1:6 Darth Vader 3D Laser Scan & Print Project

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First test print on the new printer was a success but it was a failure in the sense that it adhered so hard to the print plate that I had to destroy the print in order to get it off. And I used their optimal settings on their website. I will now have to figure out how to go forward as I do NOT have the strength or stamina to battle with such **** and even less desire to see the print destroyed because the adhesion is too extreme.

What to do... what to do?
Sorry to hear about your issues with your test print. I found a question about this on reddit, basically the same issue of adhesion to the build plate. Other people had some similar issues and offered suggestions.

Also maybe some other here who are also 3D printing can offer some help with tips on adjusting settings of the bottom layer. Hope you can get it sorted out, and also feel better.

Print sticking too tightly to build plate on Sonic Mini 4K
 
Thanks. I'll try the hot water suggestion they had, and if that doesn't work, then sanding down the plate a bit is next, but I'm honestly a little stressed out, 'cause trying to get this off today completely ruined the rest of my day. I really do not have the strength for such things, so if this is how it will be going forward... it makes me nervous.

Someone on the RPF suggested buying a flexible plate to add on with magnets, but what is required to do that to make it work on this machine seems like more than I want to put into it. Eventually you just gotta say enough.
 
Someone on the RPF suggested buying a flexible plate to add on with magnets, but what is required to do that to make it work on this machine seems like more than I want to put into it. Eventually you just gotta say enough.

What's required to install a flex plate on your machine? I have one on original Phrozen mini and it's awesome. I would consider it a mandatory upgrade on all printers.
 
All the videos I've seen says I need to work with isopropyl alchohol - which I react badly to - to clean the parts before gluing the magnetic piece to the build plate + people are saying I need to print out a spacer, so the home setting fits the lower build plate.

Which brand of flex plate do you have? I was forwarded to the Wham Bam one, but it has a lot of installation steps I'm not comfortable with.

The burn time I was recommended for the first 6 layers was 20 seconds. Is that too high? The resin I'm using is called "Primacreator Value Water Washable UV Resin - Light Grey" with a recommended burn time of 4-8 seconds pr layer, though I'm printing the models at 2.5-3 seconds, as I haven't narrowed in the burn time yet, as I had to stop.
 
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When you build the supports, what kind of base do the supports have? I started out with a pretty thick base of many layers but that was having way too much adhesion to the build plate. Then I changed the settings on my printer where the supports just had minimal base of only a few layers, and getting the prints off that way are a lot easier for me. Don’t know if that’s the problem or not but something to consider. Also my explanation may or may not make sense lol.
 
I haven't done any prints with supports yet on this printer. I printed the test print flat on the plate, which I see the youtubers do all the time and they get them off easily.

These are the settings I found online, in a video talking about the same printer I'm using.

Skærmbillede 2022-07-06 kl. 18.33.07.png
 
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I was also using 6 layers when I had problems, the base layer was too thick and the adhesion was too strong. I can’t tell specifically what the issue is but perhaps the number of layers could be reduced?
 
I would initially have a raft with the supports, and I used 6 layers for the raft and tried 3. After the adhesion being too strong, I decided to take off the raft setting and just use supports with minimal contact layers to the build plate.
The burn time looks good to me but it also varies based on the resin you're using. Whatever resin you use, I'd look up the recommended settings for it. Some resins droop if the exposure time is too little, and some get brittle if it's too much. Also have you used a putty knife or something similar to get the print off the build plate? I would recommend using supports- that way you can easily get the print itself off, and destroying the base doesn't matter if you're trying to get it off the build plate.

I'm just giving advice based on my own experiences, others may have different inputs/advice.
 
Anyone agree that the clean up/ post processing after a print is a pain in the ***. Especially after a failed print. Then having to drain out your Vat with a filter to try again?? It’s super frustrating and it demotivates me to 3D Print :(

I also have a Issue with supports being way too strong even after pouring boiling water on them.

My prints tend to be brittle if that helps anyone understand my situation.

Any advice?
 
Well, things have not been going well health-wise. I haven't been able to do much of anything lately, and I will get back to the people who's written as soon as possible.

Right now, I think I'll go back to bed and sleep for a year.
 
Anyone agree that the clean up/ post processing after a print is a pain in the ***. Especially after a failed print. Then having to drain out your Vat with a filter to try again?? It’s super frustrating and it demotivates me to 3D Print :(

I also have a Issue with supports being way too strong even after pouring boiling water on them.

My prints tend to be brittle if that helps anyone understand my situation.

Any advice?
Good luck Too Much Garlic!
Fireman, cleaning up a failed print is super obnoxious. I switched to Siraya Tech Fast and adjusted my printer settings to the resin specs on the bottle. Cleanup is super easy with it since isopropyl alcohol cleans it off really well. No failed prints at all with using that resin. My settings use light supports with 66% density and that has been working perfectly for me.
In terms of brittleness, I find a lot of 3D prints to not be the strongest. But if your prints are too brittle you may have too long UV exposure, either on the print or in the post processing curing. Don't know if any of that helps but for me it was a lot of trial and error.
 
Well, things got a little hectic last week and this week, so I didn't have time to work on the project. The doctors may have found a solution, so maybe things will be better moving forward.

I'm sorry I wasn't able to find a solution with this project, so you wouldn't have to suffer my inconsistency and constant delays.

EDIT by Future Me!: What the heck am I talking about. I need to stop being so melodramatic. I still have options if I am somehow not able to do it on my own, so I need to quit my griping and just buckle up and see where this takes me.
 
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Hi guys, sorry about the long lack of updates. Have been sick a lot and when I was doing okay I still didn't feel up to doing any 3D printing, as the clean-up and actually dialing in the settings are too much work for me right now... I will try to get back on it, but am still suffering from flu this time.

The issue I had last year still hasn't resolved, so that may be why I get sick so easily... and there doesn't seem to be an answer or solution anytime soon as all tests come back negative - we only had that one positive test last year, but treating that didn't solve the issue... and everything else comes back as "healthy" or "normal" yet I still feel like crap.

I was able to work on 3D models though... so am working on some Terminator Endoskeleton parts, as that just requires me to sit in front of the computer, but even that is really hard.

Sorry for the bummer post. Just thought I'd say something to let people know what is going on.
 
I agree with WTC, nothing more valuable than your health. I hope you can get it figured out, and back to feeling better soon. 👍
 
Sorry for the lack of updates. Been sick a lot and have been working on other stuff - which you can find here: Thingiverse - Digital Designs for Physical Objects - and still haven't gotten to work with the 3D printer. The Flex plate looks cool, but it is nothing I would be able to install. Printers in the future should just come with such a feature already installed.

Am trying to work myself up into getting things moving with the 3D prints again... but it's hard - especially with the print time and having to do all that post processing on resin prints at a time of day when I'm most tired. And I can't get up earlier to start the print as that will ruin my day... so... I hate being sick.

Anyway... played around a little with some of the accessories, checking them for flaws and issues.

v2 - Project - 163.png
 
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Been watching some more 3D printing videos and some explained how I could fix the issue I was having with the prints adhering to the print plate too hard, so I'll try and get things moving so I can dial in the printer and get these prints started.

Am still hit with a lot of health issues, so things are moving at a snails pace these days.

I'll keep everyone posted on that. Note: Did get sick again after I posted this above message on another forum, so things are taking a while to get started, but with the new info I'm hopeful I can get this working better now.

On a different matter. Anyone who knows me knows that I love 3D scanning. Even when it goes wrong, because you see the object slowly form in the scan viewer and it's like magic to me. To be able to recreate something just by pointing a 3D scanner at it and then having a digital object in the end that is a near perfect representation of the original - depending on the scanner - is just amazing.

So when I saw this when browsing through youtube lately I was happy to see this is finally happening. I had long gone with the idea of replicating stormtrooper armor to go with the helmets I have in this project, but seeing as this project has taken so long and is still struggling it is cool to see someone else get it done.



Here's to me hoping they'll do 1:6 scale versions as well.
 
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