The two main types of 3D printing are resin and filament 3D printing, and each offers its own benefits and quirks. Want to turn a puddle of goo into an intricately designed spaceship or figure? Let’s see if resin 3D printing is the best choice for you.
Hobbies
The biggest benefit of choosing a resin 3D printer is the level of detail it offers you. You cure liquid resin by shining a UV light in specific areas, hardening sections layer by layer to build your final product. A resin printer allows these layers to be extremely thin, so you can print incredibly minute details very accurately.
If you’re into tabletop roleplaying games or collecting figures, resin printing is definitely the way to go. The detail you can achieve on these small pieces is ideal for these types of hobbies. Printing larger parts (perhaps for a cosplay costume) is better for a filament printer.
Cleanup
Resin and filament both come with their share of mess, but resin involves a more intricate cleaning process. If you’re looking for the easiest form of printing, this isn’t it. Because resin comes in liquid form, you will inevitably splash some goo somewhere. Leave the goo for too long, and it will cure to that surface and give you a hard time when you want to clean it up.
Cleanup entails more than just wiping down surfaces, however. Many prints will require supports, which are structures you add to your prints to prevent pieces from breaking off and floating in your resin vat. You’ll need to clip these supports off your final piece, and these tiny supports will fly everywhere after you snip.
Filament
A typical 3D printer hobbyist will end up getting both resin and filament printers for their printing hobby, and that’s because they both do different things well. Learn more about filament printing to see if it better suits your current desires but know that it may make the most sense to get one of each, eventually.
Resin printing comes with a few hiccups along the way, but they are well worth the fantastic pieces you can make. While cleanup is annoying, you may find yourself enjoying the zen that comes from snipping supports and getting a closer look at your new print. Is resin 3D printing right for you? Now that you know what comes with it, you can answer that for yourself!
