Found the thread on the Maker Juice resin but it’s been discontinued.
I’ve been using the FL Grey and as I do a LOT of production printing I’d like to lower my costs. Right now I’m testing out ApplyLabWorks black and it’s doing a good job. Price is comparible to Maker Juice.
I want to color the black resin with white pigment to make it a grey. My reason is I print very small, 1 to 87 scale, pieces with lots of details and it’s easier to see those details in grey than in black. Understand most of my customers are over 65 and have eye sight issues so anything I can do to make it easier for them helps sell product.
So, it you are using the Maker Juice black resin on a Form 2 and doing any coloring to it I’d like to here about it.
I’ve tried MJ before without any success, but recently discovered Apply Lab Works resins, and I found it to be an excellent alternative to FormLabs. I’ve used the beige, which is actually a milky white and the Olive which is an olive tinted gray.
I’ve printed a lot of small high detail Warhammer models with great success. The price great as well, less than half that of FormLabs.
A few other users here have also tested it and seem to like it as well. Check it out.
The ALW Olive-Grey is too flimsy for the fine scale pieces I print. The FL Grey works perfect. So far the ALW Black seems to be working real well but I need the time to test it on the really small stuff. I’m running almost 24/7 right now on one machine switching tanks as needed.
I’d like to add a second Form 2 but the $$$ aren’t there right now. I’ve thought about selling off my large Epilog laser unit and taking back the smaller one I game to my oldest son as he’s not using it anymore. That would greatly lower my monthly overhead and allow me to purchase the second Form 2. Maybe after the first of the year.
We have been talking about Peopoly Moai Grey resin in the other thread. I tested it on grey v3 and black v1,. Grey v3 came out great and I am planning to use it as refill. I think another user is testing as well
Do you have a link to their website? I’m about to buy a quantity of resin and want to get something that works but is a bit less expensive. The difference in price between FormLabs and ApplyLabWorks allows me to stay competitive in a real competive market.
Found the website and their Grey looks interesting especially if it uses the FL Grey V3 settings as that’s what I use now. Would be good to know if has the same finished properties and could the Grey V3 Resin Cartridges be reused with this resin?
You can clean out and reuse any cartridge you like to make it run in automatic mode with those settings. Just be aware of the risks and also the bite valves die after like 2-3 liters of use.
Thought the cartridge had a chip that said what was in it? Do you just wash out with IPA and let totally dry before putting new resin in? Also, If I have a Grey V3 Cartridge and use a second source Grey that is suppose to use the V3 setting why can’t I just add that resin to an empty tank and run it as if it’s FL Grey V3?
I think you can do that. I done mixing resin of the same exposure setting before. Running IPA inside would actually make it hard to flush everything out.
I believe if you put a good amount of 99% IPA in it and let it slosh around for about 30 minutes that it would break it down enough to pour out. The chips track amount used and resin type. There was mention of the chips locking the cartridge after about 2.5L. There was also a chip reset tool made to solve this leaving the bite valve the weakness.
I’m not sure what you mean by adding to the tank because that would be open mode, not auto. Auto will fill from the cartridge with heater and wiper. Open mode will not.
I see what you are saying. One question though. If the chip doesn’t retain the type and version of the resin it’s shipped with then how does the printer know other than what’s sent to it from Preform?
Reason I believe that the Cartridge does know what resin it contains as I had an issue the other day with three cartridges all Grey V3. The first two kept saying they weren’t Grey V3 but the new one was accepted. Nothing else was changed only the cartridges.
I was looking at the PeoResin Grey which is supposed to run identical to the Formlabs Grey V3. I figured that should be able to be poured into a dirty FL Grey V3 cartridge with no issues. I also understand 2.5 liters max on the use of the cartridge.
The chip knows the resin type, version and volume remaining. We can reset the volume only for now to print more than the max amount. Keep in mind that the bite valve is still the limiting factor.
Understand, also on the bite valve. We need someone to come out with a replacement on that. [grin]
Kevin at ApplyLabWorks has told me that mixing 3 parts beige and 1 part black will render a grey almost identical to the FL grey and that mixture runs at the V3 settings. This is what I’ve been looking for, so, off I go.
Why not use FL clear resin? I have consistent results with tiny details with the clear 02.
You mentioned the Applylabs olive gray resin as too flimsy? Is it just too soft and does the beige have same properties? Been thinking of trying it out, have some prototyping to do with tiny gears and don’t want a resin too stiff where the teeth would just fall off nor too soft where I can’t test. Detail is essential since I will need to print at 25 or 50 micron.
Is the Applylabs viscosity lower than FL resins?
Matter is cost. The way I’m going lowers my cost by 50%. As I do large quantity production of small and large items I use a lot or resin. Also, I’m in a very competitive business with others providing cast resin and styrene injection molded pieces. I’m looking at possible adding a second machine. One is for more production and the second is as a backup in case the first one goes down!
All FL resins are heavy compared to most other brands from what I can tell. The heat is used to make it more mobile according to a conversation I’ve had before.