March 6, 2022: NI3DP Part 8 – Improved Washing, And Assorted Observations

Well into the subject and I am apparently still going strong. I have gotten more comments than on most Illuminators, too. So I shall keep exploring.

We have improved the washing procedure a bit. There is now a separate container of alcohol in which each batch of minis is sloshed before it goes into the real wash. This keeps the real wash alcohol clean much longer. The first container doesn't have to be thrown out as soon, either, since its only job is to get the "big stuff" off. When the pre-wash becomes unspeakably dirty, I probably won't bother trying to clean it . . . I'll just dispose of it, replace it with the alcohol from the final wash container, and put fresh alcohol in that container.

Observations:

• Putting on rubber gloves, which was an incredible PITA when I started, is now pretty routine.

• Taking the gloves off is even faster than putting them on . . . once I learned to blow into them and then yank off the "balloon" with the other hand.

• I am also getting better at not dripping resin on things in the first place.

• You do not want to have a technical issue during Chinese New Year, which lasts more than a week. Just . . . don't. Most 3D printers are made in China. You might as well resign yourself to celebrating CNY yourself, as a holiday from printing. </snark> Of course, you could look on the active Reddit user group, r/ElegooMars, for answers. Or you could kill yourself slowly with a plastic spoon. </reallydonesnarkingnow>

• The bulk food store is your friend. The little plastic nut containers are perfect for holding jobs at various stages of work. And if you catch them at the right time and ask nicely, you can get one of the white plastic peanut butter buckets. Those are just right for holding alcohol when you clean the wash system.

• If, like me, you need a fidget toy to keep your hands busy during phone or Zoom calls . . . a miniature that needs clipping is perfect.

• Some pieces, like bases, don't even need clipping. The base is so solid relative to the supports that I can clean a base left-handed, in less than a minute, without tools or even looking. (And it's faster when you look.)

• Failed prints are not a total loss: they yield weapons, bones, claws, tentacles, and other bits that you can use to jazz up your terrain or your bases.

• If a print seems to be incomplete, the missing part has not vanished into thin air. It is probably either adhering to your FEP film or floating around in the resin. Either way, you must find it and remove it.

-- Steve Jackson