oh noooooooo,
I am very scared to chemicals, therefore XTC was ideal for me.
this is therefore the reason, why i dont want to use abs with acetone.
There must be something wrong somehow.
Mixture?
Nitro dilution? to make it more like water?
The product is ok, but i dont understand, why Those are hole :(
and how i can fix it
Hi Edel, I have used XTC but have not experienced your problem. Indeed the results have been excellent. Th eonly problem I suffered, on non horizontal surface was the coating creating "runs" and it took some practice to overcome that.
This is a pic of a part which subsequently had to be spray painted by the customer and it is entirely smooth. It was printed with .300 layers and a 8mm nozzle. The .stl was created from a scan which introduced some imperfections, not present in in the final Solidworks model.
One issue was that whilst smooth it did not look great to the end customer so we added some of the XTC colouring to the mix. As you can see the 3D printed layer lines etc. have disappeared.
The two "blobs" ringed in blue were a result of the "running problem I mentioned, now overcome. If you look at the strut on the right, at the lower left corner you will see some roughness on the edge which is a result of the scanned image.
Back your problem - I can only assume either
1. you did not use an accurate measuring cup to mix your coating, or
2. you used a cheap brush which did not coat very well, or
3. maybe you suffered some shrinkage, very strange though, I have not, or
4. maybe you were not using PLA, I have only used XTC on PLA or
5. as you are using the clear coating did you really check all over to make sure you had not missed any areas?
Certainly for me the first two or three I did were not 100% perfect and I needed some more attempts before I was able to prevent the "runs" appearing.
Also once you mix the solution you have to work quickly as XTC starts to cure quickly, 8 minutes? I forget.
Also for this part I printed a jig which fitted on the bottom so that could rotate the part as I coated it without getting my hands on the part itself.
The thickness of XTC-3d mixed cover is around 0.04cm. So dont sand too much
I have tried XTD -3D as well, found it difficult to use and didn't give good results. It had problems covering sharp corners.
The real killer for me was that it isn't compatible with water at all - discoloured immediately.
So, its a little bit late for this topic to bring up again but so:
Xtc 3D generates Heat if you are mixing it. More that usual.
That means you only mix it as long as directed in the description.
If you mix it too long heat will really go up. If you brush it on your print it will melt that plastic down.
Hope i helped you
Lg Hannes
So, its a little bit late for this topic to bring up again but so:
Xtc 3D generates Heat if you are mixing it. More that usual.
That means you only mix it as long as directed in the description.
If you mix it too long heat will really go up. If you brush it on your print it will melt that plastic down.
Hope i helped you
Lg Hannes
ich habs seit damals nicht mehr benutzt! wie kommst du aufmal auf das thema hier?
hast du den eine deutsche anleitung?
das habe ich jendenfalls noch nie gehört mit der hitze, wie lange sollte man es mixen?
Just use acetone on 0.06mm layer prints, its a lot easier, less messier and has no problems with sharp corners either. But this XTC 3D might be better for 0.1 mm and lower layer prints
Edited by GuestJust use acetone on 0.06mm layer prints, its a lot easier, less messier and has no problems with sharp corners either. But this XTC 3D might be better for 0.1 mm and lower layer prints
1. XTC 3D is for those people who dont want to risk their life for an stupid method how to clean 3D Prints
2. Acetone works only for ABS - so for PLA it would be Chloroform which is extremly dangerous because it is generating fumes.
SO, now to Edel:
Ich komme auf dieses Thema weil ich es mir selbst bestellt habe um es mal auszuprobieren. Dabei bin ich auf dieses Thema gestoßen. (Übrigens es funktioniert super) Nein, ich habe keine deutsche Einleitung, ich habe nur die Beschreibung komplett durchgelesen. Du solltest es vor gebrauch schütteln, zuerst PART A und dann PART B (Part A 2/3 und Part B 1/3) und dann für 30 Sekunden gut mischen, aber nicht zu schnell, im Normaltempo, sodass es gut umgerührt wird. Dann gieß du es auf ein Alufolienblatt (Weil das Risiko besteht das es so heiß wird dass es den Plastikbecher schmelzen kann) Übrigens: immer Handschuhe tragen und JEDEN Haut oder Kleidungskontakt vermeiden. Schutzmaske wäre zu empfehlen. Dann trägst du es mit einem Pinsel auf und streifst so lange drüber bis keine Luftblasen vorhanden sind. Dann lässt du es trocknen, optimal mit 220 Schleifpapier bearbeiten und du bist fertig.
Kannst ja mal ausprobieren 
Würde mich freuen wenn es dir geholfen hat.
Lg Hannes
Hmm,
as far as risking your life, well there is no strong evidence of chronic health effects if basic precautions are followed.
And its not a stupid method if it produces good results extremely effortlessly in my opinion, using PLA/PHA from colorfabb that is.
I am very scared to chemicals, therefore XTC was ideal for me.
XTC-3D is a chemical too. So it may also have health-risks, similar to any other chemical.
About XTC-3d, from the Smooth-On website: "Avoid eye and skin contact. Avoid breathing fumes - use in a well ventilated area. NIOSH approved respirator is recommended. Wear safety glasses, long sleeves and rubber gloves to minimize skin contact. This material has a high exotherm (generates heat). Do not mix components in glass or foam containers."
The MSDS also mentions that it could cause skin burns.
Whatever chemical you use, you need to inform yourself of the risks, and then take proper precausions to prevent any harm. It it is the way you handle a material that makes it safe or not. Even "harmless" water or air can be deadly if handled the wrong way.
By the way, water is a chemical too, even though we don't usually see it as such.
@OmegaCO - Listen to cloakfiend. He is the world expert on using acetone to smooth PLA as far as I can tell. He has one of the longest topics in this form and it's on this subject. He has videos. He has many pictures. His technique keeps changing and getting better. This is his specialty.
https://ultimaker.com/en/community/10412-acetone-finishing-on-pla
1
World expert, lol. Only because no one else seems to care. Oh well their loss. Got some new pics to share soon.
I'm way late to the party and signed up just to respond (I have a different 3D writer, but I wanted to contribute something I didn't see already posted (or maybe it was just in German).
I have had similar problems and the issue seems to be dirt or some other material that prevents the surface from wetting properly. The coating seems to brush on OK, but then patches thin as the resin retreat from these regions, and the spots appear. Its seems the surface tension of the XTC-3D is exceeding the affinity between the XTC-3D and the surface being coated. Same reason oily spots on a glass surface prevent water from forming a smooth sheet. Or spray paint fails to coat dirty patches.
The answer in all these cases is the same. Clean the surface. Use a cleaner or solvent compatible with the surface being treated. Deodorized mineral spirits (mineral spirits minus toluene and other aromatic hydrocarbons) work well for many surfaces. One possible solution, though I haven't had an opportunity to try it since I heard about it, is to thin the XTC-3D with acetone or denatured alcohol. These should lower the surface tension and increase surface penetration. And of course, use appropriate safety precautions regardless of what you do. At the least, use gloves with epoxy as exposure to it can sensitize resulting in nasty allergic reactions on re-exposure.
I hope this helps! And thanks to those posting on solvent polishing PLA with acetone. I'd always failed with it (and with THF polishing of PLA) but I learned some things I'm going to have to try out with selected brands of PLA.
1
Hi Edel,
Don't apply it thin, XTC3D works much better when you use it generously, not to much as most will just drip of but give it a good coating. It will dry up very smooth if you do it like that without any holes. My first attempt was also the same as you and then i found a youtube video where they said the same, apply thick or you will get holes. After that i did multiple prints and all look amazing.
Also do it in a warm enviroment, or heat the bottle up in the sink with some warm water to make it much easier to work with.
Hope this helps as it is really a good product.
Greetz Barry
Personally I will say follow the instructions and you will not go wrong; that includes measuring very carefully, to the instructions, the volumes you mix together. Interesting comment from @phantom on temperature; I have always applied it in a room with a minimum temp. of 20c.
I wonder what PLA you are using as I have never experienced your problem; I am just wondering if you are using a cheap PLA which is leaving some residue on the finish.
I think this is down to experience to get it right - On my first few attempts I was suffering on runs on non-horizontal surfaces (good finish where it did not run though)so I gradually loaded the brush with less XTC 3D until I got to a point where I did not get runs.
I certainly would not apply any thinner to the mix - not in the instructions! - but how much you load your brush may have an impact and of course is a personal decision, so one man's thin may not be another man's thin.
Also the type and quality of the foam brush will potentially have an impact.
I forgot to say that I sometimes use two coats. With surfaces that will lay flat during the process I will tend to load the brush more and use one coat. With curved surfaces that will slope during the process I will load the brush less and then maybe need a 2nd coat, immediately
I wonder what PLA you are using as I have never experienced your problem; I am just wondering if you are using a cheap PLA which is leaving some residue on the finish.
This may be a bit off topic, but when I build commercial models, I always wash the heck out of my parts. Mold release and all that stuff.
I have carried that over to washing all my printed parts as well. Basic de-greasing/dish soap and just warm enough to not warp the plastic involved. Basically, not cold as that does not help the soap come off, and then a lot of rinsing until the fingers squeak on the material.
1
Yes many years ago I used to build 1:43 car kits fabricated in resin or white metal and did exactly the same before painting. A good point.
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I had the same issues and gave up trying to use it. I found that vapor treating is faster and has a lot better results.
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