Best resin for detail

[Thunderhawk]

I have been fairly happy with the detail I'm getting from Elegoo grey but am curious if there is something better out there. I hear good things about Anycubic black and I see Amazon has it for 30 bucks for 500ml.

As fast as I'm going through this stuff I should probably go for liters, but what are people seeing for detail with the various resins? I seem to recall reading here that the clears are very good for detail?

Speaking of clear, what is the cleaning process to keep from hazing it? I have a 250ml bottle to make some windows with so do not want them frosted.

[peteski]

While not specifically just for the clear resin parts, the frosted look is caused by the roughness of the part's surface. Once the surface is smoothed out, the clarity returns.  So anything you do to make the surface as smooth as possible will make the parts clear again.

What to do?  Polishing them would be the mechanical solution.  Applying a clear lacquer or even Future (whatever that floor finish is called nowadays) should also work.  Depending on how rough the surface it, you might have to employ more than one method: sand, polish and then apply a clear lacquer, or multiple coats of the clear lacquer.

But if the resin itself (not just the surface) is cloudy or translucent) then there isn't anything you can do to make it crystal clear.

[Mark W]

Ranking scale 1 = Most detailed to 10 =  least detailed, I would rank the resin's I've used as follows. 

1. Anycubic Black, capable of rendering the smallest 'holes'.

2. Anycubic Grey, can't do holes quite as small as black, but very close. 

2. Anycubic White, identical to Anycubic Gray

2. Mechanagon Tempest Gray, identical to Anycubic Gray

2. Anycubic Transparent Green*, data set low, but early figures printed great in this resin. 

6. Monoprice Gray*, Acceptable in a pinch. 


Because Monoprice is in there, Ranking based on cure time 1 = fastest, 10 = slowest.

1. Anycubic Transparent Green*, low data set, but cure time was the quickest.

2. Anycubic Black, only a few seconds behind Transparent Green. 

2. Anycubic Grey, identical to Anycubic Black

2. Anycubic White, identical to Anycubic Black

2. Mechanagon Tempest Gray, identical to Anycubic Black

100. Monoprice Gray, yes, +100 on a scale of 1 - 10, with the lowest number being best. 


Aggregate score.

1. Anycubic Black

2. Anycubic Grey

2. Anycubic White

2. Mechanagon Tempest Gray

2. Anycubic Transparent Green

DISQUALIFIED Monoprice Gray*, seriously do not try this brand.

[Thunderhawk]

Just ordered the Anycubic Black as it will be here Thursday with the free shipping. The Elegoo grey hasn't been bad in my opinion but haven't had anything to compare it to. Would like the details to be a bit sharper. Look forward to seeing what the black looks like.

Thanks for the tips on the clear Peteski. I'm making windows "molded" to fit a cab kit so they need to be clear. The modeler will just have to shoot them with clear. Which makes total sense to me. Years ago I did some work in a body shop and we would/could sand clearcoat and just shoot another coat on top of it and the sanding scratches simply vanished.

Apparently one must have a minimum number of posts for passing out respect as I'm not seeing that button.

[peteski]

Thanks for the tips on the clear Peteski.
Apparently one must have a minimum number of posts for passing out respect as I'm not seeing that button.

 

Yeah,  25 posts (like with other forum restrictions for newbies).

[rodsup9000]

 Here is the link to where I get my Anycubic resin at the cheapest price I've found.  $44.64 a liter and free shipping. One drawback though so far from 3 orders from them, is that I've had to sign for them from FedEx. I bought 5 liters of gray, a liter of white and 500 ml of translucent green.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Stock-ANYCUBIC-Resin-500ml-1L-405nm-UV-Sensitive-Resin-for-DLP-SLA-Photon/401696623610?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=671435442625&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

[narrowminded]

Here is the link to where I get my Anycubic resin at the cheapest price I've found.  $44.64 a liter and free shipping. One drawback though so far from 3 orders from them, is that I've had to sign for them from FedEx. I bought 5 liters of gray, a liter of white and 500 ml of translucent green.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Stock-ANYCUBIC-Resin-500ml-1L-405nm-UV-Sensitive-Resin-for-DLP-SLA-Photon/401696623610?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=671435442625&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

It pays to check the price with all of the usual suspects every time you order.  Earlier this week I went to buy a bottle of black.  They had it this time at $23.74 but with $5.00 off a second bottle.  So I bought two 500 ml bottles at $23.74, less $5 on the second, so out the door was $42.48 including shipping.   This was from Anycubic's E-bay store.  I don't think they are still offering the $5 off the second bottle.  This wound up being cheaper than buying a single 1 litre bottle.  It's also the best price I've gotten yet.  $25 -$30 has been the range.

[Mark W]

That coupon is also good once per transaction.  I just ordered 4 liters via 2 separate orders, coming out to 42.14 per liter shipped. 

That should last me through the weekend, hopefully.   

[narrowminded]

That coupon is also good once per transaction.  I just ordered 4 liters via 2 separate orders, coming out to 42.14 per liter shipped. 

That should last me through the weekend, hopefully.   

You must drink it straight, right out of the bottle!   Mine came with two straws.  When you get two, they upgrade them to bendy straws.  I guess one for me and one for my honey.

[rodsup9000]

It pays to check the price with all of the usual suspects every time you order.  Earlier this week I went to buy a bottle of black.  They had it this time at $23.74 but with $5.00 off a second bottle.  So I bought two 500 ml bottles at $23.74, less $5 on the second, so out the door was $42.48 including shipping.   This was from Anycubic's E-bay store.  I don't think they are still offering the $5 off the second bottle.  This wound up being cheaper than buying a single 1 litre bottle.  It's also the best price I've gotten yet.  $25 -$30 has been the range.

That coupon is also good once per transaction.  I just ordered 4 liters via 2 separate orders, coming out to 42.14 per liter shipped. 

That should last me through the weekend, hopefully.   

 I'll be watching to see if they offer that again. With 2 printers now, I'm going through a lot of resin.

[IronPenguin]

Thanks for the ranking list, Mark.
I'm happy with Anycubic gray, but just got a bottle of Phrozen ABS-like gray to see if it's any different. Just printed a test cube so it's too early to say. Will post after a few comparison pieces.

[Stephane]

Mark, if you don't mind, what curing times per layer for Anycubic black and Anycubic transparent green?

So far I'm still on the first bottle of transparent green that came with the printer, but will be ordering a new bottle soon. 

[Mark W]

It's been so long since I printed in green that I forget what settings I used.  Actually, they were whichever the Photon Slicer default settings are. 

I've since implemented a naming convention for my .photon files as follows:

[Scale]_[Model]_([Version])_[QTY]_[ResinBrandColor]_[LayerThickness]_[NormalSeconds]_[BottomSeconds].photon

This way I can easily identify details and settings for:

N_AmmoniaTrailer_V2_8x_AycbGray_L50_N18_B100.photon

Per the ranking list, these same settings work for Anycubic Gray, White, Black, and Mechanagon Gray

[Stephane]

Thanks for the answer.  It's interesting to see that you now use a lot more gray over the transparent green despite the increase in time per layer.

My latest two prints were the same base photon file, just at different layer thickness (20 microns @ 7.5 secs and 50 microns @ 10 secs).  I was trying to see which one gave me the best details for time.  Honestly, I think the 20 microns layers gave better details, but then again, I can't be sure it wasn't just the difference in time (maybe one was under or over-cured compared to the other!).  In the 50 micron print, the smallest details were still visible, but maybe a tiny bit less defined, and the layer "bands" were of course more noticeable - with a magnifying glass!  After I paint the models, I'm not sure whether I'll be able to tell the difference anymore.

[Lemosteam]

It's been so long since I printed in green that I forget what settings I used.  Actually, they were whichever the Photon Slicer default settings are. 

I've since implemented a naming convention for my .photon files as follows:

[Scale]_[Model]_([Version])_[QTY]_[ResinBrandColor]_[LayerThickness]_[NormalSeconds]_[BottomSeconds].photon

This way I can easily identify details and settings for:

N_AmmoniaTrailer_V2_8x_AycbGray_L50_N18_B100.photon

Per the ranking list, these same settings work for Anycubic Gray, White, Black, and Mechanagon Gray

Smart.