Interested in 3D printing, but have some newbie questions

General Discussions 3D Printing
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I’m thinking of getting a resin 3D printer (right now I’m leaning toward the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra), but have several questions that I’d like answers to before I pull the trigger. I’m hoping you all can help me out.

  1. The only place I can realistically set up the printer and wash station is the unfinished part of my basement, which has no windows or venting. Would the smell be a big problem? For example, would it make the adjacent, finished part of the basement hard to use?
  2. If the smell would be a problem, is there anything I can do to deal with it?
  3. What software should I use to slice the files? Does the software need a subscription?
  4. I’m not good at 3D modeling. Would getting the printer to print files I buy online be cost-effective, or do I really need to learn how to use CAD software to get good value out of the printer?
  5. Other than the printer, resin, and wash/cure station, what else should I buy? I have some 99% alcohol–how much of that should I expect to go through if I print a few parts a month (less than ten, I’m thinking)?
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I have an Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra and I love it. The smell is a bit much. I keep mine in the garage, but I am in FL, so the “winter” is not an issue. It may be OK in the basement, but if you can vent it somehow, that would be better.

I also started out using regular resin that required alcohol for cleanup. It was a pain and I switched to Elegoo water cleanup resin. It is a game changer. Easy cleaning of parts and the printer. I highly recommend the water cleanup resin.

The printer comes with a free slicer program, Chitubox Basic. I find it does all I need to do. They have a higher version with more functionality that you pay for.

I also found a bunch of free or cheap files on Cults3D. Just about everything I want is there. I have also worked with other hobbyists who design files and they have been able to do so at reasonable prices. I have zero experience with CAD myself, but have figured out how to resize .stl files from Cults successfully.

I highly recommend the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra. I just got mine for Christmas and have had great success. I am printing all sorts of things.

Good luck.

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I use the Elegoo Mars 3 Pro, smaller than HeavyArty’s 5 Ultra, but it is super easy to use. I like the Elegoo resins as well. I will be ordering the water clean up resin when i run out of the plant based i am currently using.

Also like HeavyArty mentions, there are lots of free designs out there to help you get started. Cults 3D has several, many in my preferred 1/35 scale as well.

The odors can be pretty strong, if there is a way to ventilate your area, it is worth the effort. I actually use a lot of the fans, ducting, etc, designed for marijuana grows. Works great and fairly quiet too.

Theres a bunch of folks on here that print. I’m betting you will get lots of help here!

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1 Vent! it’s not just the smell, it’s the voc’s that hang around are toxic & highly irritant.
The water washable resins carry just as much irritant/toxic payload, just easier to deal with but you can’t tip the water down the drain.

2 Invest in a 5M 7xxx series mask with VOC filters, After Covid (5 times) I can’t smell anything, so can’t rely on leaving window open!

3 Orca 2.2.0 is a good free alternative well regarded, I’m using the paid for Lychee slicer, with Elegoo Saturn 3 Ultra, as I’m new to this as well.

Other free/cheap software, sometimes needed to do repairs, etc
Autodesk MeshMixer, V3p5
Blender 4.1.1
UVtools 5.1.0

4 Lots of free/cheap files out there, Cults 3D, but use the free stuff until you know what you are doing.

5 99% IPA is the recommended cleaner, you will use a LOT.

The Cleaning station for initial cleaning, then I use a sealable mini basket thing for last stage cleaning with new IPA as final rinse.

You will need to factor in,:
Nitrile Gloves by the 100/box 3-4 per session.
Blue/lint free cleaning roll, buy in packs of 6/$10-$15
Silicone mat to catch drips
Rubber/impervious apron, Resin doesn’t wash out of clothes.

Brief Process:
Install software, set printer and resin parameters.
Calibrate: setup, printer, software, and resin together.
Take your time with calibration, the learning curve is a cliff face.

Load desired (free for now) file into slicing program.
copy send sliced print file to printer
Print
Allow to drip in printer
Take build plate out, & wipe down as much resin as possible, & drop paper towels in (open) bin.
Put separated parts or whole plate in cleaning station, with ‘stage 1’ IPA, wash.
Change gloves.
Take parts/plate out & dry off.
Put separated parts in stage 2 clean IPA & agitate.
Allow to dry completely before curing with UV light.

Edit: I find the printer (S3U) is loud enough to be annoying, so I set printer going & check in when done, also fumes/voc’s if not venting.

Good luck

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Fumes are toxic, not just smell, you need good ventilation and face respirator when you are in the printer room. Also gloves for the hands and googles for the eyes.

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  1. Like others already said, you need to figure out ventilation somehow. Resin smell is bad (will stink up the space nearby), and the fume is quite toxic.

Take a look at Elegoo’s water-washable UV resin’s safety data sheet (SDS): https://download.elegoo.com/04%20LCD%20Printer/12%20Photopolymer%20Resin/Water%20Washable%20Resin/ELEGOO%20Water%20Washable%20Photopolymer%20Resin%20MSDS%20Report-2022.PDF

  • Eye damage, skin irritation, and allergic reaction causing
  • Interestingly, not enough respiratory toxicant

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  • Includes titanium dioxide, which is a class 2 carcinogen

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    Storage recommendations:
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  • Use respiratory protection and rubber gloves when using:

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  • SDS even recommends using goggles or some sort of eye protection, which I don’t even use when 3D printing… Hmmm..

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Elegoo’s SDS quality is not very good - I work in the chemical industry, so I read this stuff quite often.

  1. Smell and fume are problematic so you may have to find a different space where venting is possible or somehow connect your basement space to a make-shift ventilation system. Maybe several fans and ventilation/duct flexible tubes?
    Luckily, for me, there are several windows in my basement where my 3D printers reside.

  2. Chitubox Basic - free version has been a sufficient slicer for me.

  3. No need to master CAD skills to get a good value of the 3D printers. Plenty of free and low cost files out there. If you want to make stuff that no one else is offering or want to sell some files for some chump change like I do, then sure..

  4. UV-curing station is a must beside the printer and UV resin. I have a washing station, too but I never use it. Instead, I’ve just used a make-shift washing tub made of household goods/home gardening products and used a spray bottle and an empty orange juice container/milk jug to wash down or spray alcohol.

If you use a water-washable resin, IPA is not really necessary - you could use it for the residue cleaning but not completely necessary because the good ol’ H2O and soap should be sufficient.

If you use the regular resin (non water-washable), you’d run out of the IPA often but it depends on how much you 3D print, and I cannot comment precisely because I don’t use it.

Have fun!

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What’s often not mentioned is that some of these 3D printers are quite heavy and large. Some of the best top-of-the-line Elegoo Mars Ultras are 41 pounds.

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The home use/hobbyist ones are not bad in weight nor size.

The Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra resin 3D printer weighs approximately 8.8 kilograms (19.36 pounds). It has a device size of 260x268x451.5 mm (10 1/4 " x 10 1/2 " x 17 3/4") and a build volume of 153.36 x 77.76 x 165 mm (6" x 3" x 6 1/2").

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I don’t think that’s correct, Peter. Mars series is all compact and not heavy.
40+ lbs. one is Elegoo’s Jupiter line:

All resin 3D printers are not that heavy. FDM 3D printers on the other hand can be much heavier.

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Sorry, not the Elegoo Mars, but the Elegoo’s Saturn line is heavy too. I read it wrong.

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Hi Peter,
Even the heaviest Saturn Ultra 4 Ultra 16K is around 35lbs though. I do not believe any of the Saturn series goes above 40 lbs. in weight.
Anyway, if you’re mainly doing 1/35 scale prints, Elegoo Mars or Saturns should be plenty.

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I agree on seeking ventilated space. I have a window fan, separate dehumidifier, and a room air filter all running in a small room with the door open. I still wear a full mask when I load and unload resin. Plan on sealable containers like old coffee cans with lids for resin soaked paper towels, etc. Much fun ahead! Good luck

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Thanks for all the info. I’m going to have to figure out how to properly vent the space (and also possibly heat it, as it is rather cool even in the middle of summer). I’ll focus on figuring that out before moving forward. Would something like the Elegoo Mars Mate purifier do the trick, or do I need to figure out a way of venting to the outside?

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Purifiers are not enough, they just lower the smell a bit (still toxic in enclosed space), better to make good vent to outside. Mars Mate is meh. As for heating there are printers with integrated heating system like Elegoo Saturn 4 16K (vat heating) and Uniformation GK2 and GK3’s (I think their is the best, ordered one, will see). Or you can put chamber heater, if the printer doesn’t have integrated one, they are sold separately. Integrated heating will be better for colder environments, personally.
Two notes if you consider getting one of the latest Elegoo printer models like Saturn 4 Ultra, their new buildplate design is awful IMHO, hard to clean and is not quite auto-level as they advertise. Also the screen replacement is not easy to say at least, you have to disassemble the whole printer, because of that tilting mechanism. And you eventually will have to do it, because screens are consumables (2000-3000 hours if you are lucky with good screen). Just something to bear in mind.

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Again, you’d need to implement a ventilation - bad fumes out and cleaner air in. Some sort of engineering control. A little Mate purifier is not going to do that.
It’s your and your family’s respiratory health, so you can do whatever you want, but in my set-up, I open the windows and wear a N95 mask or respirator when handling that resin. I run half marathons every other month, so I don’t want to take chances.
Heating is definitely helpful - I just put an insulated bag over the printer.

Good luck.

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Thanks! I had hoped the Mars Mate would deal with the VOCs, but thanks for pointing out it won’t. I think I’m going to have to put this on pause since there’s no easy way to vent from the location.

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