Elegoo wash and cure station with the pin light add on is fantastic! My only wish was the top of the curing station had a handle so you could remove/add it one-handed. I'm going to epoxy on a handle for mine.
If the turntable is clear, an alternative to the CD is to put some foil on the top of the turntable mechanism, so that some of the UV bounces up through the turntable.
Nah, get 5 meters of UV led string, stick inside of a small box, cures faster than the station. Use a jar and cure with water for even faster and even curing.
I FDM printed a small box with transparent PETG, got 5meters of UV led string and wrapped around it and covered with a larger printed box. Curing takes literally 4-5 minutes because it is so strong. Needs no turntable because the transparent petg scatters the UV in all directions. Curing works way better and uniform in water! I use a jar with water that fits the cure box. The result is flawless and the UV light covers the model pretty evenly even in hard to reach gaps. You can buy super cheap UV LED bulbs too, they work as expected. BTW this UV light is not harmful because it is pretty close to the visible spectrum, 400nm. The harmful ones are not invisible and have way shorter wavelenghts.
How long do you cure 32 mm, 75 mm, and 300 mm resin miniatures on your Elegoo Cure station? Do you worry about over exposing them in the cure station? How do you know when they are fully cured?
The light you have there as far as size there are good strong lights you just have to look up the wave length and match it to what’s in the cure station.
That’s interesting cause I’ve done tests and the light I have takes about 30% long to cure. I’ve done comparisons and it does the job just takes longer.
The UV lights in curing station are not always more powerful than your UV lamp from custom box from 2nd method. They just have the correct wavelength required for UV resin to cure, while sun and not-dedicated UV lamps operate on much wider range.
Thanks! No I haven’t used one for resin prints. I do have one I just use it to clean my airbrush it’s not very big wouldn’t work for prints I’d have to get a big one.
The brand name curing station may be more effective because the light is on the side so as the model rotates the light gets all round. With the light on the top when the model rotates only the top gets the good light
Great info! Question: I am new to resin printing (been printing FDM for about 4-5 years), and I'm confused about curing time. For now I'm just printing small pieces, and I see there are recommended times in relation to the size of the print, but I just need to know how much is too much... or is it a trial and error thing?
Okay, question from the newbie (I'm still researching before I buy anything) - I've seen in another tutorial to put the print in a tub of water for curing - the water refracts the UV rays - but you say to make sure the print is dry first ... Is drying it just to make sure you've cleaned it of any liquid prior to curing?
I believe it is to make sure any of the isopropyl alcohol doesn’t stick around and get things dusty. Perhaps if ou are curing in water, I don’t believe that should be an issue. However, if the isopropyl alcohol gets in the water that would be an interesting experiment.
I'm new to this and diving in deeply. Can you overcure? How long can you leave a project? If it only took a few hours and you came back the next day let's say
Hey! So yes, you can over cure a model. If something becomes over cured it will become very brittle. Might not break but you got a higher chance of it breaking. When it comes to leaving a print, if you have it under a UV lamp you don’t want to leave it a long time I wouldn’t go much past a half an hour, but that’s what works for me. The important thing is to ensure that the print is completely cured and you know when it’s cured because it has a different texture and it’s completely hard with no wet spots.
@@ItsMeaDMaDe Thank you for replying and I heard you mention that about the sun curing towards the end. That makes sense. I meant about leaving your printer to do it's thing and coming back many hours after it's finished. Can you just cure as normal or have you ruined the process? Would it even be salvagable?
@blaze556922 so when it comes to leaving your finished print in the printer you don’t have to get right on it when it’s done. I’ve left mine for an entire weekend before leave Friday and come back Sunday night to then wash and cure it.
Great informative video! My question is this: I see many people rigging up ways to also cure the inside of their prints, by running a UV LED inside the drain holes or some such trick. Do you do this to your prints?
I have both the external lights and a wash and cure station. I never feel that my resin prints are fully cured. I dont feel the anycubic wash and cure has very good UV lights... or I got a bad one. My biggest problem is trying to find out how lone I should cure them to truly make them safe to handel...
That can be a tricky thing if you think it’s not working. I’ve known some people to cure theirs for 20-30 mins to make sure. I haven’t but it’s worked for other people.
WRT the foil in the box: This is probably one of the few times when the difference between the shiny and dull sides matters. The shiny side will reflect better than the dull. IMO, the foil is a better idea than the mirrors because the uneven surface of the foil gives more of a dispersion effect than mirrors. The foil is also lighter and cheaper.
I may have missed it, but when you say to make sure that the print is dry before curing, do you just mean dry to the touch, or are you waiting a period of time before curing?
Just dry to the touch. I typically will give it a few hours so the liquid inside the print has time to dry or wrap it in a a paper towel and shake out the extra ipa. Then let it dry. Just make sure to wear gloves.
Good video, a couple of caveats. Curing time depends of the particular resin your using. Some resins also require heat for curing. And there is a chance of over curing (makes the part brittle).
curing in a cure station the formula is height x volume (amount of resin used for the print project) this is for small to medium scale models 99mm and below, larger models you multiply the formula by 2. when curing in the sun there are multiple variable factors. during summer heat on the hot days its height x volume x layer count. During the cooler months, it can take days to cure a print. Sunlight is not the best option but if its all you got, summer is when you want to do it. Winter you got to put it out there for days. UV radiation is greatest in the summer. example of cure station curing: 32mm print height, 55ml build volume would be calculated at .32 x .55 = .176 (176 sec) larger models (100mm and up) its height x volume x 3. Example: height 150mm x volume 210ml x 3 is calculated as 1.50x.200x3 = .9 (the answer is read in min not sec) curing in the sun example: 32mm build height, 55ml build volume, layer count 1000 would be calculated at .32 x .55 x 1000 =176 (calculated in min not sec) approximately 3 hrs. volume measured always follows a decimal doesn't matter if its 50ml, 100ml, 250ml, etc unless your build plate is using more than 1000ml it will always be followed by a decimal. as illustrated in the video here are a multitude of variables in sun curing that effect time, however your base calculation height x volume x layer count is your starting point should you wish to make sun curing your method of curing. if temp is under 70 degrees add 2 hrs, cloudy skies are extremely hard to calculate so if its cloudy just don't do it that day. a good safety method for curing in the sun is print out a scale rod with your build plate, set the scale rod outside 30min before you set out your prints and when ever you go out to check on your prints grab the scale rod and gently tap it on the concrete, it it starts to chip away with each gentle tap bring your print in so it doesn't get brittle.
If you choose to go the DIY box way, try to be the most lazy and/or efficient : look for reflecting metal boxes around you. There are cheap widely manufactured items that would perfectly fit that role around you, from a paint bucket to an IKEA bin to a cube-shaped letterbox, all under 20$/€. No need to spend time and materials to build one !
I just got my first printer, the Uniformation GKTwo. I intend to got the professional rouse as soon as I can afford to. Living in SE Alaska, the heated vat seemed a good idea, and SE Alaska being a rain forest, well the sun is not really an option most summers (avg 100 inches of rain a year). I will likely go ahead and get the Uniformation one, same for the wash. Are you aware that the Uniformation wash station has a slot for the build plate? You "straight" to the wash and slide it in, this protects small pieces. But I am still looking.
The sun here in the Philippines is so hot like it's piercing through your skin, it hurts, and I'm afraid the heat might destroy the 3d prints, I don't know but it really might
I bought one and the washer broke in 3 months buyer be were lot of youtube video with issue.and how to fix it so yes not paid but was free I wasted 249.99 Cad now having to buy ultrasonic cleaner look like. Light superweak and picky lid not perfect it bees
Elegoo wash and cure station with the pin light add on is fantastic! My only wish was the top of the curing station had a handle so you could remove/add it one-handed. I'm going to epoxy on a handle for mine.
SUGGESTION FOR WE CHEAPIES.....USE THE BOX YOUR PRINTER CAME IN FOR YOUR CURING BOX & ALSO USE A CD ON TOP OF YOUR TURN-TABLE......
If the turntable is clear, an alternative to the CD is to put some foil on the top of the turntable mechanism, so that some of the UV bounces up through the turntable.
From 4 hours to 8 minutes gosh the cure station is a must... Thanks for the advice!
Nah, get 5 meters of UV led string, stick inside of a small box, cures faster than the station. Use a jar and cure with water for even faster and even curing.
I FDM printed a small box with transparent PETG, got 5meters of UV led string and wrapped around it and covered with a larger printed box. Curing takes literally 4-5 minutes because it is so strong. Needs no turntable because the transparent petg scatters the UV in all directions. Curing works way better and uniform in water! I use a jar with water that fits the cure box. The result is flawless and the UV light covers the model pretty evenly even in hard to reach gaps. You can buy super cheap UV LED bulbs too, they work as expected. BTW this UV light is not harmful because it is pretty close to the visible spectrum, 400nm. The harmful ones are not invisible and have way shorter wavelenghts.
Man! You are a lifesaver every time 🤣 Thank you 🙏
Love your videos. You are extremly profesional on everything you do! An inspiration
Well thank you very much. I put a lot into them to help people. I appreciate the comment.
How long do you cure 32 mm, 75 mm, and 300 mm resin miniatures on your Elegoo Cure station? Do you worry about over exposing them in the cure station? How do you know when they are fully cured?
Would simply setting them outside in direct sunlight on a sunny day cure them?
The light you have there as far as size there are good strong lights you just have to look up the wave length and match it to what’s in the cure station.
That’s interesting cause I’ve done tests and the light I have takes about 30% long to cure. I’ve done comparisons and it does the job just takes longer.
The UV lights in curing station are not always more powerful than your UV lamp from custom box from 2nd method. They just have the correct wavelength required for UV resin to cure, while sun and not-dedicated UV lamps operate on much wider range.
Love your videos. Do you know the ultrasonic cleaner? It cleans the resin prints perfect.
Thanks! No I haven’t used one for resin prints. I do have one I just use it to clean my airbrush it’s not very big wouldn’t work for prints I’d have to get a big one.
The brand name curing station may be more effective because the light is on the side so as the model rotates the light gets all round. With the light on the top when the model rotates only the top gets the good light
Maybe set the turntable on top of a mirror to better get the bottom?
So how do you feel about water curing and using grow led bulbs?
Great info! Question: I am new to resin printing (been printing FDM for about 4-5 years), and I'm confused about curing time. For now I'm just printing small pieces, and I see there are recommended times in relation to the size of the print, but I just need to know how much is too much... or is it a trial and error thing?
Okay, question from the newbie (I'm still researching before I buy anything) - I've seen in another tutorial to put the print in a tub of water for curing - the water refracts the UV rays - but you say to make sure the print is dry first ... Is drying it just to make sure you've cleaned it of any liquid prior to curing?
I believe it is to make sure any of the isopropyl alcohol doesn’t stick around and get things dusty. Perhaps if ou are curing in water, I don’t believe that should be an issue. However, if the isopropyl alcohol gets in the water that would be an interesting experiment.
I'm new to this and diving in deeply.
Can you overcure? How long can you leave a project? If it only took a few hours and you came back the next day let's say
Hey! So yes, you can over cure a model. If something becomes over cured it will become very brittle. Might not break but you got a higher chance of it breaking. When it comes to leaving a print, if you have it under a UV lamp you don’t want to leave it a long time I wouldn’t go much past a half an hour, but that’s what works for me. The important thing is to ensure that the print is completely cured and you know when it’s cured because it has a different texture and it’s completely hard with no wet spots.
@@ItsMeaDMaDe Thank you for replying and I heard you mention that about the sun curing towards the end. That makes sense. I meant about leaving your printer to do it's thing and coming back many hours after it's finished. Can you just cure as normal or have you ruined the process? Would it even be salvagable?
@blaze556922 so when it comes to leaving your finished print in the printer you don’t have to get right on it when it’s done. I’ve left mine for an entire weekend before leave Friday and come back Sunday night to then wash and cure it.
@@ItsMeaDMaDe Awesome! Was hoping I could set something up and be able to come back when I wanted to :D
do mirror work better instead of aluminum foil?
Does PLA filament for the Ender 3 S1 plus also need to be cured? Cause Google's telling me that it doesn't need UV curing 🤔
Great informative video! My question is this: I see many people rigging up ways to also cure the inside of their prints, by running a UV LED inside the drain holes or some such trick. Do you do this to your prints?
How can I cure a model I hollowed out? I made holes
I have both the external lights and a wash and cure station. I never feel that my resin prints are fully cured. I dont feel the anycubic wash and cure has very good UV lights... or I got a bad one.
My biggest problem is trying to find out how lone I should cure them to truly make them safe to handel...
That can be a tricky thing if you think it’s not working. I’ve known some people to cure theirs for 20-30 mins to make sure. I haven’t but it’s worked for other people.
WRT the foil in the box: This is probably one of the few times when the difference between the shiny and dull sides matters. The shiny side will reflect better than the dull.
IMO, the foil is a better idea than the mirrors because the uneven surface of the foil gives more of a dispersion effect than mirrors.
The foil is also lighter and cheaper.
I may have missed it, but when you say to make sure that the print is dry before curing, do you just mean dry to the touch, or are you waiting a period of time before curing?
Just dry to the touch. I typically will give it a few hours so the liquid inside the print has time to dry or wrap it in a a paper towel and shake out the extra ipa. Then let it dry. Just make sure to wear gloves.
I use my air compressor and just blast it with air and it’s dry in a second
Good video, a couple of caveats. Curing time depends of the particular resin your using. Some resins also require heat for curing. And there is a chance of over curing (makes the part brittle).
You didn't mention it or maybe I missed it. But if you cure out in the sun, doesnt the temperature matter?
Thanks dude!
If they don't dry before curing what happens
curing in a cure station the formula is height x volume (amount of resin used for the print project) this is for small to medium scale models 99mm and below, larger models you multiply the formula by 2. when curing in the sun there are multiple variable factors. during summer heat on the hot days its height x volume x layer count. During the cooler months, it can take days to cure a print. Sunlight is not the best option but if its all you got, summer is when you want to do it. Winter you got to put it out there for days. UV radiation is greatest in the summer.
example of cure station curing: 32mm print height, 55ml build volume would be calculated at .32 x .55 = .176 (176 sec)
larger models (100mm and up) its height x volume x 3. Example: height 150mm x volume 210ml x 3 is calculated as 1.50x.200x3 = .9 (the answer is read in min not sec)
curing in the sun example: 32mm build height, 55ml build volume, layer count 1000 would be calculated at .32 x .55 x 1000 =176 (calculated in min not sec) approximately 3 hrs.
volume measured always follows a decimal doesn't matter if its 50ml, 100ml, 250ml, etc unless your build plate is using more than 1000ml it will always be followed by a decimal.
as illustrated in the video here are a multitude of variables in sun curing that effect time, however your base calculation height x volume x layer count is your starting point should you wish to make sun curing your method of curing. if temp is under 70 degrees add 2 hrs, cloudy skies are extremely hard to calculate so if its cloudy just don't do it that day.
a good safety method for curing in the sun is print out a scale rod with your build plate, set the scale rod outside 30min before you set out your prints and when ever you go out to check on your prints grab the scale rod and gently tap it on the concrete, it it starts to chip away with each gentle tap bring your print in so it doesn't get brittle.
cool, turn table and balcony it is. Now the question is how to test for brittleness...
If you choose to go the DIY box way, try to be the most lazy and/or efficient : look for reflecting metal boxes around you. There are cheap widely manufactured items that would perfectly fit that role around you, from a paint bucket to an IKEA bin to a cube-shaped letterbox, all under 20$/€. No need to spend time and materials to build one !
Another great idea! Thanks for sharing never thought of a paint bucket for small prints that would work really well. Thanks for the comment.
SE Alaska - How long do I have to cure it when using liquid sunshine? If moss is growing on it, has it been out long enough? 😂
I just got my first printer, the Uniformation GKTwo. I intend to got the professional rouse as soon as I can afford to. Living in SE Alaska, the heated vat seemed a good idea, and SE Alaska being a rain forest, well the sun is not really an option most summers (avg 100 inches of rain a year). I will likely go ahead and get the Uniformation one, same for the wash. Are you aware that the Uniformation wash station has a slot for the build plate? You "straight" to the wash and slide it in, this protects small pieces. But I am still looking.
gave a like for that mustache
😂 thanks!
Me who watched the video despite already having an Elegoo Mercury XS curing station:
The sun here in the Philippines is so hot like it's piercing through your skin, it hurts, and I'm afraid the heat might destroy the 3d prints, I don't know but it really might
uhmm? wont mirrors absorb UV?
Man I love his schnauzer
I'm just wondering why you all compare Elegoo products to Anycubic just to point out how "good" they are? And you claim that Elegoo didn't pay you?!
Dude the tutorials are great but every video I can feel the looooong attempt to drag watch time out
I bought one and the washer broke in 3 months buyer be were lot of youtube video with issue.and how to fix it so yes not paid but was free I wasted 249.99 Cad now having to buy ultrasonic cleaner look like. Light superweak and picky lid not perfect it bees
Nails uv chambers have more powerfull lights.....