# Resin Tank Comb **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [January 26, 2015, 6:16pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/resin-tank-comb/3421 "2015-01-26T18:16:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anthony\_Huczek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Anthony\_Huczek](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Anthony_Huczek)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 6:16pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/resin-tank-comb/3421/1 "2015-01-26T18:16:55Z")
I was just curious what kind of combs you guys use to sift out your resin tanks. I picked up a cheapy $2 hair comb from CVS but it is definitely not ideal. I was hoping Formlabs would have one that I could use but I didn’t see any. The CVS comb works alright but its not tall enough so its hard to not make a huge mess on my gloves when using it and only half of it actually works to sift for particles. The other half is too fine so the resin doesn’t drain properly. I guess I should just model and print one but I’m being lazy haha. ---
**Author:** ![Anthony\_Huczek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Anthony\_Huczek](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Anthony_Huczek)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 2:39pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/resin-tank-comb/3421/2 "2015-01-27T14:39:07Z")
So anybody wanna buy a comb haha? I’m thinking about printing it but I’m a little worried the teeth will be way too brittle. Plus there will be a million support trees connnected to it so the odds of successfully removing it and it keeping its shape are slim to none. Still fun to model though. It’s up on GrabCAD if anybody wants it. Maybe I’ll have shapeways print me one in a stronger plastic 😉 ![](http://forum.formlabs.com/uploads/formlabs/2189/6fe003b9d05e9a68.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Curry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Michael\_Curry](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Michael_Curry)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 9:36pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/resin-tank-comb/3421/3 "2015-01-27T21:36:08Z")
We use cheapy $2 hair combs from CVS here, but I’ve got to believe there is a better solution. Even it if was just a comb with only larker teeth. ---
**Author:** ![Ralph\_Roberts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@Ralph\_Roberts](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Ralph_Roberts)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 1:50am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/resin-tank-comb/3421/4 "2015-01-28T01:50:59Z")
If you want to mess with combs, try cat flea combs. I used one with a nice little handle and it worked very well. However I have long ditched the combing and now I just dump the tray contents through a paint strainer and squeegee the tray. Strained resin goes right back into tank – much MUCH easier! ---
**Author:** ![Anthony\_Huczek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Anthony\_Huczek](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Anthony_Huczek)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 1:23pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/resin-tank-comb/3421/5 "2015-01-28T13:23:53Z")
Cat flea comb! Brilliant. And I would love to use strainers to keep the resin as clean as possible but thats a little too messy for my cubicle environment… Thanks for the pet store idea though. Going after work today 😄 ---
**Author:** ![nicholas\_galaviz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/df705f/32.png) [@nicholas\_galaviz](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/nicholas_galaviz)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 2:39pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/resin-tank-comb/3421/6 "2015-01-28T14:39:31Z")
I agree with @Ralph_Roberts on the strainer. Granted, you do go through an extra process of pouring it into another container through a strainer, but sitting there with a $2 comb praying I don’t destroy a $60 dollar tank is just stressful. ---
**Author:** ![Andrew\_Miller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Andrew\_Miller](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Andrew_Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 2:48pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/resin-tank-comb/3421/7 "2015-01-28T14:48:57Z")
Strainer vote here. Take a paper cup, pour the resin through the strainer into the cup, wipe out the tank and return, throw away the cup, strainer and paper towel. It’s not been messy or difficult for me (so far!). Also if I’m not going to use the printer for a few days, it seems better to leave the resin in the cup, not the tray otherwise, particularly the white resin, causes the silicone to cloud on the surface needing a lot of mixing to resolve. This also takes out the jelly resin that a comb might not pickup. ---
**Author:** ![Anthony\_Huczek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Anthony\_Huczek](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Anthony_Huczek)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 3:36pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/resin-tank-comb/3421/8 "2015-01-28T15:36:08Z")
So what kind of strainers do you guys use? ---
**Author:** ![Andrew\_Miller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Andrew\_Miller](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Andrew_Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 3:57pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/resin-tank-comb/3421/9 "2015-01-28T15:57:56Z")
Cheap paint strainers off ebay, work out a few pennies each. ---
**Author:** ![JoshK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4da419/32.png) [@JoshK](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/JoshK)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 4:18pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/resin-tank-comb/3421/10 "2015-01-28T16:18:40Z")
Yea the filters get the jelly too, and it can be faster. 1. Get a plastic cup. A disposable will do. 2. Set a paint strainer over the top, then dump the resin tank contents in. 3. While still holding the tank over the filter, use the scraper to get more resin out. You don’t need to get it all. 4. Clean the tank corner with a paper towel. 5. With the cup in one hand and the filter in the other, dump just the cup back into the tank. Be sure the filter drips into the tank, not on the desk. 6. Set the filter back over the cup until next time so it returns all your resin. 7. REUSE the same cup next time, this way you don’t lose any resin. Also, it saves time when you dump it because you know this. 8. Use a new filter next time. ---
**Author:** ![Anthony\_Huczek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Anthony\_Huczek](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Anthony_Huczek)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 7:06pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/resin-tank-comb/3421/11 "2015-01-28T19:06:40Z")
I might try that in the future. For now though I picked up a nice metal dog comb from Petsmart. Its sturdy and Its a little taller than the cvs comb so it should work out for now. I looked at the flea combs and they were tiny! It would take me an hour to sift through my tank with that thing. I’m definitely going to look into strainers in the future though. Thanks for your help guys. ---
**Author:** ![George\_Gruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@George\_Gruber](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/George_Gruber)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/resin-tank-comb/3421/12 "2015-01-29T16:40:03Z")
I ordered a comb online that is a little longer than need and then trimmed the length to the exact length of the tank, this way the entire tank can be cleaned in one pass because all the resin must go though the teeth. [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001DHH0C/ref=oh\_aui\_detailpage\_o04\_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001DHH0C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) The comb is high quality without any sharp edges on the tips of the teeth for me it has worked perfectly and has been a time saver! ---
**Author:** ![JonathanBaker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@JonathanBaker](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/JonathanBaker)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 12:41am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/resin-tank-comb/3421/13 "2015-02-03T00:41:39Z")
I use the strainer/comb from this post: > [@Handy resin tank strainer](http://forum.formlabs.com/t/handy-resin-tank-strainer/40): > > Over time small bits of cured resin can accumulate in your resin tank - lots of things can cause this ranging from from canceling a print midway through to being a bit too ambitious and trying to print a model with a full head of hair. Regardless of how it got there, it needs to be removed for optimum print quality. In order to do this I have designed a tank strainer that can be printed on your Form 1. The strainer comes in two pieces - a handle and strainer. Print both parts on your Form 1 the… Works pretty well, much better than a hair comb I’d imagine, and the flat plastic edge has less risk of damaging the PMDS. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/formlabs/original/3X/5/b/5bc2bdf993ff27c2e0eecab5010b25626fbb327a.png) [@system](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 6:27pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/resin-tank-comb/3421/14 "2015-02-09T18:27:08Z")
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