3D Surface Finishing Techniques - WerkplaatsIDC

This instructable was made together with Olike .

For the first technique we will use 3 kinds of sandpaper

- 100 grit sandpaper

- 180 grit sandpaper

- 320 grit sandpaper

(it is optional to use a 600 grit sandpaper if you want to have a really clean and extremely smooth finish).

Besides that we will also use polyester putty to fix some damaged corners and edges and a piece of wood to mix our putty on.

And the last thing we will need for our finish is 2 spray cans:

- 1 primer (made for plastic surfaces) spray can

- 1 paint spray can

Step 1: Sanding and Painting Your 3D-printed Piece

We will use this geometric form to demonstrate our first finishing technique.

Step 2: Sanding the Piece

Start out by sanding the piece with the 100 grit sandpaper for 5-10 minutes.

Then do the same thing but with the 180 grit sandpaper and after that, repeat the same step but with the 320 grit sandpaper.

By sanding you will give your piece smooth surfaces without any imperfections or excess plastic.

Step 3: Preparing the Putty

If you happen to damage an edge or corner then don't worry, you're piece isn't ruined yet. You can fix any imperfections easily with polyester potty.

First, take the piece of wood and mix the polyester putty.

Step 4: Apply the Putty

Take the plastic piece that came with your polyester putty and scoop a little bit and spread it on the damaged edge or corner.

(Don't be afraid to put a lot of putty on the damaged part, the more putty the better)

Step 5: Sanding the Putty

Repeat step number 2 with the same sandpapers after the putty has dried.

Step 6: Cleaning and Applying the Primer

In order to have a good undercoat we will have to spray primer made for plastic surfaces on the piece we're working on.

You can clean the surface with a brush to remove any dust that may be left on the piece.

Some tips to avoid dripping:

- spray carefully in strokes from left to right

- after applying one layer, wait 30 minutes until the primer is dry

Step 7: Applying the Paint Layer

Repeat step 5 but with the paint spray can.

Give the piece a couple of layers until you reach the result you desire.

Step 8: Technique #2: Putty

As we have seen with the first technique you can use putty to fix small holes or broken edges or corners.

To further demonstrate how we can utilise putty, we will be filling up a 3D-printed piece with an extruded text that says "3D". We will only treat the top surface for this example.

Step 9: Preparing the Putty and Applying the Polyester Putty

We will be using the same polyester putty we made for the first technique. Make sure you fill the holes that you want gone completely.

Step 10: Sanding

We will be using the same sanding process we used with the first technique. Start off by sanding with 100 grit sandpaper, proceed to 180 grit sandpaper and finish with 320 grit sandpaper.