Glossy surface
Hello, everyone,
I'm looking for a way to get a glossy surface with my MK3. I am currently in the process of building a production with 3d printed components and I have a component for which I would like a glossy surface. The easiest way seems to be to use a glass plate but the inductive sensor of the MK3 does not recognize it. Does anyone know a workable solution to achive a glossy surface?
Thanks very much!
RE: Glossy surface
I seem to recall that someone had luck using a ferrotype plate in lieu of a glass plate and it worked.
There are all kinds of posts and threads about using acetone to smooth and give a glossy finish to prints done with ABS filament.
RE: Glossy surface
I seem to recall that someone had luck using a ferrotype plate in lieu of a glass plate and it worked.
What do you mean with "ferrotype" plate? The Prusa spring steel sheet is a "ferrotype" plate, but the coating did not make a "glossy" surface.
There are all kinds of posts and threads about using acetone to smooth and give a glossy finish to prints done with ABS filament.
That is faaaaaaar too expensive and takes faaaaaaar too much time.
RE: Glossy surface
A ferrotype plate is used to finish photographs. I found the thread, it's here:
And the samples I've seen of acetone-smoothed prints did not cost much to do, acetone is cheap, and I've seen some that were done with a brush which took a few seconds, and some which were 'vapored' in a paint can in probably less than an hour.
Easy. Acrylic clear spray.
If glossy means shiny (hard to tell what it means) then you need to post process to get a smooth shiny surface, no matter what. The bottom surface can be made flat on the smooth sheet - and if you rub your finger across the finish, it shines (from the oils). The better the squish, the glossier the finish.
Here is a picture that just shines - it was printed on the smooth sheet. To make it glossy, I'll sand it further to get layer lines smoothed out, then hit it with clear acrylic spray.
RE: Glossy surface
I seem to recall that someone had luck using a ferrotype plate in lieu of a glass plate and it worked.
What do you mean with "ferrotype" plate? The Prusa spring steel sheet is a "ferrotype" plate, but the coating did not make a "glossy" surface.
There are all kinds of posts and threads about using acetone to smooth and give a glossy finish to prints done with ABS filament.
That is faaaaaaar too expensive and takes faaaaaaar too much time.
What do you mean too expensive and take too much time? It takes less than $10 to do an acetone bath and you can complete a bath in less than 30 minutes.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: Glossy surface
That was me with the ferrotype plate. Ferrotypes are used in wet darkroom work to get that glossy surface finish on fiber based paper.
I borrowed one from a member of the local camera club and it fits just fine on the magnetic base but it sticks out in front which really is NBD.
My project is on hold for now. I'm doing a top and skirt in 3d print fabric for a techie fashion show which was canceled cuz of covid this year but it is on for next year.
It gives you a very shiny surface, what I'm going for is a black sequin like look and it does just that. For those very small pieces you really need some sticky stuff and plain old hair spray works well. Also you need to dial down the "Z" maybe 50 points or so from where the calibration square looks best.