MakerGear Forum

Print of this model: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:486198

PLA, coated in XTC-3D, then primed and lightly sanded.

I just learned (again) that when working with paint, don't touch it to see if it's dry yet.... Just leave it alone.

jimc, any clear coat brand recommendations?

Beautiful finish work Jin.....

(Hey, BTW - you use a lot of XTC.....I found a really cool tool that is spectacular for applying the XTC - and it's re-usable! (Yeah, getting a little tired of ruining my good brushes, because I've mixed up a bunch and it's hardening on me, and I can't find the disposables. Which don't work worth a damn anyway.)

It's a silicone glue brush. There are two that i found on Amazon, one by Bench Dog (larger) and one by Rockler(smaller). But given the price of those, I'm testing it tonight using a small silicone basting brush from Target - those are dirt cheap and they're the same thing. I just cut the bristles off to about half an inch or so - (they're longer than the glue brush bristles and they drip.)

But the secret to using it is - you don't clean it. At all. You set it aside on a sheet of foil and let the XTC dry on the brush and then just peel it off in one piece the next day. (So you might want to pick up a couple to have one to use while the other is hardening. Neatest thing I've ever seen.)

The peeling definitely works for the glue brushes - I'll let you know tomorrow if it works with the cheaper basting brush tomorrow after the XTC dries.

Update: Yep! Peels right off the basting brush just as well.

Interesting. I've been using a pack of disposable foam brushes that can be had very cheaply. The only downside is that if it is loaded up and I use it in a tight space, it will just squeeze out like a sponge (which is what it is) and leave a blob of epoxy which is hard to spread around with the brush, which is what left it there in the first place.

I have a silicone basting brush. I just got it out to take a look. The bristles are long and very floppy. Maybe I'll try one of the glue ones.

While shopping around on Amazon just now for brushes, I found some graduated medicine cups. 100 for $4-5. Very difficult to meter small amounts by weight, so these will be very handy.

Hey, does this mean you're checking out XTC?

Oh, yeah, I've tried it on a couple of things now - I coated that little toothpick holder that I'd made, put a couple of heavy coats on a saran wrap holder before finishing it, and I tried it on an iPhone case but it was just too shiny for that and I had to reprint it. (Couldn't sand it in all those little holes.)

It's a pretty good filler, but i've been too heavy handed with it - i get drips and runs that have to be sanded off. (Not the world's most patient person. )

It's good for "got-to-be-smooth" decorative stuff, but i generally just leave stuff the way it prints - the M2 does such good work it doesn't need much finishing.

(Cut the bristles off of the basting brush at about half an inch to 3/4 inch from the handle - the bristles on those are too long and floppy to work with the XTC without modifying it.)

jsc wrote: While shopping around on Amazon just now for brushes, I found some graduated medicine cups. 100 for $4-5. Very difficult to meter small amounts by weight, so these will be very handy.

Good call on those cups! I'll have to get some. I feel like I've had curing issues when trying to mix 10g part and 4.5g part b on my digital scale.

For clear coats, I really like Krylon-flat acrylic clear.

jereywolf wrote:I feel like I've had curing issues when trying to mix 10g part and 4.5g part b on my digital scale.

My scale doesn't even do fractional grams. Also, with 15g of XTC-3D you could coat a house.

jereywolf wrote:For clear coats, I really like Krylon-flat acrylic clear.

Great, I'll try that. Bare primer is not very sturdy.

jsc wrote:
My scale doesn't even do fractional grams.

Great, I'll try that. Bare primer is not very sturdy.

My scale doesn't either....I just try to get it close.

I would recommend doing 4-5 light coats, a few minutes in between each one (depending on temperature/humidity).

Huh somehow i missed this thread. Well atleast jerey gave you an answer on the clear. I dont really know anything that would come in a spray can. All i could recommend is that you stick with a good brand like krylon or rustoleum.