Reworking 3D prints and reflections on 3D printing

Some of the 3D prints just won't stick together seamlessly, even though they should. The only reason I can think of is that my printer doesn't have a gest box around the mechanism. Heat boxes are designed to keep the filament warmer for longer after printing, which allows your models to dry evenly/ without warping. Without the box, my models are drying quicker on the outside than the inside, thus creating an almost imperceptible dip; which all be it small, makes it near impossible to get a clean join line.

Further research introduced me to the process of bonding via acetone. Essentially you put your assembled sculpture in a sealed container with a bowl of acetone. As the acetone vaporizes, it softens the filament and the whole thing bonds in this sofyer state before it hardens again as 1 solid unit. I would like to experiment with this process in time but budget and time constraints have prevented me doing so for this project.

Based on what I have learned during this project, I would print larger pieces with multiple separate parts with a view to priming, sand and then painting or airbrushing. It gives a much cleaner finish.

Anyway, all good learning and I will be sure to purchase a machine with said box when I upgrade. 

In the meantime, I have to make do with the tools I have at my disposal. Namely filler, sandpaper and spray paint.

And can I just say, I am in love with this first experiment, which has been filled with car filler, sanded back, primed with white spray paint and then painted several times using gloddy bubblegum pink spray paint.

It looks fucking delicious. And also disgusting. I adore it.