Prusa SL1

[Mike Henry]

Does anyone here use a Prusa SL-1 MLSA printer? Just wondering how happy users are with them.

[Tim Mellor]

The results I have seem coming from them look great but like all SLA/Resin type printers the cleanup and post curing sucks to a greater or lesser degree depending on your usage.

If you want to load up to produce a 'single' widget say 20x20x50 you still need to load the tank and after the print clean the tank and printer totally. Add to that post cleaning and curing of the print. Meanwhile allowing for the reduction in surface finish the FDM printer is likely done several hours before and the print in use.

If you want to run the 'same' resin and produce several widgets back to back then the cleanup time and post processing time will reduce so it will have less of an impact.

By products of SLA and disposal. Contaminated IPA that really shouldn't be reused with different resins and even then it will contain residue from past use if you try to reuse it sometime later. Contaminated gloves and wasted resin to little to use for another print. Take the view of bury or burn it and it is someone elses problem or consider what cost or inconvienience it is to get rid of these items.

Will I maybe get an SLA printer - maybe to unlikely. They do have a place but go in with your eyes open.

[Gene Uselman]

Maybe my journey in 3D printing will interest someone. I was fascinated by the Form 2 resin printer and was sent a sample which was so perfect that it could easily have been sold as mass produced. I knew [and resist] how my mind works so I entered into a bargain with myself that I would buy a Creality CR10 printer and learn how to design 3D objects, and then I could buy the Form 2. I studied 3D programs and decided [correctly I now think] that Fusion 360 was the way to go. In the meantime I was learning to build models from Thingiverse on the CR10 and bought Simplify3D slicer [at that time it was more advanced than the free slicers] and learned my way around that. As my abilities with F360 grew and I started to print my own models [yeaaaaa] I could see that the CR10 is a great and inexpensive printer, but it was either a major upgrade or buy a better printer. I had several meetings with myself and the various fragments of my mind decided, 1. 3D printing has very real possibilities, and 2. I really like it. So we all chipped in and bought a Prusa Mk3 kit [$800]. Note to self, spend the extra $200 for a pre-assembed printer- but building and calibrating it is a great way to understand how it works- and the calibration is very automated.

The CR10 is a very good printer but the Prusa [now a Mk3s] is so easy to use and trouble free that it is worth it to me. I print something every day and often 3-4 items. I would guess about 85-90% are my designs and the rest gifts for youngsters that I value. I use only [95%] PETG filament now as it sticks to the magnetic flex bed every time- if it does not, I immediately go to the slicer to see what I screwed up. The prints are outstanding at high quality setting [but will be slow- save for over night] and can be easily sanded if necessary- unlike PLA which will also warp in a closed auto- even in Minnesota. I no longer feel the need for a Form 2... but, as Tim would say, I have drunk [and enjoyed] the Prusa koolaid and am pretty sure the SL 1 will be great too, for about 1/2 the price.
You will be returned to your normal programming now....................

[Mike Henry]

Thanks for the feedback. I've been using a Zortrax M200 FDM printer for the past 5 years or so and am fairly familiar with the limitations of FDM printers. For one thing, some of the really small parts in this Curta mechanical calculator assembly:

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1943171

just aren't functional with FDM priinters and I'm hoping that an SLA or MSLA printer will do better.

I've printed the larger pieces for that with the Zortrax in ABS and they came out pretty well so I just need to finish the smaller parts to assemble a working copy of the calculator.

I was planning on a Formlabs Form 3, which was recently released, but early reports are not very encouraging so I'm looking at alternatives and the SL-1 is high on the list. There isn't much in the way of detailed user reports for that yet so I'm trying to search some out. My interest is primarily for small, accurate engineering parts whereas most owners seem to be using them for Cosplay, miniatures, statues and the like where appearance is the main criteria and accuracy isn't very important.

I'm aware of the mess associated with resin printers and expect that will be nor worse than the mess from CNC machining where coolant and chips get thrown all over the place. I'm guess that I'll be able to deal with the printer mess pretty well.

[Tim Mellor]

I watched a few videos on the Curta Calc a while back there is a few with Adam Savage on the Tested youtube channel. Cool toy

Maybe even see about getting them made by a service for the tiny ones if you don't have the ongoing need for an SLA printer?

[Mike Henry]

I watched a few videos on the Curta Calc a while back there is a few with Adam Savage on the Tested youtube channel. Cool toy

Maybe even see about getting them made by a service for the tiny ones if you don't have the ongoing need for an SLA printer?

A resin printer would be mostly a toy with just enough practical applications to make life interesting. Retirement has its benefits <g>.

[Tim Mellor]

Worth a look for anyone considering buying an SLA printer. Angus has plenty of other content on Resin printers too but this is a good overview.

https://youtu.be/BsSLZOp_xls

[Stephen Lynch]

I would recommend the elegoo Mars printer if you want a resin printer. Not only has it been met with rave reviews from everyone on YouTube, but it can be found for as little as $250 if you catch the right sale. It’s an excellent printer, and the price is just.... awesome! I find it to be identical in quality to the SL-1. We just built our 12th printer a couple months ago. A Railcore. It’s a beautiful piece of equipment, but as was mentioned above. Of all my printers, my 6 mk3 and MK3s are my Go-to printers. I always try to stray, but I keep coming back. We leave different printers set up for different parts, as several of them print 24/7.