Setting up resin printing
Resin gives detail that filament cannot, and it adds a messy second stage. A part is not finished until it is washed and cured. This guide pairs a printer with a station, and points to the rules that come with the liquids.
The Mars 5 levels itself. The Photon Mono 4 has finer pixels. The Saturn 3 Ultra is for large models.
The tallest part must fit the tank. The Wash and Cure 3 suits 7-inch printers, and the Mercury Plus 3.0 suits 10-inch ones.
Uncured resin irritates skin, and IPA is flammable. This site does not describe any setup as safe. Follow the instructions of the resin and cleaner makers.
The case where resin really parts company with extrusion, and where the published screen makes the difference.
Call for engineering resins, and therefore for a more demanding post-process.
Few parts, much finishing: the wash station weighs more than speed.
| The step | What it takes | What gets forgotten |
|---|---|---|
| Printing | The printer | Film and screen wear out |
| Washing | Solvent and tank | The volume of solvent |
| Curing | A UV source | The time, never the same |
| Disposal | A proper route | Resin is not ordinary waste |
In resin, maintenance is about consumables and cleanliness. A marked film prints its own defects onto every part, and a poorly cleaned vat contaminates fresh resin.
Resins and solvents are chemical products: this site prescribes no handling.
MSLA resin · 4K mono LCD · COB light source · one-click automatic leveling · residue detection · overheat stop at 80 °C
ELEGOO’s entry resin printer, with a 4K mono LCD, a COB light source, one-click automatic leveling and alarms for resin shortages and leveling failures.
Best for: A first resin buyer who wants the machine to level and check itself.
≈ $200
MSLA resin · 7-in 10K mono LCD · 9024 × 5120 · 17 × 17 µm · 153.4 × 87 × 165 mm · LighTurbo matrix · 4-point leveling
A 7-inch 10K resin printer with 17 × 17 µm pixels and a stated 153.4 × 87 × 165 mm volume, leveled by hand with a 4-point method.
Best for: A detail-minded buyer who can level by hand and wants the most pixels for the money.
≈ $210
MSLA resin · 10-in 12K mono LCD · 11520 × 5120 · 218.88 × 122.88 × 260 mm · Linux OS with 4 GB RAM · Wi-Fi · 4-point leveling
The large-format option: a 10-inch 12K screen and a 218.88 × 122.88 × 260 mm build volume, with Wi-Fi transfer and 4-point manual leveling.
Best for: A maker who prints large models or batches and is happy to level by hand.
≈ $340
Wash and cure station · gooseneck curing lights · dual-layer basket · 42% larger basket than the 2 · one-click modes
A one-box wash and cure station with Flexicure gooseneck lights, a dual-layer basket that saves IPA, and one-click mode selection.
Best for: A 7-inch resin printer owner.
≈ $130
Wash and cure station · up to 7.5 L · 24 × 405 nm lights · UV-blocking cover 99.9% · safety switch
A 7.5-liter wash and cure station with 24 405 nm lights, a UV-blocking cover and an adjustable PP basket for different build plates.
Best for: A Mars or Saturn owner.
≈ $150
A wash and cure station, gloves, resin, a cleaning liquid and ventilation. Follow the resin maker’s instructions.
No. It describes the screen.
For builds that: A first resin buyer who wants the machine to level and check itself.
Best quality: Automatic leveling, a rare comfort at this level
Worst quality: Only 4K, the lowest resolution on this shelf
For builds that: A detail-minded buyer who can level by hand and wants the most pixels for the money.
Best quality: Finest pixels printed on this shelf: 17 × 17 µm
Worst quality: Manual leveling
For builds that: A maker who prints large models or batches and is happy to level by hand.
Best quality: The only build volume printed by an ELEGOO resin listing here
Worst quality: Leveling stays manual
For builds that: A 7-inch resin printer owner.
Best quality: Gooseneck lights reach cavities
Worst quality: Check the basket against your largest print
For builds that: A Mars or Saturn owner.
Best quality: Generous tank at the price
Worst quality: Only 54 ratings
$130 – $150
3 models
$200 – $300
4 models
$330 – $370
3 models
Printer against printer, where the comparison already exists here.
The printers here are drawn from the catalog of this site. Specifications are the published ones, from the maker and from Amazon; prices are the Keepa figure for the date shown, and both shift. Ranking rests on declared specifications, on stated strengths set against stated limits, and on price. No printer here has run a job for us, and nothing on this page says it has.
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A price quoted in the text of a MakerVerdict page dates from the day that page was written; the live figure beside each product is fetched while you read and replaces it.
