Which Budget SLA printer?

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Jerry-rigged

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Howdy Gang -

Seems most of the talk here is for FDM, but does anyone have a SLA in their stable? Thinking of picking up a smaller budget SLA printer. Will be printing mostly small D&D mini-figures for game play, and I have my CR10 if I need to go big.

Currently looking at the usual suspects, Creality, AnyCubic, EGLOO, and Phrozen.

Currently debating -
2k, 4k, or 8k? I know, more is better, but even a 2k will out-print my CR10, and last years "greatest printer evar!!1!" are selling for dirt cheap now that 8k models are starting to drop. 4k seem like the new default, as they are still pretty cheap(+-$300). 8k is tempting, but $600... I could get a 4k mid size SLA for money...

Debate #2 - Lychee or Chitubox? I hear good thing about Chitubox, but I hate the idea of a printer that forces me to use a slicer that cost $150/yr. I have not heard much feedback on Lychee (have not gone looking) any issue with it I should know? FWIW, for my CR10, I use the free Cura, and like it. I have thought about trying a paid slicer, but Cura does everything that I need and has never given me issues so, money saved... Edit - Reserching a bit this morning I see that Chitubox has unlocked their boards, so now Lychee works with the Egloo printers. hum.

Thoughts, suggestions? Any brands / printers I should look at before making a decision? Also, wash/cure stations, those seem pretty basic, but any input good or bad on what you have is appreciated...

Thanks,
Jerry
 
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After spending a day reading and watching youtube, I think I am between the Egloo Mars 3 and Anycubic Phonton Mono 4k. Photon with the Wash and cure is $380 on amazon, and the Egeloo is $465, and the Wash is a separate part from the Cure. Maybe better if I were running a printer farm, but with limited garage space, I'd rather have the 2n1 unit. Egeloo is a bit larger, but not by a lot. Enough to matter? I don't know.
 
Guess no one else is into SLA then..

I didn't want you to just talk to yourself in here, so I'm chiming in.
Keep us posted.

And, Happy Birthday!
 
Hey man, So I googled what SLA is, my wife and I talked about it. I believe we understand that this is the type of 3-D printing that uses liquid resin as opposed to the little plastic filament stuff, right?

3-D printing is our in our agenda for possibly getting into later this year or early next year. Right now we got our hands full and pocket books empty figuring out Cricut and all that… crap. So keep posting about it. You’re not alone 🙃
Hey man, So I googled what SLA is, my wife and I talked about it. I believe we understand that this is the type of 3-D printing that uses liquid resin as opposed to the little plastic filament stuff, right?

3-D printing is our in our agenda for possibly getting into later this year or early next year. Right now we got our hands full and pocket books empty figuring out Cricut and all that… crap. So keep posting about it. You’re not alone 🙃
Hey man, So I googled what SLA is, my wife and I talked about it. I believe we understand that this is the type of 3-D printing that uses liquid resin as opposed to the little plastic filament stuff, right?

3-D printing is our in our agenda for possibly getting into later this year or early next year. Right now we got our hands full and pocket books empty figuring out Cricut and all that… crap. So keep posting about it. You’re not alone 🙃
Not sure how I double posted that…happy hump day 🤣
 
I'm interested to see what you come up with on your new printer. Since the beginning, I have been a skeptic of 3d printing, but this process seems to be a big improvement. My greatest interest is in sintering processes, because I don't do much with plastic. I have a robust manual machine shop at home, but sometimes I need a part with sizes and shapes that can only be done in casting or CNC. Fit, finish, and strength matter. As far as plastics go, the resin process is promising. Post pics when it happens!
 
Hey man, So I googled what SLA is, my wife and I talked about it. I believe we understand that this is the type of 3-D printing that uses liquid resin as opposed to the little plastic filament stuff, right?

3-D printing is our in our agenda for possibly getting into later this year or early next year. Right now we got our hands full and pocket books empty figuring out Cricut and all that… crap. So keep posting about it. You’re not alone 🙃


Not sure how I double posted that…happy hump day 🤣
It is a good time to start 3d printing. But realize, Printing itself can become a hobby, with all the machine tuning, material testing, and other stuff you need to learn. TI is not like printing a word doc on your HP inkjet. :)

Yes, SLA is (generally) light-cured resin printing. Great for fine detail, but printers get high dollar quick if you go bigger than a cellphone buildplate.
FDM printers (generally) use plastic filament, and they can be much bigger for not a lot of money.
 
It is a good time to start 3d printing. But realize, Printing itself can become a hobby, with all the machine tuning, material testing, and other stuff you need to learn. TI is not like printing a word doc on your HP inkjet. :)

Yes, SLA is (generally) light-cured resin printing. Great for fine detail, but printers get high dollar quick if you go bigger than a cellphone buildplate.
FDM printers (generally) use plastic filament, and they can be much bigger for not a lot of money.
Yeah I can totally see that! But with my step daughter heavily into crafting, I mean seriously, her mom as well and I enjoy making stuff and even more the technical side…it’ll be a fun addition to the mini crafting shop we’re putting together slowly. We will look at something more basic and user friendly (FDM) of course but I like learning about all aspects. Thanks you!!
 
One note about the Resin printers - old news really is old. There are lots of older youtube vids that talk about resin being expensive, smelly, fragile. From what I am seeing, there has been a huge leap in the last year or two of resins that are cheaper, stronger, flexible, lower odor. (but not all at the same time).
 
So, I have the printer, and printed a few things. My printer is a 2k, and I spent a lot of time debating 2k vs 4k vs 8k... well, I made the RIGHT choice. This little test print, "Amerilabs Town" is sitting on a dime, and I need a 5x jeweler's loop to see all the details... lol. Would a 4k or 8k be better? Maybe, but I would need a 10x loop to see it. 🤣🤪🤯
The Grey figure is 25mm scale, the squirrel on the base is maybe 3mm tall...
20220315_212157.jpg

20220315_213145.jpg
 
How long did those take? Looks great.
the green one was about 1.5h, the grey about 3.5. I did another version of the green one with the printer slowed down a lot (3 hour print) and I can't tell a difference.

I need to spend some quality time reading up on exposure and lift speed and such... But there are not many parameters compared to my SLA. Very simple. (y)
 
the green one was about 1.5h, the grey about 3.5. I did another version of the green one with the printer slowed down a lot (3 hour print) and I can't tell a difference.

I need to spend some quality time reading up on exposure and lift speed and such... But there are not many parameters compared to my SLA. Very simple. (y)
Yup I’m getting one. Not sure what I need it for yet but I will figure something out lol.
 
Howdy Gang -

Seems most of the talk here is for FDM, but does anyone have a SLA in their stable? Thinking of picking up a smaller budget SLA printer. Will be printing mostly small D&D mini-figures for game play, and I have my CR10 if I need to go big.

Currently looking at the usual suspects, Creality, AnyCubic, EGLOO, and Phrozen.

Currently debating -
2k, 4k, or 8k? I know, more is better, but even a 2k will out-print my CR10, and last years "greatest printer evar!!1!" are selling for dirt cheap now that 8k models are starting to drop. 4k seem like the new default, as they are still pretty cheap(+-$300). 8k is tempting, but $600... I could get a 4k mid size SLA for money...

Debate #2 - Lychee or Chitubox? I hear good thing about Chitubox, but I hate the idea of a printer that forces me to use a slicer that cost $150/yr. I have not heard much feedback on Lychee (have not gone looking) any issue with it I should know? FWIW, for my CR10, I use the free Cura, and like it. I have thought about trying a paid slicer, but Cura does everything that I need and has never given me issues so, money saved... Edit - Reserching a bit this morning I see that Chitubox has unlocked their boards, so now Lychee works with the Egloo printers. hum.

Thoughts, suggestions? Any brands / printers I should look at before making a decision? Also, wash/cure stations, those seem pretty basic, but any input good or bad on what you have is appreciated...

Thanks,
Jerry
For SLA printers, the brands you listed are definitely good options to consider. As for the resolution, you're right that more is better, but even 2k resolution should be enough for printing small D&D mini-figures. However, if you're planning to print larger models in the future, 4k or 8k may be worth the investment.

Regarding the slicer, Chitubox is a popular option and has a lot of features, but it does come with a yearly subscription cost. Lychee is a newer slicer and has been gaining popularity among SLA printer users. It's worth trying out both slicers to see which one works better for you.

As for wash/cure stations, they are essential for cleaning and post-processing SLA prints. Brands like Anycubic, Elegoo, and Creality offer wash/cure stations that are compatible with their printers, so it may be worth checking those out. Keep in mind that wash/cure stations can be quite expensive, so you may want to factor that into your budget.

Overall, I think you're on the right track with the brands you're considering. It's always a good idea to read reviews here and do your research before making a decision.
 
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