Since the resin 3D printers surfaced on the internet, there has been an increase in their demand- making it popular. Its popularity is such that it paved the way for the coming of miniature painters. In other words, high-quality miniature printers have been introduced using the resin 3D as models.
3D printing has always been worth it; however, there are times when you’re working on a relatively small model that using normal conventional printers doesn’t always produce the best output.
In such a situation, using a miniature printer is the best option, this article will look into which five resin 3D printers are the most suitable for your miniatures, and other smaller objects- specifically the ones gamers love.
Read more: Best budget 3D Printer
What to Look for in a Resin 3D Printer For Miniatures Before Buying
Either you are a beginner or a pro at 3D; there are some important features to consider before buying a particular 3D printer. Let us go over some of these important features together.
Precision
Precision is probably the first feature you should consider while buying a 3D printer for miniature. This is because creating miniatures means your 3D printer should be able to print out materials at a high resolution- better than other models.
The inability of your printer to produce high-resolution models would suffice as a waste of money. You should also be aware a precise printer would cost more than the usual one, so there’s no chance of compromising when it comes to choosing a printer because of the price.
Reliability
Regardless of how good a 3D printer is or how expensive it is, you’ll certainly not enjoy its use if it’s always developing faults or out of usage. That is why reliability is a much-needed factor to consider before emptying your wallet on a particular 3D printer.
For instance, since the printer would be printing small, detailed miniatures, a great deal of tolerance would be needed to produce a finer image. One great tip here is to go for a printer that has been in the market for a long time, one whose company has vast experience in the field.
Usage
Either as a beginner or pro, it is the dream of every user to navigate their machine easily, with little, or if possible, no stress at all. As an expert, there is a wide range of products to choose from since you already know your way through 3D printing. You only need to update yourself as regards the latest technology installed in new ones.
Beginners have a huge task here because they’ll be restricted from using particular products because of their skill level. For instance. Some resin 3D printers are touchscreens, making it easy to use. Also, some models use the filament detection system, which informs users they are about to run out of ink while others make use of a cartridge.
The filament type is easy to use because it makes refilling easy. To cap it all, the importance of a resin 3D printer lies in its ease of usage ability.
Printing speed
The printing speed of a 3D printer for miniatures is very important because that is one of the reasons for introducing miniature. This, however, depends on several factors, as the technology used- either FDM, SLS, Stereolithography, or SLA, and the quality and shape of the object to be printed. In the technology used, the FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) is often slower than the SLA printer is.
Regarding the quality and shape of the object, a flat surface will produce very fine print, such as a circular surface, but print speed will be very slow. This is simply because printing speed is inversely proportional to resolution. Higher resolution 3D printers are more detailed and require lower print speed.
Size of the model
Though not necessary but important. Since the aim is to work on miniatures only, you should avoid downloading or creating models that would exceed a miniature size. Better still, you should go for small printers that cannot accommodate big materials, objects, or models.
Why you need a resin 3D miniature printer
The normal conventional 3D printers are a bit different from the 3D printers made for miniature due to a couple of reasons. Miniature refers to something small. So searching for a resin 3D printer for miniature invariably means searching for 3D printers that can handle small objects as models.
Though some printers can print all sizes of models some are specially built to cater to the printing process of miniatures. To make it more explicit, below are a few reasons a 3D printer for a miniature is needed.
Makes tabletop games affordable
Of late, there has been a decrease in the popularity of tabletop games since the advent of video games. One of the reasons attached to this is the expenses related to enjoying tabletop games. However, one of the best ways to make tabletop games affordable is by building your miniatures using a 3D resin printer.
Quality- regardless of a small object
When prints that are not too fine come out of the 3D display, the excuse is usually that the small size is modeled to low-quality printing. However, this isn’t the case with resin 3D printers specially made for miniatures. Regardless of the size of the miniature, you get high-quality prints.
Top 5 Best Resin 3D Printer For Miniatures in 2021 On the Market
| Product | Light source | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Comgrow Creality Printer Upgrade Certified | Photon UV LCD | 4.8 |
| 2. ANYCUBIC Photon 3D Printer | Integrated UV light | 4.8 |
| 3. QIDI Shadow Printer Resin Screen | LED display photocuring | 4.7 |
| 4. PHROZEN Sonic Mini UV Photocuring LCD Resin 3D Printer | ParaLED array matrix | 4.7 |
| 5. Longer Orange High Resolution Parallel Lighting Printer | UV | 4.5 |
1. Comgrow Creality Printer Upgrade Certified – Most versatile
If you’re settling for nothing less than the best all-round printer, the Comgrow Creality Ender 3 Pro 3D printer is the 3D printer you should get. Its numerous features surpass all other printers’ models.
One distinct feature that makes it worthy of this list is its removable and adjustable build surface plate, which makes miniatures easy to print. It also prevents miniatures from being stuck in the printer.
In case of a power surge, you’ve nothing to worry about as it comes with a UL certified power supply capable of heating the hotbed up to 110 degrees in five minutes. Its resume print function also allows printing to resume from the last recorded extruder position.
This feature, also, prevents clogging of the nozzle. Since it has been partially assembled, set-up is easy and doesn’t require any level of expertise.
Features
- Upgraded extruder design
- 40 x 40 Y-axis frame design
- UL certified power supply
Pros
- Prints abs and pet
- Easy to set-up
- Resume print function
Cons
- Doesn’t support offline printing
2. ANYCUBIC Photon 3D Printer UV LCD Photocuring Assembled Innovatio – Best portable printer
Apart from portability, if what you require in a 3D resin printer for miniature doesn’t go beyond being user-friendly, the ANYCUBIC photon UV/LCD 3D printer is recommended for you. It comes with advanced technologies like the fast slicer software and Photon UV.
These make it able to deliver a repeatable, unrivaled, and stable performance, thanks to its strong build, made from quality CNC parts. Set-up is in just three steps, making it further easy and ready to use- straight from the pack.
This printer works on a photon that has an XY resolution of around 47 microns with a Z resolution of up to 10 microns.
Also, it’s a unique steel ball design, which contributes to its durability. Likewise, an interactive and user-friendly interface that allows preview and monitoring of print status.
Features
- Fast slicer software
- High precision printing
- The print volume of 4.52” X 2.56” X 6.1”
- Printing material consists of 405nm photosensitive resin
Pros
- Supports off-line printing
- Portable
- Easy to set up and operate
Cons
- Has a single extruder
- Doesn’t support an external extruder
3. QIDI Shadow Printer Resin Screen – Best tech-inclined
Want to use the latest technology found in 3D resin printers, the Qidi tech shadow UV LCD resin 3D printer will meet your expectations. It is the latest model in the series of other QIDI products.
What makes this printer a choice for a miniature is its convenience and ease of use, thanks to the high-strength tempered glass, fused into a 2000 LCD screen. This screen is also responsible for fast curing through UV light, improving accuracy and precision.
Its large printing area makes it easy for models of any size to extract or leave the film. To ensure the quality output of miniatures, all the parts of this printer are made from the best aluminum and CNC parts.
Features
- Dual Z-axis linear rail
- 2000 LCD screen
- High precision
- Dual filter system fan
- Fast slicing software and printing
Pros
- Touch screen and equipped with the latest technology
- Stable and reliable
- Dual fan for adequate ventilation
- Comes with a manual
Cons
- Doesn’t support online printing
4. PHROZEN Sonic Mini UV Photocuring LCD Resin 3D Printer – Best for beginners
If your choice of printer is one that’s easy to use and operate, the Phrozen Sonic Mini UV Photocuring LED resin 3D printer is your go-to choice. As it’s user friendly, easy to operate and suitable for experts & beginners.
What makes this resin 3D printer perfect for miniatures is its outrivals in producing top-notch printing service. As it boasts of an active performance thanks to its modern design. This printer possesses CHITUBOX slicing software for fast and less strenuous printing.
Another feature that makes this printer unique is its printing speed, which is around 50mm/hr., and a Z-axis aluminum extrusion. It has over 95% optical uniformity, which makes it better than the COB LED. Plus it’s precise, durable and reliable.
This unit is energy-saving as it boasts of over 2000-hour work duration- thanks to its stable mono-LCD screen, which doesn’t consume much power supply.
Features
- Parallel UV LED matrix backlight system
- CHITUBOX Slicing software
- Accurate and precise print quality
Pros
- Easy to set-up and operate
- Long active operational hours
- Fast printing
Cons
- Doesn’t support offline printing
- Possess only a single extruder
5. Longer Orange High Resolution Parallel Lighting Printer – Best for large models
The Longer Orange 30 3D printer is a 3D printer with upgraded resin. It is best for printing miniatures and large models.
This machine boasts of a large printing size with high precision rate thanks to its in-built 2k LCD screen and sharp pixel size at 2560X1440 resolution and 47.25µm respectively. Also, it has a print volume of 4.72” X2.68” X6.69” inches and a special slider design, making it an endearment for printing miniatures.
One outstanding feature of this rein 3D printer for miniatures is its temperature warning system, which would warn you of a high temperature while working by stopping all prints. This feature is solely the reason behind its long life span.
Like other 3D printers for miniature, it has a user-friendly screen touch design and a cooling system, which shortens the machine’s cooling time to increase its working life. It is easy to assemble (just three set-up steps) and use.
Features
- Supports a CHITUBOX slicing system
- Uniform matrix UV lighting
Pros
- Supports offline printing
- Short curing period
- Includes a temperature detection system
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a resin
FAQ Resin 3D Printer For Miniatures
Can I mix resin?
There is no yes or no answer to this because not all 3D printers allow such. Some printers are compatible with parts or materials from other printers while some are not. If your printer doesn’t allow mixtures of resin, it could lead to it breaking down.
To be on the safer side, be sure to have enquired if your printer is compatible with using resins from other printers. It should also be one of the factors to look out for when buying a resin 3D printer for miniatures.
How long does it take to print a miniature?
Most printers would have your miniature done in ten minutes – if you aren’t concerned about quality. While complex, well detailed and a quality object could take as long as a couple of hours or a whole day or finish.
This depends on the software of your 3D printer, perhaps you should consider that too when buying a 3D printer for your miniatures.
Which paints work best for miniatures?
Over the years, acrylic paints have proven to be the best for painting miniatures. It is also suitable for painting scale models. The reason for this is it can be easily sprayed on.
For finer works and cleaner paintings, Acrylic paints also come in paint markers and are available in a variety of finishes, from glossy to flat.
How important is the print speed of the 3D?
Since we are dealing with miniatures here, print speed does not matter. Printing is sure to be fast since only small objects are involved. However, you could decide to venture into printing larger models in the future, hence, you should consider the printing speed of the 3D printer you want to buy. Remember, the faster a 3D printer prints the lower the quality of its output.
Extras-Alternative for a resin 3D printer for miniatures
Suppose you were not able to get any of the above-listed printers and you must print your miniatures, you should consider going for the online printing services. Apart from saving you the cost of a printer, one major advantage of the online printing service is it guarantees a higher precision rate and quality than the normal resin 3D printers. Examples of online printing services include; Hero Forge, Shapeways, Sculpteo, i.materialize, etc.
Conclusion
With no iota of doubt, this article has provided an insight as to what a 3D resin printer for miniature does, how it works, and the factors to consider when buying one. Distinctions have also been made as to the differences between the normal resin 3D printers and the resin 3D printer for miniatures.
Letting miniatures take 3D printing form will benefit mostly the gamers because it makes their games easy to edit. Five of the best products have been reviewed with details showing a few of their features, pros and cons. We hope the reviews, and buying guide aids your selection process.
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