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The Photon S will absolutely print minis that look just as good as the ones from the Mono. My point was just that $200 for a Photon S isn't a good deal, but it's a great deal for a Mono SE or SQ. Just be sure what you're getting! Anyway, I have a Photon Mono, because they were available as my first printer, and the longer lifetime of the screen appealed to me. I don't have a wash station, because it feels like it wouldn't speed thing up by much. I do have a curing station, the cheap one from Elegoo, because there's little sun where I live, and it was cheaper than buying LED because of covid. Edit: Anycubic's AA doesn't work, if that's important, but they say that they're working on a firmware update to fix it. Electric Hobo fucked around with this message at 16:35 on Dec 8, 2021 |
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Dec 8, 2021 16:33
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Electric Hobo posted:Edit: Anycubic's AA doesn't work, if that's important, but they say that they're working on a firmware update to fix it. In terms of a starting resin printer, I honestly think even an original Photon is still a fine choice for someone. The speed of those non-monochrome printers is really the main downside, but if you're just printing for yourself that's almost irrelevant. For the first half of this year I was still using my original photon for commercial prints when I needed to add more printing capacity and no one ever sent me questions asking why some of their prints looked worse or anything to that effect. I certainly couldn't tell which came from which printer after processing.
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Dec 8, 2021 16:51
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Yeah AA usually isn't great, but it can be nice for some things. I'd have liked it to work on knock off space marines and a contemptor dreadnought, just becausethey have a ton of parts that are nothing but gentle curves.
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Dec 8, 2021 17:12
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Pretty much anyone I recommend resin printers to I do it with the caveat of “fuckin spend the extra money and get a proper wash station too” I dreaded printing anything when I had my diy setup, having to carefully pluck things off the build plate, get them into my DIY magnetic stir bucket, put them into my big dumb ikea mirror cube, glove up between all of these procedures Nowadays, like some sort of rear end in a top hat, I pretty much don’t even bother putting on gloves, because I’m never touching the print or the bed at all until it’s been through the wash station and given a haaaaard rinse in my slop sink, at which point the prints are pretty much ready to just fall off their supports, unless it’s a really delicate part I would not tell anyone to not bother with gloves or act as irresponsibly as I do, but just being able to quickly do all of that made a huge difference in my experience and now I’m cycling prints all day every day without a care in the world Having a proper wash station fuckin rules
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Dec 8, 2021 18:42
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Yeah I was ready to give up on my resin printer and sell it before I saw a wash and cure station on sale and got it. For me it was a total game changer. Resin printing went from a total chore to something I didn’t mind.
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Dec 8, 2021 18:53
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Funzo posted:I got an Elegoo Mars 2 Pro in their Black Friday sale, and it's a pretty big step up from my Anycubic Photon. The difference in details is noticeable and the speed difference is just huge. Glad I spent the money for sure. If you are considering a flex plate on that - don’t bother. A second build plate is cheaper and easier ($25 on Amazon)
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Dec 9, 2021 00:10
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Doctor Zero posted:If you are considering a flex plate on that - don’t bother. A second build plate is cheaper and easier ($25 on Amazon) Normally here's where I'd come in and preach the wonders of a flex plate, but I actually won't in this case. I've found that with the Mars 2 I own (and I'm guessing the Mars 2 Pro would be similar), the build plate is bigger than those on the OG Mars, but the vat remains roughly the same size. So if your build plate isn't 100% perfectly centered over the vat, and you have a flex plate on it, the tab of the flex plate can actually scrape against the side of the vat. If it does this it can cause metal or plastic shavings (depending on what your vat's made out of) to get into your resin, which can cause a variety of issues...or it can cause your build plate to get knocked completely off center at an angle, which poses its own set of problems. I've had no issues thus far with the flex plates on my bigger printers (Phrozen Sonic Mighty and Elegoo Saturn) because their vats are way bigger, and so have more distance between the build plate and the walls of the vat. And they're also easier to get lined up back on the printer if they're removed for cleaning, which makes sure they're always perfectly centered.
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Dec 9, 2021 00:52
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Sydney Bottocks posted:Normally here's where I'd come in and preach the wonders of a flex plate, but I actually won't in this case. I've found that with the Mars 2 I own (and I'm guessing the Mars 2 Pro would be similar), the build plate is bigger than those on the OG Mars, but the vat remains roughly the same size. So if your build plate isn't 100% perfectly centered over the vat, and you have a flex plate on it, the tab of the flex plate can actually scrape against the side of the vat. If it does this it can cause metal or plastic shavings (depending on what your vat's made out of) to get into your resin, which can cause a variety of issues...or it can cause your build plate to get knocked completely off center at an angle, which poses its own set of problems. The one thing I'm always curious about is why people have a difficult time getting prints off a regular plate. Obviously if you're printing stuff flat on the plate that's a different story, but for everything else there shouldn't ever be a battle to get your prints off the plate.
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Dec 9, 2021 01:29
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InternetJunky posted:This is exactly what will happen with a Mars2 Pro. I have experienced all of these issues (and more). I tend to print stuff flat on the plate (see my posts earlier ITT about printing minis upright and attached to their bases), so that's why I like having a flex plate. I can't speak for anyone else, but I do recall seeing posts/comments fairly often from people that are reluctant to use a metal scraper to pop a print off the build plate, usually because they're afraid of gouging/scratching it (or sending the uncured print flying across the room), so that might be one reason why.
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Dec 9, 2021 01:40
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I was doing supports in prusaslicer for a while because I was having much better results than directly through chitubox But then I learned about skate-shaped pads and that’s a real game changes. Everything pops right the gently caress off with one swipe, vs the flat pads I’d always used previously
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Dec 9, 2021 02:03
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InternetJunky posted:This is exactly what will happen with a Mars2 Pro. I have experienced all of these issues (and more). I think "print failed?" "increase bottom layer exposure time" advice leads to cooking them a lot longer than needed. But yeah don't flex plate a Mars 2. The tab can catch, the ball head can shift under pressure and tilt, the corner of your build plate is now below level and will pierce the fep then screen.
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Dec 9, 2021 02:47
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Sydney Bottocks posted:or sending the uncured print flying across the room Also I cook the hell out of my bottom layers (because why not) and even still everything pops off the plate with little effort.
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Dec 9, 2021 02:54
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Flexplate and wash/cure station has made my resin printing life real simple. (Photon Mono SE).
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Dec 9, 2021 02:56
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InternetJunky posted:If this is a concern here's my tip: I bought a baking tray at Costco that has a removable cookie rack in them, and scrape my prints into that. They can't go flying out, and any resin left on (especially from hollowed models) will drip through the rack. Dunno. It was always a bitch getting stuff off my Mars 2 even with a flex plate. The mono X gives me no trouble at all, I haven't even checked the price of a flex plate for it. E: could be resin related, good resin = good times poo poo resin doesn't flex enough to lift the print edge and get under it.
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Dec 9, 2021 03:01
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Glad I mentioned getting a Mars 2 Pro, since I was thinking of ordering a flex plate. Now I know not to spend the money. I will say I like the shape of the tank better on the Anycubic. The Mars tank is much bigger pain in the rear end to clean so far, since it has those curved sections.
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Dec 9, 2021 03:08
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ImplicitAssembler posted:Flexplate and wash/cure station has made my resin printing life real simple. (Photon Mono SE). Same, but with the ~fancy~ FormLabs wash tank that has an arm that I just remove the entire build plate from the printer and attach it to the arm of the wash tank and it dunks and does an ultrasonic wash of the entire thing. Don't even need to wash the build plate afterward. I can't imagine trying to wash and cure something by hand, that's got to be hell. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpignAVCNl8 this poo poo is magic
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Dec 9, 2021 03:22
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The first flex plate I got for my mars 2 pro had a huge tab and it scraped the edge of the tank if I didn't have it centered properly. I tore it off for unrelated reasons, and replaced it with a new one that has two tiny tabs that are much more forgiving. That said in general I don't think I'll get a flex plate when I upgrade to a bigger printer, it just seems more trouble than it's worth. sometimes its nice to print directly on the plate but most the time I can just pop stuff off without removing the plate and when I print bases (the only thing that has really required the flex plate to remove) flat on the plate they get severe elephants foot, so I just went back to printing bases supported at 45 degrees.
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Dec 9, 2021 04:08
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one brand of resin i had to hack at it to get it off - i swapped resin and it almost slides off. poo poo resin gonna be poo poo
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Dec 9, 2021 04:14
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Bucnasti posted:The first flex plate I got for my mars 2 pro had a huge tab and it scraped the edge of the tank if I didn't have it centered properly. I tore it off for unrelated reasons, and replaced it with a new one that has two tiny tabs that are much more forgiving. That said in general I don't think I'll get a flex plate when I upgrade to a bigger printer, it just seems more trouble than it's worth. sometimes its nice to print directly on the plate but most the time I can just pop stuff off without removing the plate and when I print bases (the only thing that has really required the flex plate to remove) flat on the plate they get severe elephants foot, so I just went back to printing bases supported at 45 degrees. I've been using flex plates on both my Saturn and Sonic Mighty 4k and thus far have had no problems with either of 'em. As I mentioned before, the vats for both are bigger so you don't have the "scraping" problem that occurs with the Mars 2. I ended up with both an Anycubic "regular" size wash & cure and the Elegoo Mercury X "jumbo" wash and cure stations, and the flex plates for both of those fit in the wash baskets just fine (though in the smaller Anycubic one, you do have to be careful if the minis are still attached to the build plate as they might bump against the side of the basket when you're inserting it, if you do like I do and wash the minis while they're still attached to the flex plate).
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Dec 9, 2021 07:31
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Funzo posted:Glad I mentioned getting a Mars 2 Pro, since I was thinking of ordering a flex plate. Now I know not to spend the money. Don't get me wrong, I am definitely in the 'get a flex plate' camp, but the M2P is an exception since it's so quick to take the build plate off, swapping to a second one is faster, cleaner, and cheaper than a flex plate.
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Dec 9, 2021 15:05
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Doctor Zero posted:Don't get me wrong, I am definitely in the 'get a flex plate' camp, but the M2P is an exception since it's so quick to take the build plate off, swapping to a second one is faster, cleaner, and cheaper than a flex plate. I'm confused, what is your process for finishing minis after printing? Are you suggesting using two builds/flex plates and starting a new print while the first one is cleaning? I hadn't thought of doing that with my flex plate (it came with two metal plates) I just leave it attached to the build plate and put the whole thing in the wash station. So I really only remove the flex plate from the magnet when I need to release a stubborn print.
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Dec 9, 2021 16:34
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Bucnasti posted:I'm confused, what is your process for finishing minis after printing? I think they're saying use two different build plates, with no flex plates involved, for the Mars 2/Mars 2 Pro.
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Dec 9, 2021 17:02
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So a Photon Mono is $159 with free shipping on Anycubic's website. Are there any other must-have accessories (I figure I'm gonna get a wash and cure next month when my hobby budget refreshes) for ease of use? I'm willing to spend a bit of money if it makes it easier to use than my stock Ender 3.
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Dec 9, 2021 17:05
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Lumbermouth posted:So a Photon Mono is $159 with free shipping on Anycubic's website. Are there any other must-have accessories (I figure I'm gonna get a wash and cure next month when my hobby budget refreshes) for ease of use? I'm willing to spend a bit of money if it makes it easier to use than my stock Ender 3. Resin printing is drastically more plug and play than even the best FDM printers, so there's really nothing you'll need. If you aren't using a washing station, then probably invest in some decent plastic containers. I also like to use mason jars for storing and curing old resin before reuse. Possibly weird suggestion, but you also might want to consider some stick-on handles like these: https://www.amazon.com/Self-Adhesive-Humanity-Auxiliary-Door-Wardrobe-Self-Stick/dp/B093K3S4ZW/. Plastic lids suck and the fact that you can't remove them one-handed makes it really easy to accidentally get resin all over them. A nice stick-on handle on top is way more convenient. You could also just print a handle and glue it on since it's not like the lids are heavy. Other than that, maybe think about what you'll need to keep a relatively clean and organized workstation. Resin printing shouldn't really be messy, but it can be if you don't keep things kind of organized and neat.
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Dec 9, 2021 17:15
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I'd say definitely look at something to put under your printer, in case the worst happens and resin does leak out of the vat while it's on the printer, to help catch any spills. Some people use those silicone food mats with a little "wall" that you can get when feeding pets (or particularly messy kids), some use cookie sheets, and some use like an aluminum roasting or baking pan. Just something to ensure resin doesn't leak out onto your work surface and floor should the worst case scenario occur.
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Dec 9, 2021 17:21
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Paradoxish posted:Resin printing is drastically more plug and play than even the best FDM printers, so there's really nothing you'll need. If you aren't using a washing station, then probably invest in some decent plastic containers. I also like to use mason jars for storing and curing old resin before reuse. Okay cool! I think I'm gonna keep it boxed up until after the holidays and do a full reorganization of the basement. The ventilation isn't great down there so I might see about moving the hobby desk near the two windows.
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Dec 9, 2021 17:21
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Bucnasti posted:I'm confused, what is your process for finishing minis after printing? Sydney is right - I am suggesting just spinning the release knob on the mars BP, taking it off, putting the whole thing in the wash station (most baskets are set up so you can set/hang a build plate in the IPA), and put the clean one on. But, yeah flex plates are designed to be pulled off and cleaned without taking the BP off. That's where you get the time savings. Two build plates are even better since you pull one off, *wipe the magnet free of resin so it doesn't slide around*, and then slap the clean one on.
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Dec 9, 2021 17:26
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Paradoxish posted:Possibly weird suggestion, but you also might want to consider some stick-on handles like these: https://www.amazon.com/Self-Adhesive-Humanity-Auxiliary-Door-Wardrobe-Self-Stick/dp/B093K3S4ZW/. Plastic lids suck and the fact that you can't remove them one-handed makes it really easy to accidentally get resin all over them. A nice stick-on handle on top is way more convenient. You could also just print a handle and glue it on since it's not like the lids are heavy. OMG yes, do that. It's amazingly handy (no pun intended).
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Dec 9, 2021 17:27
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Lumbermouth posted:So a Photon Mono is $159 with free shipping on Anycubic's website. Are there any other must-have accessories (I figure I'm gonna get a wash and cure next month when my hobby budget refreshes) for ease of use? I'm willing to spend a bit of money if it makes it easier to use than my stock Ender 3. The OP in the general 3D printing thread has a list in addition to what people have said here, the most important being PPE like nitrile gloves.
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Dec 9, 2021 17:34
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csammis posted:The OP in the general 3D printing thread has a list in addition to what people have said here, the most important being PPE like nitrile gloves. Nice! Bookmarked.
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Dec 9, 2021 17:50
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Wait, are people printing with such timelines that they need two build plates to take “advantage” of the cleaning downtime? My wash tank takes 10 minutes to clean and I put the entire build plate in it.
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Dec 9, 2021 18:40
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PRADA SLUT posted:Wait, are people printing with such timelines that they need two build plates to take “advantage” of the cleaning downtime? Minis for sale. 10 minutes six times a day is an hour saved.
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Dec 9, 2021 19:00
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Doctor Zero posted:Sydney is right - I am suggesting just spinning the release knob on the mars BP, taking it off, putting the whole thing in the wash station (most baskets are set up so you can set/hang a build plate in the IPA), and put the clean one on. Huh. Guess I been doing it all wrong this whole time. I keep the flex plate in place and put the whole build plate into the wash station. I only fiddle with the flex plate if I'm having trouble removing something from it after washing. Which just reinforces my lack of need for a flex plate.
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Dec 9, 2021 20:41
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Lumbermouth posted:So a Photon Mono is $159 with free shipping on Anycubic's website. Are there any other must-have accessories (I figure I'm gonna get a wash and cure next month when my hobby budget refreshes) for ease of use? I'm willing to spend a bit of money if it makes it easier to use than my stock Ender 3.
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Dec 9, 2021 20:58
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Doctor Zero posted:Minis for sale. 10 minutes six times a day is an hour saved. Conversely, buy more printers! That's my approach anyway. As for how many is enough -- the answer is the number of printers you have + 1.
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Dec 9, 2021 21:12
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PRADA SLUT posted:Wait, are people printing with such timelines that they need two build plates to take “advantage” of the cleaning downtime? I mean, that's 10 minutes of downtime that you could be spending starting another print! Edit: Actually, this is something that I've been curious about. After you put the build plate through the IPA, do you need to wait for it to dry before starting another print?
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Dec 9, 2021 21:23
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Randalor posted:Edit: Actually, this is something that I've been curious about. After you put the build plate through the IPA, do you need to wait for it to dry before starting another print?
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Dec 9, 2021 21:28
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Oh good, so I've been doing the right thing by letting the build plate fully dry first.
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Dec 9, 2021 21:29
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InternetJunky posted:As for how many is enough -- the answer is the number of printers you have + 1.  Just like clamps.
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Dec 9, 2021 22:03
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Randalor posted:I mean, that's 10 minutes of downtime that you could be spending starting another print! I just wipe it down.
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Dec 9, 2021 22:41
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