Printing miniatures with a 3D printer is a relatively new way to collect figures for gaming. In this short article, I cover a few tips for handling them and preparing them for painting and use.
Initial prep
Preparation is simpler than with either metal or plastic figures. No mold lines to cut or file. Very little to no assembly required. Prime just as you would for any other material.
A resin miniature is 3D printed from a vat of resin and attached to a build plate with supports. The completed minis are scraped off the plate and washed to remove excess resin. This may be done in one or two stages and involves either isopropyl alcohol or water, depending on the resin. The mini is then left to dry and next fully cured under UV light. Supports are removed either before or after curing and the mini is ready to go.
Final prep
If you do 3D printing you already know this. If you’re buying a mini from a maker, such as Askari Miniatures, the way to proceed is simply to examine the figures. There may be small round “bumps” that are the remains of the supports. They are easily removed with a sharp scalpel-type knife. I make every effort to place supports where they will not be noticeable. For example, never on the face. There may also be very fine “rods” in nooks and crannies. These are removed in the same way. Simple and fast. You might need a magnifier to find small ones.
Assembly and basing
To assemble figures, if required, use superglue. There are superglues specifically formulated for resin and plastic. Two-part epoxy will also work, but I find it thick and awkward to work with for resin minis. Plastic glue will not work.
Most 3D printed minis come without bases. Some of ours do. In either case, most gamers prefer to add their own standardized bases. Askari sells round and pill-shaped lipped bases in a number of sizes.
Many printed minis will balance on their feet. This makes it easy to glue them to a base. To glue the figure to the base, you can also use superglue. I have been using E6000. This glue, and other similar ones, is a bit thick and takes some time to fully cure. However, it will hold the figure in place after just a few seconds and allows you to adjust the position of the mini on the base if needed. If for some reason you later want to remove it from the base, use that sharp knife to pop it off–assuming you haven’t yet covered the base with scenic materials.
Ready to paint!
Then prime and paint. I find a hot glue gun works well to fix the mini to a handle for painting. When you’re finished painting, carefully pop it off with a knife and scrape off the glue. Don’t try to pull it off with your hand. You’ll most likely break it.
One final note. If you’re using an airbrush, be sure to hold the mini securely. Resin minis are light, like plastic ones. An airbrush will blow them away.
