Beginners Guide to 3D Printing and Multi-Shell Models (Patreon)

Published:

2021-09-16 14:51:05

Imported:

2023-09

Content

A couple of months back we teamed up with YouTuber Sonic Sledgehammer to create video guides covering the basics of 3D printing.

If you are new to the Digital Forge or thinking of joining, we recommend watching these first!

Because of the detail level in our miniatures, we recommend a liquid resin type printer (MSLA/LCD, DLP or SLA), with at least 50-micron resolution. Good budget-friendly options can be found by Phrozen, Elegoo and AnyCubic.

Some of our terrain might print well on FDM type printers, but may require trial and error as we do not test them for this.

Part One Summary:

Download and extract the model STL files.
Import the STL into your slicer software (try Lychee or Chitubox).
In the software, be sure to select your printer and resin to get the right settings, they may need tweaking if the print fails.
Check the models are pre-supported (most Digital Forge models are), if not, you may need to add supports.
When you have all the parts you want on the build plate, slice to create a printer readable file.

You can watch part two here: https://youtu.be/BLtqPjl05Zw

Part Two Summary:

Put the sliced file onto a USB and into the printer.
Make sure the printer is properly calibrated.
Fill with resin and print (use gloves when handling uncured resin).
When the print is finished, remove the build plate, being careful to avoid drips.
Detach the parts with a scraper, then if water washable, rinse in water, otherwise soak/swill in IPA for 5-10 minutes.
Take the clean parts and post-cure, either under a UV lamp or in bright sunlight for up to 15 minutes.
Remove the supports, assemble and paint!

Working with Multi-Shell models

A lot of the Anvil Digital Forge models are Multi-Shell, what this means is that you can use software such as Meshmixer to make simple edits to the file before printing.

For example, you might want to remove certain features, like a skull on a hat, as it does not suit your purposes. Or you might only have a pre-supported version of the model, but would like to remove the supports to orientate it differently for printing.

There is a simple guide for this at the beginning of the video in this post: patreon.com/posts/sonic-paints-52244662

Meshmixer Multi-Shell Summary:

Import STL
From the side menu Edit >> Separate Shells
Click on shells to remove, then hit delete.
Select all remaining shells then Combine.
Export model as an STL.

We hope these guides are useful, feel free to ask any questions!

Thanks,

Team Anvil

Files

Complete Beginner's Guide to Resin 3D Printing ft. Anvil Industry Digital Forge (Part One)

3D printing in resin can seem daunting, but it doesn't need to be. These two short guides are intended to demystify some of the process and make it easier to get started with a whole new aspect of collecting and painting miniatures: printing them yourself! With the Anvil Industry Digital Forge on Patreon you're never short on something to print and paint. For just $9 a month you get access to a huge range of miniatures and components to print which are also fully compatible with their resin cast components. The theme for each month is different, but with so many components available in each there's always something to make use of! Visit their Patreon page here: https://www.patreon.com/anvildigitalforge/ Patrons also get a discount code for 40% off bundles from previous months, so if you're just now joining up you can save a decent chunk while completing your collection. Check out the full range of previous releases here: https://anvilindustry.co.uk/digital-forge/?affiliate=sonicsledgehammer Thanks also to Elegoo for sponsoring these videos with their Mars 2 Pro 3D printer. The Mars 2 Pro is a really great machine and I've been printing with Elegoo products for a couple of years. Their range of resins also come highly recommended personally. Pick up your own Mars 2 Pro here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08F7L945C