Using resin prints outdoors
I am constructing a small outdoor railway which will require relatively high resolution stone walls (cuttings, tunnel entrances, that kind of thing). The resolution requirements are too high for FDM, fine for resin (each stone, at 1/32 scale, will be at most a few millimetres in length), but of course the result will be permanently outdoors; the surfaces can be painted, that's not a problem.
Does anyone have any experience of this? How long might I expect tiles of stone-wall-surface prints from my SL1 to last? Or do I need to instead print moulds and plaster-cast (which I'm not sure will work at this scale and, for that matter, I'm not sure that plaster would last, from a strength point of view, either).
Even nominally UV resistant materials are eventually susceptible. Paint makes a huge difference but you generally need a coat thick enough to obscure fine detail.
Or do I need to instead print moulds and plaster-cast (which I'm not sure will work at this scale and, for that matter, I'm not sure that plaster would last, from a strength point of view, either).
It depends on the plaster, cheap builder's gypsum won't cut it but there are many harder grades. Look up artificial stone mixes, they are more expensive but they are available in many stone-types and matrix grades including some fine enough to make artificial marble for stonemasonry and sculpture repairs; if you expect freezing and thawing cycles there are additives that will protect the matrix but of course you must avoid creating water pockets. I am not referring to cements and concretes but those too are an option.
Cheerio,
RE: Using resin prints outdoors
> Look up artificial stone mixes
Excellent, thanks for the advice, will have a browse.