We are often asked what additional tools and accessories are needed to get started with 3D printing. The answer is, like so many things in life, it depends. Shoot us a message if you have any specific questions about setting up your space.
Below we will have a growing list of tools, accessories and devices that we use in our production facility and recommend to our customers. Let’s start with the most critical items first, safety. (Please note that these are our Amazon affiliate links. It’s how we buy our coffee. ;))
Safety Items
Nitrile Gloves
Required if you are doing any resin DLP / LCD / SLA printing. Recommended if you routinely use any adhesives, paints, coatings or liquids. Despite the safety sheets of most resins it is still not wise to let chemicals sit on your skin or let your hands take a bath in a vat of resin. Wear your gloves.
Safety Glasses
Not just for splash protection or dust. Even the simplest support removal job can suddenly generate a flying shard of ABS or hardened resin into your eyeball! Trust us. This is not a fun event. Get yourself some safety glasses and wear them!
There are additional safety items that can make life easier such as a well stocked first aid kit (one that can handle cuts and burns) and if you’re dealing with resin and solvents we HIGHLY recommend an eye wash station such as this faucet mounted model or a portable plastic bottle.
Workspace & Cleaning – Resin
Mini Coffee Tamper
One of the tricks to resin printing is being able to quickly and cleanly remove failed prints stuck to the FEP / membrane. A clever and easy way to do this is to use a small coffee tamper with a lemon wedge wrapper (or in a pinch a paper towel). Trust us. It works. (If you’re curious on how to use this there’s some good YouTube videos demonstrating. If you need a larger tamper we also use this one. Just make sure the surface has no metal burrs.
Metal Funnel
A more sustainable method for filtering resin is to use a metal funnel with fine mesh inserts. This kit comes with a brush. Trust us when we say “Clean as you go!” with this tool. Do not let it sit around covered in resin, especially where sun or strong lights will cure the resin over time.
Large Silicone Mat
Resin can be messy. That’s the reality. We find that these wide silicone mats are perfect workspace covers to deal with drips or spills. Easy to clean and wipe down with IPA, most resins will not stick to them.
Beveled Scraper
A wide beveled scraper will save you hours of frustration, gouged out build plates, and even broken prints. We use this BBQ scraper in our shop. It keeps a great edge and is easy to clean.
Lemon Wedge Wrappers
These lemon wedge wrappers are a lifesaver when used with the coffee tamper. Prevents scraping the FEP / membrane and allows for the clean cycle layer to adhere to a disposable bit of fabric. This gives you the ability to peal up the clean cycle layer and the failed print mess, together and cleanly.
Pointed Cotton Swabs
These pointed cotton swabs have multiple uses. 1) To get into nooks and crannies of your resin prints, especially blind holes where resin tends to stay even after a wash cycle. 2) To get into the nooks and crannies of your vat or machine. Some machines have 90 degree angles and odd nooks due to pour spouts or cartridge holders. These help clean those out.
IPA Pump Bottle
The most accessible solvent for resin printing is IPA (99% ideally). While you will need a washing station like the Nexa3D Wash+Cure station. We have found it handy to have a pump bottle at each workspace for tool cleaning, wiping down surfaces, cleaning build plates, and wiping the FEP / membrane during a material switch over.
Plastic Tray
Transporting your parts and build tray can get messy. We use a couple of cafeteria trays to hold various jobs through our cleaning process. Even just one tray can prevent and contain drips and spills.
Strainer
Cleaning small and tiny parts in an agitator or other cleaning system can be difficult. We protect our small parts in a large tea strainer. It’s easy to fish them out and nothing gets lost or damaged. Just make sure to secure or even remove the chain so it doesn’t get caught up in any machinery.
Disposable Cone Filters
When reusing resin and switching between resins you will want to pour out what’s in your vat. Filtering is key to extending resin life and the life of your FEP / membrane. These disposable cone filters sit perfectly in a red solo cup, wide mouth bottle, small funnel.
Amber HDPE Bottles
Once you start experimenting with resin printing you will find yourself reusing material. Best practices is to keep used material and fresh material in separate containers in case of contamination or particulate build up. These dark wide mouth HDPE bottles are perfect. These are the 1000ml but they do come in smaller sizes as well.
Delicate Task Wipers
Lint is a pain. These KimWipe task wipers are perfect for wiping down an LCD / Light Engine, glass, FEP / membrane or any other surface you want to keep lint free.
Electric Duster
Forget canned air. It’s expensive, it runs out, and it’s wasteful. To dry our prints after the wash stage, we use a handheld electric duster. They are great for blowing out machines and keyboards as well!
We will keep adding tools and accessories as time permits. If you would like advise and guidance in setting up your own maker space and work shop, give us a call. Happy (and safe) printing!
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