've been wanting to do props my entire life since I was a little kid. Was about to take my shot at a clone trooper arc helmet and was discouraged watching videos on how to do it because everyone's props weren't up to my standards. They had print lines and/or looked chunky and janky (which I now know is too much bondo and lack of sanding). This guy had me hooked right from the start with his piece he showed off. Thanks for restoring my hope! I'm super pumped to get my print started!
The Bondo technique is a great way to get it done. I am a woodworker and use a similar techniques with grainy woods, especially Red Oak. I mix drywall mud with water to a pancake batter consistency, then paint it on the wood. After one sanding, the grain is usually filled and once painted, the appearance is perfectly smooth. Great video!
Ive been researching many ways to finish many sizes of 3d prints. This tutorial is easily the best and most efficient method ive seen for large prints. Thank you so much, cant wait to get started on this method. I just need my large printer to arrive!
Thanks again Colin for taking the time to document the processes you employ! I wanted to offer two additional tips in sanding if you or someone else wants to try it out. 1) for wet sanding try adding a drop of dish soap to your water and the sand paper will glide over the surface and keep the paper even cleaner. This especially works well on the higher grit numbers like 600+ And 2) I use a sanding sponge or even a scrap of EVA to wrap the paper around so you don’t accidentally get finger marks in surfaces. The soft eva will contour to the surface well. Happy crafting!
I'm a carpenter and a maker and always have difficulty with plywood shop and office furniture! This technique with Bondo+acetone paint application and sanding will be a fantastic alternative to the Durham's water/putty mixing that I currently do. Thank you for a very informative video!!!
Awesome tutorial and inspiring work! Pro tip for reducing the "staircase" effect of layers on curved surfaces: in you slicer software, like Prusa Slicer, you can enable "variable layer height" which can apply smaller layer heights for curved portions of the model, while using a larger layer height for relatively straight portions. Good balance for quality and time!
Got me thinking that I need to look through my pieces again. The bondo paint concept is a really solid one, and it looks easy to do. Thank you for this tutorial.
Dude this video was AMAZING. I have tried to follow other videos and I ruined my halloween costume in the last steps 2 years in a row :(. This was the ABSOLLUTE best video I found thank you!!!! (Mixing the acetone with the bondo + the type you reccomended and the details on how to prime + wet sand the primer is what fixed my issues)
Been wanting to 3D print for years. Finally the bullet and dove right in. I plan on electroplating my entire madalorian suit in Copper and then Palladium. I know it requires an ultra smooth surface and your video has lead me many possibilities. I appreciate your work and the quality of your videos. Your knowledge is most valuable. Liked and subscribed
Dang I wish I had seen this video years earlier. This process looks much more efficient than how I was doing it. Great job. Will be using this method for my next project, Helldiver armor.
I thank God for my Bambu and also knowledge of how to place my models on the print bed for a perfect smooth finish. i am now able to achieve quality finish without sanding and my AMS Lite is a dream for color printing
this is going to save me from a lot of headaches or expectations (first timer for 3D printing, haven't printed anything yet but am starting with mando armor so this really helped me plan for the post processing)
Will there be anymore videos? I enjoy watching and listening how you work whilst working in my own projects as it gives me ideas and techniques and I see you upload on insta often, even just videos of you working on projects with the odd hints would be great to see!❤
i just printed my first clone phase 2 helmet and i searched for videos that show me how to get rid of the 3d print lines. I m gonna try to get my stuff as good as yours. I like how you show every step and offer us some tips :)
Wow, this is the video! I 3D printed a whole Iron Man suit without really thinking about how to finish it perfectly. You just showed me how....looks like I have a lot of sanding to do 😅 Thank for this very informative video
Bro! Are you kidding me! UGH, I wish I had watched this video 3 builds ago. Amazing work. I was half way there in a lot of ways and doing way more work then I needed to be doing. Thank you so much for making this video. Extremely life changing info lol. My fingers and sanity thank you sir haha.
Great explanation and demonstration of the best process for turning 3D prints into finished pieces. I've watched many other videos on this subject, but your technique provides the best results and also reduces effort in sanding the filament. Nicely done.
Thank you for an awesome video !!! The detail you put into this was so helpful!! If you could please do a video about painting, that would be awesome!!! I'm currently trying my first Mando helmet, and your process has worked out fantastic!!! I'm getting ready to start primer, and I'm a little nervous about painting it. Thank you again for your videos!!!!
This is an awesome video! Reminded me of a How it's made on DIY network or something. Thanks for the in depth explanation and demonstration this was so worth the hour watch! Hope to see your channel blow up!
I've used allot of these methods and the one that I find that works extreamly well is UV resin for resin printers specially for extreamly deep print lines like on the top of the helmet it fills in well and in some cases self levels if you hold it perpendicular to the ground on flat surfaces and it can be easily sanded. It can be cured with a UV light or left in the sun for up to 5 minutes to fully cure then I will go over it with filler primer to fill in the minor layer lines. I've acutally done a full Mando helmet with the UV resin in one day fully smoothed and with a light sanding to create a good paint surface to stick to it was ready to paint the next day with gloss black and then the finally finished off with graphite powder for the shinny chrome look.
Thank you so much! I spent so much time sanding and filling my 3d printed pieces, but even when I reproduced the process 2 times, it wasn't perfect. I'm hurry to try this technic.
This may be a very long video, but it showed me perfectly how to get smooth parts. I'm so going to invest in all items shown here. Thank you very much! New subscriber, and bookmarked the video for future reference! Keep up the good work.
What an AWESOME video. It seems like people don't like to show us how to do this stuff because it's like a trade secret. You did an awesome job and made it seem simple and like anyone can do it. And they can now that you've generously shared your technique. THANK YOU again.
This is a great tutorial. It too have tried everything and settled on a process that is basically exactly this. Occasionally I'll apply a layer of XTC-3D before doing a final wet sand/primer/wet sand. Doing this makes the surface a bit more scratch resistant since the bondo and filler primer are both so soft.
This is the first youtube vid I've seen of this method. I did this last year with my ODST cosplay and haven't heard anybody talking about it outside of some forums. Glad to see someone did a full demonstration, it saves so much time and energy.
One of the best start to finish... finishing videos I've found. A good friend is printing me a full size 40k chainsword, and it will be my first attempt at this type of finishing and painting. I will be rewatching this several times in preparation. Any tips or videos you could point me at for painting small details that will require brush work? This is also something I've never done.
That sounds like a great project! For brush painting, I don't have any suggestions for that. I came to this hobby with a past as an illustrator, so brush painting was always something I could already do.
Thank you for a great video! I am making a slime blower from Ghostbusters 2 and I am about ready to use this method on the tanks! Can't wait to see the results!!
I appreciate how you not just explain key points but also demonstrate (e.g. acetone effect on solo cup). These nuances set your video far above others. Well done!
the water in wet sanding basically become like lubricant, it make the sanding more smoothly, and the grid come down a little too, but I agree, it keep dust away, making it more effective and literally smoothing out the sand, making you you less likely getting scratch on your primer, hence smoother finished, also this channel is super underrated
I've been doing 3d prints for awhile but this video was exactly what I needed to really up the quality of my process and especially future cosplays. Thank you very much for sharing this knowledge and workflow in-depth! As a new 501st member, I bet this will help a lot of other newcomers too o7
Just a few suggestions/observations for consideration. My current method is to give the part a quick sand with 120grit to knock down any real high spots. I then do a fairly light spray of filler primer. In my experience filler primer will gum up sandpaper if you don't allow it to cure. If you sand too early, the primer is quite soft, but a day or so later it wet sands without any gummy residue or buildup. I sand my initial primer layer down to where I can see the original print. I do this because as the name suggests it is filler primer. Spraying on primer really thick may fill, but the more product you put on the more you change the dimensionality of the part. In my opinion you want the filler primer to fill the layer lines, but only to where the low and high peaks are equalized. Minimal material. Then, I go in with the Bondo. From what I have read, Bondo is actually quite soft even when cured. The function of the product is actually to fill in "spots" of scratches and such. It isn't really designed to fill in deep lines. I suspect a 2-part bondo is more appropriate for this. Using the Bondo as a spot putty means I don't have to use much of it. Only where things are deep are where I need to concentrate it full strength. After drying for a few hours I wet sand this (to keep dust down). Then, I go over the part again with a few thin layers of filler primer. I wait a day or so then wet sand it down with 400 grit. I usually burn through in a few spots, but it is okay because at this point it is quite smooth. I check once again for any parts that might need Bondo, then hit the part with the final few light layers of primer. After a day or so, I wet sand with 800 grit very lightly just to get it all smooth. I try to avoid burning through edges. I find doing it this way wastes way less product. It also avoids filling detail with Bondo/paint that needs to be sanded out or sculpted out with a tool. As mentioned, I also don't think thick applications of Bondo are the most durable, so I try to keep the product(s) just thick enough to bring the low spots and high spots to the same level. Finally, it seems to cut down on added weight. Lathering on product adds a lot of bulk to parts which adds up over the entire costume/prop. There are of course hundreds of methods and I think the one in the video is great. But, perhaps someone might try the method I outlined above to see if it works.
That is a good process. In the end my method doesn't add significant weight or build up, it is still a minimal layer to get it perfectly smooth. But I love that there are dozens of paths to the same result, and your method sounds great too!
Hello Master, your videos have given me the motivation to sand even more... hahahaha I want to ask you a question, how do I remove the paint from PLA without damaging it, what product to use and thus start a whole new filling and sanding process? I thank you, a hug and thank you for your teachings, master.
Hello! Thanks for the great instructions. I'm currently in the process of making my first helmet and am grateful to have found your tutorial. This way I don't have to make some mistakes myself and the result will certainly be better!
Really interesting video. What did you print in? PLA? PTEG? ABS? Just curious. I wonder if something in the print settings or materials could have made a difference in the smoothness of the piece, or if that's pretty much as good as it gets before the Bondo and sanding start? Just started looking at getting into the 3D printing hobby myself and there's SO much out there. Once I saw my first video on printing Star Wars props, I was hooked. I've already got an ever-growing list in my head of stuff I want to make, and I don't even have a printer yet. LOL! Thanks for sharing your process.
Very good vid. Sanding is always the pain 😄In fact I'm watching this while sanding. Yet, that bondo spot putty is great to use. I've tried resin which is ok, but prefer the bondo,
Nice tips, thanks. I'm always thinning spot putty with acetone but never to the point where I could brush it on as a liquid. Presumably these FDM prints were NOT done with ABS filament.
Awesome video, thank you for taking the time, truly appreciated. Do you have any tips on how we can get a rough texture similar to how it look on the bottom of a textured plate after a print, but all over?
I haven't replicated that texture yet. I know some use bumper and truck bed texture paint for similar looks, and I did that once on a blaster handle, but I am not certain if that's the look you mean.
Couple of ideas for you. 1) debuting tool for edges 2) heat gun or little flamer burner will reduce a lot 3) seems on some parts you can force the seem to inside of part. 4) Variable layer near the top Leila save stair casing 5) increase top and bottom layers so you don’t blow through Into infill when sanding 6) use acetone with abs to make a glue or use acetone to glue abs parts directly - abs welding
I always wondered why cosplay 3d print channels were not using bondo. This method is much more effective than the several layer of filler primer and sanding to get the same result. I never want to recreate a process that has been around for decades with car body repair.
I would love to see a video on how you add a metallic finish to your prints as you mentioned at 0:54. I’ve been trying to do that on my own with spray paint. I got one spray paint was retired so I could only buy it off of eBay called Revell chrome spray. From what I’ve seen it’s the only spray paint that actually works as chrome with its mirror finish. Anyways well done on this fully comprehensive video. I just subscribed. I’m looking forward to seeing more of your content.
getting a mirror chrome is not easy, and not really as possible from a rattle can. the best one of those options is Spaz Stix, but it really takes an airbrush to get a true mirror metallic look. The two vital steps is a mirror glossy black base layer, and then once metallic, only a 2-part 2K gloss can coat it without dulling the metallic. 2K requires a lot more to apply it, including a vapor level respirator, but that’s the only way. I mix it and spray it with an HPLV gun, but it does come in a can that you can use for only 48 hours once mixed. all other clears will dull metallics by micro-lifting the flakes that make it chrome. so it’s tricky to achieve, and even trickier to film for me with the respirator.
great tutorial and knowledge as always! Big fan of bondo and Acetone myself! I actually use isopropyl instead of acetone though cause thats what I had on hand and I found it works the same! haha also highly suggest silicone cups for the mix, easy to reuse and clean!
Have you checked out the 3m Acryl glazing putty? I like it a lot more than the bondo. it also smells way less. Goes on much smoother when doing traditional applications. I have not tried with the acetone method.
Hi! I stumbled on your video while researching for layer line filling techniques. I love that you didnt skip any part of the process and was very clear about your process and the steps. I designed a custom speaker mount for home theatre and printed it using PLA. Will the acetone + Bondo putty melt through PLA just like ABS? The speaker mount is load bearing (bearing the weight of the speaker) and I cannot let acetone affect the durability of PLA. What would be an alternative to cover up the layer lines in this case? For the final coat of paint (clear or matte) what would be the most durable coating? The speakers are in-wall mount speakers and I'm afraid that the paint layer will delaminate from the vibration coming from the speaker over time.
these are PLA in the video, so no issues with acetone. only ABS is melted by it. as far as vibrations, I have no idea as I have never protected against vibrations. standard clear should be okay.
have you ever tried Tamiya or My Hobby primer - for like model planes or cars. the Mr Hobby - Mr Finishing Surfacer, the 1500 awesome, the 500 and 1000 is good go rough surfaces - but it is AMAZING. very fast dryin, and no sanding. and self leveling. plus they come in White, Gray and black. you should try it.
This was incredible! You sir are what TH-cam should be. Just a cool guy sharing some amazing knowledge. THANK YOU this is going to help my project so much
thank you so much!
This channel is criminally underrated. This is easily the most comprehensive video I've seen on finishing printed parts
thank you so much!
Completely agree
I've watched a bunch the last couple days, this is easily the best one I've found.
@@HardwareLust I totally agree! This has been a great video for me to watch, so glad I managed to find this one.
Tired of seeing TH-cam shorts. I love long firm videos like this where i can really absorb a lot of information. Thank you so much for this!
thank you! I originally was going to try and make it much shorter, but I realized it helped more to show it real time to get an idea of the speed of drying.
@@OddViking it is much appreciated. I found myself staring at it because it was drying so quickly! New subscription
This was all the missing tutorial of what to do after your 3d print is done. WAY to many videos gloss over this as common knowledge, which isn't common for those of us getting started.
I wish I could like this comment multiple times....lol
This is the best video I have ever seen on this topic! Thank you for this video! Imo, on non-wood parts, wet sanding is always the way to go because it keeps the area cool. Sanding creates friction, and that friction creates heat. The heat causes expansion and contraction which can weaken the bond between the paint, or filler, and the part.
I really appreciate you showing us the full process and technique. Most TH-camrs only show the interesting parts and cut out the labor intensive sections. This is how it’s really done.
I was thinking of editing it to something short, but I realized showing it realtime was valuable.
@@OddVikingusers always have the option to speed it up. I appreciate this long format cuz it really captured all the nuances and steps and what not. Really nice techniques and I learned a lot of new stuff. Great job.
@@OddViking Please don't make them short. Everyone else does these little bite sized pieces and so much valuable information is lost
@@OddViking Not it actually makes it even easier to understand the whole process and it makes the whole video even more interesting to watch to really fully learn all of it
I love the acetone and bondo mix... 4 years of 3D printing and 2 years of selling helmets, I've never seen that technique. Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
That acetone-bondo mix is genius - I don't know how I didn't read up on that anywhere else earlier! Very informative
Once I tried it, I have never gone back.
I've been wanting to do props my entire life since I was a little kid. Was about to take my shot at a clone trooper arc helmet and was discouraged watching videos on how to do it because everyone's props weren't up to my standards. They had print lines and/or looked chunky and janky (which I now know is too much bondo and lack of sanding). This guy had me hooked right from the start with his piece he showed off. Thanks for restoring my hope! I'm super pumped to get my print started!
Excellent! welcome to a great new hobby!
The Bondo technique is a great way to get it done. I am a woodworker and use a similar techniques with grainy woods, especially Red Oak. I mix drywall mud with water to a pancake batter consistency, then paint it on the wood. After one sanding, the grain is usually filled and once painted, the appearance is perfectly smooth. Great video!
That was an hour well spent. Great to watch you working. Thanks for the video.
Ive been researching many ways to finish many sizes of 3d prints. This tutorial is easily the best and most efficient method ive seen for large prints. Thank you so much, cant wait to get started on this method. I just need my large printer to arrive!
Glad it was helpful!
Commenting just because this was worth the watch and deserves the engagement, thank you.
excellent, thank you!
For your initial trimming you might try a cabinet scraper - i think they work much better than a blade
Hope you’re doing well man. Thanks for the knowledge dumps. It really helps out newbies like me. Greatly appreciated
Thanks again Colin for taking the time to document the processes you employ! I wanted to offer two additional tips in sanding if you or someone else wants to try it out. 1) for wet sanding try adding a drop of dish soap to your water and the sand paper will glide over the surface and keep the paper even cleaner. This especially works well on the higher grit numbers like 600+
And 2) I use a sanding sponge or even a scrap of EVA to wrap the paper around so you don’t accidentally get finger marks in surfaces. The soft eva will contour to the surface well. Happy crafting!
Excellent tips, thanks!
I'm a carpenter and a maker and always have difficulty with plywood shop and office furniture! This technique with Bondo+acetone paint application and sanding will be a fantastic alternative to the Durham's water/putty mixing that I currently do. Thank you for a very informative video!!!
This is so easy and effective! Thank you my good Sir!! The weathering tutorial is great too! I would like yo see your process for the blaster marks!
Dude, this may be the smartest video I’ve seen. Thank you for all the details and especially for not sounding like the other TH-camrs (annoying).
Thank you so much!
Awesome tutorial and inspiring work! Pro tip for reducing the "staircase" effect of layers on curved surfaces: in you slicer software, like Prusa Slicer, you can enable "variable layer height" which can apply smaller layer heights for curved portions of the model, while using a larger layer height for relatively straight portions. Good balance for quality and time!
Thanks! I bought these prints, so that was all out of my control.
Thank you for the tips! I am trying to do the gauntlets, it seems difficult for the moment XD
Got me thinking that I need to look through my pieces again. The bondo paint concept is a really solid one, and it looks easy to do. Thank you for this tutorial.
Dude this video was AMAZING. I have tried to follow other videos and I ruined my halloween costume in the last steps 2 years in a row :(. This was the ABSOLLUTE best video I found thank you!!!! (Mixing the acetone with the bondo + the type you reccomended and the details on how to prime + wet sand the primer is what fixed my issues)
Excellent, I am glad it helped!
Been wanting to 3D print for years. Finally the bullet and dove right in. I plan on electroplating my entire madalorian suit in Copper and then Palladium. I know it requires an ultra smooth surface and your video has lead me many possibilities. I appreciate your work and the quality of your videos. Your knowledge is most valuable. Liked and subscribed
that sounds like it will will look amazing!
Straight into the deep end!! Please update us on how it comes out! :)
Dang I wish I had seen this video years earlier. This process looks much more efficient than how I was doing it. Great job. Will be using this method for my next project, Helldiver armor.
I thank God for my Bambu and also knowledge of how to place my models on the print bed for a perfect smooth finish. i am now able to achieve quality finish without sanding and my AMS Lite is a dream for color printing
this is going to save me from a lot of headaches or expectations (first timer for 3D printing, haven't printed anything yet but am starting with mando armor so this really helped me plan for the post processing)
Will there be anymore videos? I enjoy watching and listening how you work whilst working in my own projects as it gives me ideas and techniques and I see you upload on insta often, even just videos of you working on projects with the odd hints would be great to see!❤
Thank you! I have one partly filmed on soft-parts weathering, but it is not complete yet.
i just printed my first clone phase 2 helmet and i searched for videos that show me how to get rid of the 3d print lines.
I m gonna try to get my stuff as good as yours. I like how you show every step and offer us some tips :)
This is the exact tutorial I was looking for. Thank you!
Wow, this is the video! I 3D printed a whole Iron Man suit without really thinking about how to finish it perfectly. You just showed me how....looks like I have a lot of sanding to do 😅
Thank for this very informative video
Bro! Are you kidding me! UGH, I wish I had watched this video 3 builds ago. Amazing work. I was half way there in a lot of ways and doing way more work then I needed to be doing. Thank you so much for making this video. Extremely life changing info lol. My fingers and sanity thank you sir haha.
happy to help! I did this the hard way many times before learning this.
Great explanation and demonstration of the best process for turning 3D prints into finished pieces. I've watched many other videos on this subject, but your technique provides the best results and also reduces effort in sanding the filament. Nicely done.
Worth the hour of time. Thank you for being thorough. Excellent tutorial.
Glad it was helpful!
this guy is the GOAT of 3d model prep/paint
Thank you for an awesome video !!! The detail you put into this was so helpful!! If you could please do a video about painting, that would be awesome!!! I'm currently trying my first Mando helmet, and your process has worked out fantastic!!! I'm getting ready to start primer, and I'm a little nervous about painting it. Thank you again for your videos!!!!
This is an awesome video! Reminded me of a How it's made on DIY network or something. Thanks for the in depth explanation and demonstration this was so worth the hour watch! Hope to see your channel blow up!
Definitive guide. Thanks for what you’ve done for the community!
Thank you!
I've used allot of these methods and the one that I find that works extreamly well is UV resin for resin printers specially for extreamly deep print lines like on the top of the helmet it fills in well and in some cases self levels if you hold it perpendicular to the ground on flat surfaces and it can be easily sanded. It can be cured with a UV light or left in the sun for up to 5 minutes to fully cure then I will go over it with filler primer to fill in the minor layer lines. I've acutally done a full Mando helmet with the UV resin in one day fully smoothed and with a light sanding to create a good paint surface to stick to it was ready to paint the next day with gloss black and then the finally finished off with graphite powder for the shinny chrome look.
I am follow8mg all of your tips and tricks for a Fallout NCR Ranger helmet. You have been a great help. Keep up all the great work you do!
that sounds cool! I am glad this helps on your build.
Thank you so much! I spent so much time sanding and filling my 3d printed pieces, but even when I reproduced the process 2 times, it wasn't perfect. I'm hurry to try this technic.
This may be a very long video, but it showed me perfectly how to get smooth parts. I'm so going to invest in all items shown here. Thank you very much! New subscriber, and bookmarked the video for future reference! Keep up the good work.
thank you so much! I originally tried to make it shorter, but I think showing it more real time is helpful.
I don’t know how you weren’t in my recommendations before now. I watch Van Oaks, Smugglers Room and all those guys 🤷🏽♂️.
I’m subscribed now though!
Awesome video! Thanks for taking the time and going through your process. I love the idea of bondo and acetone!
What an AWESOME video. It seems like people don't like to show us how to do this stuff because it's like a trade secret. You did an awesome job and made it seem simple and like anyone can do it. And they can now that you've generously shared your technique. THANK YOU again.
Thank you so much! I only learned what I know by others sharing what they knew.
This is a great tutorial. It too have tried everything and settled on a process that is basically exactly this. Occasionally I'll apply a layer of XTC-3D before doing a final wet sand/primer/wet sand. Doing this makes the surface a bit more scratch resistant since the bondo and filler primer are both so soft.
This is the first youtube vid I've seen of this method. I did this last year with my ODST cosplay and haven't heard anybody talking about it outside of some forums. Glad to see someone did a full demonstration, it saves so much time and energy.
I just ordered my first bed slinger so, I'm benging vids like this. Thanks for the info and the insperation.
One of the best start to finish... finishing videos I've found. A good friend is printing me a full size 40k chainsword, and it will be my first attempt at this type of finishing and painting. I will be rewatching this several times in preparation. Any tips or videos you could point me at for painting small details that will require brush work? This is also something I've never done.
That sounds like a great project! For brush painting, I don't have any suggestions for that. I came to this hobby with a past as an illustrator, so brush painting was always something I could already do.
Very thorough, easy to follow, and enjoyable to watch! Thank you for these tutorials!
Thank you for a great video! I am making a slime blower from Ghostbusters 2 and I am about ready to use this method on the tanks! Can't wait to see the results!!
Thanks for a great video, I like to watch passively at work. Your audio was a bit low but I definitely understand!! Have a great weekend
I appreciate how you not just explain key points but also demonstrate (e.g. acetone effect on solo cup). These nuances set your video far above others. Well done!
the water in wet sanding basically become like lubricant, it make the sanding more smoothly, and the grid come down a little too, but I agree, it keep dust away, making it more effective and literally smoothing out the sand, making you you less likely getting scratch on your primer, hence smoother finished, also this channel is super underrated
exactly! I love wet sanding.
Thank you so much for the details. I am starting down this path to learn and this is one of the best videos I have seen!
I am glad it was helpful!
I've been doing 3d prints for awhile but this video was exactly what I needed to really up the quality of my process and especially future cosplays. Thank you very much for sharing this knowledge and workflow in-depth! As a new 501st member, I bet this will help a lot of other newcomers too o7
thank you so much!
Beautiful finish. Great video!
Subscribed, you are the main reason why im improving on this
amazing quality, easy to follow, straight to the point. Perfect Tutorial
Awesome video! I have been doing nearly the same process, but hadn’t thought to thin the Bondo and brush it on. Definitely going to try that!
Subbed. I didn't realize it was an hour video lol it went by so quick. Thank you for the awesome tips.
I am building my first big prop, and this technique is the GOAT!!!!!
Hands down the best prop making channel I've come across. I look forward to your uploads. I applaud you sir.
amazing video. I've been trying to figure out how to get my prints where I wanted them and here is my solution!
This has to be one of the best ways I have come across to smooth out lines. Thank you!
Thank you! I has been my favorite method for a year now.
Hands down the best video on this topic.
Really great stuff man. I don't know if I'd ever make props, but if I do, I'm subbed and know right where to go!
I had no idea the vid lasted that long, this is how a tutorial vid should be. In depth and to the point, with actual demonstration of it.
I originally planned a shorter peppy version, but I thought it would be better to show it all more real-time.
Just a few suggestions/observations for consideration.
My current method is to give the part a quick sand with 120grit to knock down any real high spots. I then do a fairly light spray of filler primer.
In my experience filler primer will gum up sandpaper if you don't allow it to cure. If you sand too early, the primer is quite soft, but a day or so later it wet sands without any gummy residue or buildup.
I sand my initial primer layer down to where I can see the original print. I do this because as the name suggests it is filler primer. Spraying on primer really thick may fill, but the more product you put on the more you change the dimensionality of the part. In my opinion you want the filler primer to fill the layer lines, but only to where the low and high peaks are equalized. Minimal material.
Then, I go in with the Bondo. From what I have read, Bondo is actually quite soft even when cured. The function of the product is actually to fill in "spots" of scratches and such. It isn't really designed to fill in deep lines. I suspect a 2-part bondo is more appropriate for this.
Using the Bondo as a spot putty means I don't have to use much of it. Only where things are deep are where I need to concentrate it full strength. After drying for a few hours I wet sand this (to keep dust down).
Then, I go over the part again with a few thin layers of filler primer. I wait a day or so then wet sand it down with 400 grit. I usually burn through in a few spots, but it is okay because at this point it is quite smooth.
I check once again for any parts that might need Bondo, then hit the part with the final few light layers of primer. After a day or so, I wet sand with 800 grit very lightly just to get it all smooth. I try to avoid burning through edges.
I find doing it this way wastes way less product. It also avoids filling detail with Bondo/paint that needs to be sanded out or sculpted out with a tool. As mentioned, I also don't think thick applications of Bondo are the most durable, so I try to keep the product(s) just thick enough to bring the low spots and high spots to the same level. Finally, it seems to cut down on added weight. Lathering on product adds a lot of bulk to parts which adds up over the entire costume/prop.
There are of course hundreds of methods and I think the one in the video is great. But, perhaps someone might try the method I outlined above to see if it works.
That is a good process. In the end my method doesn't add significant weight or build up, it is still a minimal layer to get it perfectly smooth. But I love that there are dozens of paths to the same result, and your method sounds great too!
Another excellent tutorial, Colin!
Thanks man!
Hello Master, your videos have given me the motivation to sand even more... hahahaha
I want to ask you a question, how do I remove the paint from PLA without damaging it, what product to use and thus start a whole new filling and sanding process? I thank you, a hug and thank you for your teachings, master.
Great tutorial, Colin! Happy to see you in the shop and hope you're doing well!
I am starting into prop making and this is very informative. Thank you
this was a great video. love your passion for prop making
Hello! Thanks for the great instructions. I'm currently in the process of making my first helmet and am grateful to have found your tutorial. This way I don't have to make some mistakes myself and the result will certainly be better!
my FDM prints are coming out very good but I think this method would still be useful on alot of bigger prints
Really interesting video. What did you print in? PLA? PTEG? ABS? Just curious. I wonder if something in the print settings or materials could have made a difference in the smoothness of the piece, or if that's pretty much as good as it gets before the Bondo and sanding start? Just started looking at getting into the 3D printing hobby myself and there's SO much out there. Once I saw my first video on printing Star Wars props, I was hooked. I've already got an ever-growing list in my head of stuff I want to make, and I don't even have a printer yet. LOL! Thanks for sharing your process.
I don’t really know. I buy my prints, and only have a medium sized resin printer, so I don’t know anything on the settings.
@@OddViking - Fair enough. Thanks for the reply.
Man, this is the masterclass in finishing! Thank you for the awesome video, wisdom and knowledge. 🙏
Thank you!
Glad youre ok and back in the shop... We love you brother
Very comprehensive and detailed tutorial. This helped a lot. Thank you
Very good vid. Sanding is always the pain 😄In fact I'm watching this while sanding. Yet, that bondo spot putty is great to use. I've tried resin which is ok, but prefer the bondo,
Very cool. This is going to help out my mando build for my son.
Thank you for the tutorial! You explain things that's easy to follow 👍
Great video! Thanks for sharing your process. I learned a lot and it gets me excited about my next project.
I love your workshop! Looks awesome!
This is such a perfect video, im about to be starting on my first 3d printed prop and this video is gonna be such an amazing help
Nice tips, thanks. I'm always thinning spot putty with acetone but never to the point where I could brush it on as a liquid. Presumably these FDM prints were NOT done with ABS filament.
Yeah, I probably should have added that, these were PLA prints.
Awesome video, thank you for taking the time, truly appreciated. Do you have any tips on how we can get a rough texture similar to how it look on the bottom of a textured plate after a print, but all over?
I haven't replicated that texture yet. I know some use bumper and truck bed texture paint for similar looks, and I did that once on a blaster handle, but I am not certain if that's the look you mean.
Prefect timing, my first prop helmet just finished printing yesterday! definitely going to use this method
Love the information in this video. I will be able to cut down on soooo much time. Thank you!!!
That is what I have found, it is just a lot faster.
Couple of ideas for you.
1) debuting tool for edges
2) heat gun or little flamer burner will reduce a lot
3) seems on some parts you can force the seem to inside of part.
4) Variable layer near the top Leila save stair casing
5) increase top and bottom layers so you don’t blow through Into infill when sanding
6) use acetone with abs to make a glue or use acetone to glue abs parts directly - abs welding
Love your props and thank you for the tutorials
I always wondered why cosplay 3d print channels were not using bondo. This method is much more effective than the several layer of filler primer and sanding to get the same result. I never want to recreate a process that has been around for decades with car body repair.
I would love to see a video on how you add a metallic finish to your prints as you mentioned at 0:54. I’ve been trying to do that on my own with spray paint. I got one spray paint was retired so I could only buy it off of eBay called Revell chrome spray. From what I’ve seen it’s the only spray paint that actually works as chrome with its mirror finish. Anyways well done on this fully comprehensive video. I just subscribed. I’m looking forward to seeing more of your content.
getting a mirror chrome is not easy, and not really as possible from a rattle can. the best one of those options is Spaz Stix, but it really takes an airbrush to get a true mirror metallic look. The two vital steps is a mirror glossy black base layer, and then once metallic, only a 2-part 2K gloss can coat it without dulling the metallic. 2K requires a lot more to apply it, including a vapor level respirator, but that’s the only way. I mix it and spray it with an HPLV gun, but it does come in a can that you can use for only 48 hours once mixed. all other clears will dull metallics by micro-lifting the flakes that make it chrome.
so it’s tricky to achieve, and even trickier to film for me with the respirator.
@@OddViking thank you for the advice. I will definitely be thinking about that when it comes to getting a good chrome finish.
Look at allumalloy. Some vids on on making the mandolorian helm from the Disney series are useful.
Awesome!! Thanks so much, I’ll be using this on my new 3D printed stuff!
great tutorial and knowledge as always! Big fan of bondo and Acetone myself! I actually use isopropyl instead of acetone though cause thats what I had on hand and I found it works the same! haha also highly suggest silicone cups for the mix, easy to reuse and clean!
oh, good to know that alcohol can work!
As always, the GOAT of props!!!
Have you checked out the 3m Acryl glazing putty? I like it a lot more than the bondo. it also smells way less. Goes on much smoother when doing traditional applications. I have not tried with the acetone method.
I haven’t, but I did just get a tube to try out!
Thank you for your videos, these have helped me incredibly as Ive started 3d printing!
You are so welcome!
Hi! I stumbled on your video while researching for layer line filling techniques. I love that you didnt skip any part of the process and was very clear about your process and the steps.
I designed a custom speaker mount for home theatre and printed it using PLA. Will the acetone + Bondo putty melt through PLA just like ABS? The speaker mount is load bearing (bearing the weight of the speaker) and I cannot let acetone affect the durability of PLA. What would be an alternative to cover up the layer lines in this case?
For the final coat of paint (clear or matte) what would be the most durable coating? The speakers are in-wall mount speakers and I'm afraid that the paint layer will delaminate from the vibration coming from the speaker over time.
these are PLA in the video, so no issues with acetone. only ABS is melted by it.
as far as vibrations, I have no idea as I have never protected against vibrations. standard clear should be okay.
have you ever tried Tamiya or My Hobby primer - for like model planes or cars. the Mr Hobby - Mr Finishing Surfacer, the 1500 awesome, the 500 and 1000 is good go rough surfaces - but it is AMAZING. very fast dryin, and no sanding. and self leveling. plus they come in White, Gray and black. you should try it.
I have not tried it, thanks for the tip!