Printing parts at home has become a permanent part of modelling, and it brings consumables of its own. This section covers what a resin printer needs besides the machine: printer resin, FEP film, flexible build plates and filters for decanting and cleaning resin. It divides into sheets and films on one side and general aids and accessories on the other.
Below we explain what wears out first in normal use, why filtering is not a formality, and what to watch when handling uncured resin.
The machine is only the start. In use, resin is consumed, the film in the bottom of the vat wears, and so does the plate you print onto. Add to that the equipment for decanting and filtering, because uncured resin goes back into the bottle and must not carry cured fragments with it.
Modellers mostly use printing for the parts a box does not contain: conversion sets, interior equipment, small items for dioramas, and masters for casting.
Resins differ in hardness and in how they behave once cured. For model parts the aim is a compromise between detail and toughness: too hard a material snaps on thin parts, too tough a one loses crispness at the edges. Clear versions are used for glazing and lights. Work in gloves with ventilation, because uncured resin is irritant.
The film across the bottom of the vat gradually clouds and stretches, which worsens how each layer releases. It is a consumable, so having a spare before it tears is simply practical. Sheets and films also include flexible build plates in a range of sizes — a print is removed by flexing the plate instead of being levered off with a spatula, which saves both parts and temper.
Silicone funnels with a filter and a reusable metal mesh catch cured fragments as the vat is emptied. Without filtering, the debris returns to the bottle and causes a layer defect on the next print. Details are in aids and accessories, and the consumable parts in sheets and films.
With printing, the rule is that a spare film and a spare plate are bought before they are needed. More unconventional items are in other modelling products.
