I Survived a Resin-Flooded Form2! (Pics!)

Not long ago I had a self-replaced PDMS layer come completely loose from the tray during a print. Resin, resin everywhere! Since this would never be a warranty repair anyway, I put my handyman skills to the test and revved up my Torx driver.


When I say “resin everywhere”…

… I mean it!

To its credit, the little catch basin hidden just outside the frame of the Resin Tank did it’s noble best…

…and if that’s the only place the resin had spilled, my story would be far shorter and sweeter!

The rumors of turning into a pillar of salt upon gazing at a naked Form2 are highly exaggerated. Still, may you never have to see your own F2 in this condition.

And here’s where it gets ugly. Whatever complaints I have about Formlabs resin…

…I am EXTREMELY thankful it’s non-conductive!

Resin was even found inside the optical box, visible at upper right.

After many Q-Tips and a small paint brushes and a cup of IPA gave their lives for the cause, all was cleaned and reassembled.

My respect for the sturdiness of this printer was only matched by my appreciation for the sense of humor that the circuit designers hid away in some silkscreened easter eggs!

And would I go through all the effort of this epic post if it didn’t have a happy ending? “FascinatedNewt” is currently chugging away on a print as I write this, with no hint of failure.

So, my takeaway is this: if you’re not a tinkerer with engineer-level skills, be VERY careful, if at all, with bypassing genuine Formlabs products. I have decided it’s far more cost-effective to shell out the extra bucks, because now I know there’s an intangible included in the price - peace of mind.

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May be reconsidering self recoating :slight_smile:

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