Can I leave resin in tank between prints?

Just got my Form 2. Intent to use only Castable resin for jewelry purpose. Can I leave resin in tank overnight, or for days, between printing jobs? I have a fairly clean environment with controlled temperature and moisture.
Any other advise for a novice in this brand new world?
Thanks!

No reason why not. Only real time you need to pour out the resin is to filter out particles or flakes. Big thing is to scrap the bottom of the tank with a plastic 2" wide putty knife. Don’t use a metal one as it could cut the silicone. Don’t use real heavy pressure either. If you encounter stuck pieces of resin scrape them loose and once you know the bottom is clean pour out the resin through a fine mesh paint filter and pour the filtered resin back into the resin take for the next print.

The resin itself will be fine as long as the cover is down. There are a few on this forum who have had the unfortunate experience of having their tank crack while still in the printer (most likely during the previous print) leaking resin into the printer. If the tank was removed between prints it would have saved them a lot of headache. However those cases are few and far between. FWIW I always leave mine in the printer between prints.

Thank you! And thank you for the tips!

Thank you! Would you suggest then I remove the tank between prints? Placing it in a protected place after checking for particles/flakes?

@Christo The resin tanks I am not currently using are in a cupboard, stacked with their black cover on. This reduces the resin’s exposure to UV light as well as dust.

I do not remove it between every print. Perhaps I’m lazy, or perhaps because I’m a rebel (probably the former) however it is not a bad idea to do so.

You don’t have to filter all that often. It’s a good idea to filter after any sort of failure or unsuccessful print. If the resin has been sitting for a few days it is always a good idea to mix it for several minutes (with the tank off the printer in case you slosh it yourself). Unlike Walter I use the metal spatula that came with the printer, but you have to remember…I’m a rebel. :rage:

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Thanks @kevinduhe! I ordered the castable resin today, so I will not have my first print done until I get it in a couple of days. Will make sure to follow your and @Walter_Gillespie advises. And certainly will have many more questions in the weeks and months ahead. Hopefully someday will be able to contribute back. Thank you guys!

Just remember, if you remove the resin tray turn off the vent on the resin tank and also remove the build plate or you’ll most likely have resin dripping down on the clear glass. Which is also a good idea to put the protector back in to cover the glass.

I feel the same way. I’m a software developer & wanna-be graphic designer. I was thrown the F2 as a new task at work…prior to this, I had never used any sort of maker-tool before in my life (lathe, CNC, molding, 3d printer, etc). For me it was a steep learning curve with several failures out of the gate. But I now feel I have a pretty firm grasp on the in’s and out’s of printing with the F2. Now I try my best to simply contribute the best I can, even if it is just regurgitating support links and sharing past mistakes! :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

@Walter_Gillespie Good point, a missing tray and faulty or over-worked (non vented) bite valve could also spell disaster! Maybe either remove both the tank and cartridge or neither.

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Very good point @Walter_Gillespie and @kevinduhe ! Will make a check list of all these steps and possible disaster to avoid. I’ve been using CNC milling wax for the last 8 years. This is a whole new game for me, but the way forward. Messing with the supports now trying to figure out how to simplify them. I don’t think that many are needed for jewelry…would be happy with just a chunky one.

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No need to remove the tank if you close the vent. The bottom valve is activated by the Form 2. I’m retired and 74 I’ve done about all. Thel list would be.to long.

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You can leave the tray in the printer, just make sure to use the scraper that comes with the printer to stir the resin well before the next time you print, and also take out the cartridge and shake it. The resin has some pigment that will settle out of the resin over time so it needs to be mixed between prints if you take a break.

Besides that, the cover should keep things safe but I also place a box over the printer just to keep it free from dust on the outside.

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Thanks for the input, @Zachary_Brackin

Thanks again @Walter_Gillespie!

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