Introduction To Best Resins For Miniatures
There are different SLA resins in the market, and each brand has unique products used for various purposes. The goal of this article is to guide you through finding the best resin for miniature and decoratives.
Before we start, you need to know the different categories of 3D printer resins so that every project’s selection process becomes much more comfortable.
The 3D printer resins are generally restricted to four main groups:
- Standard resins: These are the most common resins for day-to-day prints. Despite their simplicity and abundance, they can produce high precision qualities and are the best and most affordable option for printing miniatures.
- Castable resins: As the name suggests, this type of resins are developed and used for casting purposes. They won’t leave ash or other products after burnout, so the casted object’s quality won’t be affected too much. You can use these resins to create a miniature cast, though that topic is beyond this post’s purpose.
- Engineering resins: In some cases, the printed pieces should withstand special conditions. For example, the print should be heat resistant, flexible, or super rigid. The engineering resins are developed for these circumstances.
- Dental and Medical resins: This type of resins are designed for medical purposes and have biocompatibility certifications.
In most projects, the standard resins are the best option for printing miniatures. They are cheap, durable, precise enough, and you can find them in local shops.
However, there is no reason to ignore other resins. for example, Siraya tech engineering resins have an excellent surface finish and natural color design.
The castable resins are developed to maximize the level of jewelry details. You can also use them to print or cast miniatures. Beware, though, the casting process is more complicated than the printing process.
Here are the best resins for miniatures:
1. AnyCubic UV Curing Resin
The AnyCubic resin is specifically developed to reach better qualities using LED light sources. It also has the right balance between hardness, toughness, and adhesion to minimize print failures. So, Prints created from AnyCubic resin are easy to remove and have excellent surface details.
Outstanding stability is another feature of this resin, which makes it ideal for miniatures. The prints will last longer in humid environments and keep their quality. However, you can always make the parts more durable by painting them.
With the price of around $19 for 500ml resin, it’s one of the most affordable options in the market. There are decent offers if you buy them in bulk.
You can find the technical characteristics of AnyCubic UV curing resin in the table below:
| Normal exposure time | 5 – 15 s |
| Bottom exposure time | 20 – 60 s |
| Tensile strength | 23.4 Mpa |
| Elongation | 14.2% |
| Hardness | 79 |
| Solidify wavelength | 405 nm |
| Shelf life | 12 months |
| Solid density | 1.184 g/cm2 |
2. ELEGOO Water Washable Rapid Resin
Many remarkable properties make the ELEGOO water washable rapid resin a perfect resin for creating miniatures. The “rapid” word promises a fast printing experience. The average exposure of around 8 seconds, saving a few seconds printing each layer, can make a huge difference when it comes to bigger prints.
It’s also compatible with most third-party LCD 3D printers using a 405 nm wavelength light source. This resin is designed to minimize shrinkage during the curing process to reach a high precision tolerance with a smooth finish.
As the name states, the resin is water washable, so no alcohol or detergent is needed, and residual stains can be cleaned with water.
This resin comes in many different colors though lots of hobbyists like the gray color for their miniatures. The cost of the wax varies depending on the color.
| Normal exposure time | 8 s |
| Bottom exposure time | 60 s |
| Volumetric shrinkage | 3.72 – 4.24 % |
| Hardness | 80 – 85 D |
| Solidify wavelength | 405 nm |
| Shelf life | 12 months |
| Solid density | 1.05 – 1.25 g/cm2 |
3. Siraya Tech Fast
Siraya tech fast is a standard resin that is used for many general purposes. It provides easy to clean, cure, and high-quality prints. The average exposure time for each layer is 6 – 8 S. The objects created from Siraya resins usually don’t smell. It’s the best option for 3D printing beginners.
The Siraya company has excellent support and communications. You can always contact them to get help if you need it.
The cost of 1kg of Siraya tech fast resin is around $56. You can find the recommended settings for this resin in this google docs.
4. VOXELAB Transparent Resin
The Voxelab transparent resin is an outstanding option for transparent printing. It’s not entirely transparent, and you can create some unique miniatures out of it. The price tag for Voxelab resins is quite fair. You can get 500ml of Voxelab transparent resin for around $20.
This resin is also designed for LCD and has a low shrinkage percentage. Therefore you can expect a decent surface finish and precision from it.
If you want to experiment with the special effects and looks of a mi-transparent miniature, this resin is for you. You can find the recommended settings in the table below:
| Normal exposure time | 10 S |
| Bottom exposure time | 60 S |
| Bottom layer count | 8 |
| Layer Height | 0.05 mm |
