Surface finishing of PLA prints...

[smorloc 0]

Does anyone have any tips or techniques for beautifying completed PLA prints? With ABS models, you have acetone that can be used to in different degrees to finish the surface & coverup blemishes. Is there anything similar that can be done with PLA? I have numerous approaches without finding anything better than whittling with an Xacto knife. I have had some promising results with a heat gun, but it is too unreliable..

[Daid 297]

THF seems to work according to:

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic ... 49Qymftt2M

You might want to read:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrahydro ... recautions

(especially the part about latex gloves)

[cora111 0]

THF is very dangerous and unhealthy as it dissolves organic materials. I don't want to try it without appropriate protective clothing (mask, even gas mask?, gloves and so on) and a strongly ventilated room or just apply it outdoors...

[pablobell 0]

Cora: organic in a chemical context just means molecules with only carbon and hydrogen ("petrol derivatives"). Sugars and proteins are biological compounds. Wikipedia says it's not more toxic than acetone, but dissolves latex gloves, so nitrile or rubber gloves should be used. It is highly flammable, as most of the other commonly used solvents, so it should be used in a well ventilated room. For breathing protection, any mask with disposable cartridges should be enough. But make sure the disposable cartridge specifically stops THF or organic compounds. Some protection glasses would diminish eye irritation and protect you in case of ingition (just joking, but you never know!).

I personally have used sandpaper, a sanding sponge for those arbitrary contours and polishing paste + cloth.