Key tools for post processing

[cloakfiend 995]

I've only use cura 15.04.02, but id actually like to experiment with another slicer to see if those weird vertical lines are less visible, as they are the only thing preventing me from making perfectly smooth prints at the moment.

[gareee 39]

Since I'm painting 99% of what I'm printing, the print lines don't bother me at all. I just did the gcreate rocket, and it was first sprayed with the rustoleum to reduce the line details, and then oversprayed with copper. Detail colors will then be added, and I might then add weathering as well. As a long time scale modeler, I expect to do paint ops on almost everything.

[cloakfiend 995]

The main thing that all people need to consider is that post work is essential even if its only a bit. nothing comes out perfect from any printer from what ive seen. Things need to be finished, polished, glossed whatever.

People with less post-work experience will simply not produce the same quality of print finish as those with more. Its that simple. You need to want it to look good and know what to do to get it the way you want. Sometimes it take time, sometimes not. Just practice and i would definitely recommend needle files for seam lines if you are gluing things. After acetoneing glued objects, the acetone melts them together so when you sand the seam down, often you dont even need any filler as the melt has fused the seam together!

I personally like to get things as good as i can before i paint them, but everyone has their methods and don't expect everyone to do things the same way.

Superglue is NOT affected by acetone BTW. And this is a very useful fact.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Guest

[SandervG 1,521]

Since I'm painting 99% of what I'm printing, the print lines don't bother me at all. I just did the gcreate rocket, and it was first sprayed with the rustoleum to reduce the line details, and then oversprayed with copper. Detail colors will then be added, and I might then add weathering as well. As a long time scale modeler, I expect to do paint ops on almost everything.

 

Do you have pictures?

[Labern 774]

 

Since I'm painting 99% of what I'm printing, the print lines don't bother me at all. I just did the gcreate rocket, and it was first sprayed with the rustoleum to reduce the line details, and then oversprayed with copper. Detail colors will then be added, and I might then add weathering as well. As a long time scale modeler, I expect to do paint ops on almost everything.

 

Do you have pictures?

 

It's featured in the prints section

[SandervG 1,521]

Thanks! I did not see it yet.

I've spent a few days in NYC so I am reading up on all that I have missed.

@Gareee, my compliments to your print! It is b-e-a-utiful!

What I have recently learned (but not yet tried) is that if you 3D print something in a transparant color like XT you can use like a certain coating to make it glass-like transparant.

Is anyone familiar with this?

[MarcusWolschon 7]

You will never get transparency.

You can get it translucent with still visible inperfections.

If you want transparency, look for making a mold and cast a clear resin that does't shrink too much and has no color tint.

[SandervG 1,521]

I didn't see an example but I was told that if you made the surface perfectly flat you would get a glass like transparency. The curved surface (layers) influences the transparency more than the fact the layers are stacked.

So super thick layers and a flat surface should make it really transparent.. as I was told

[foehnsturm 969]

At least the filament manufacturer claims it's working with t-glase and XTC-3D. http://taulman3d.com/t-glase-optics.html

[SandervG 1,521]

that is the example they mentioned! A cup full with batteries.

Looks pretty impressive!

[yellowshark 153]

Yup, I have used both Taulman and XTC-3D but not together! That job, yes I saw it on the Taulman site several months back, in on my list of personal projects

[Labern 774]

I wonder how well vapor polishing natural Pla works.

[gareee 39]

I've seen posts that say it depends on the brand of pla.. some brands vapor smooth, and others don't. Odds a a clear coat of gloss rattlecan spray pan will have much the same effect. One is subtractive, smoothing the existing surface, one is additive, adding a gloss layer. chemically, a gloss paint add some micro fill to a surface to achieve the glossy appearance. A dull coat actually adds micro texture to the surface, which is why its not glossy.