3-D printing checklist for the Any Cubic Mono-X

 I am writing this up to help keep useful tips and items in one area for folks to checkout.

These are things that I have found to be incredibly useful or absolutely necessary.  I am not going to directly link these as I don't want to have to update dead links and I'm not trying to get a commission on sales of these items.

Consumables:

Resin: This will be a post all by itself.

Disposable Gloves.  all the UV resins are said to be skin irritants plus chemicals used in clean up are not exactly skin friendly.

Paper Towels.     

FEP Replacements:

Order 2 you don't want to be waiting on a back order to finish a project.  FEP will wear out and eventually develop a hole.  I recommend these nFEP they are more expensive  however they seem to last longer and release easier allowing for smaller supports on my prints.

LCD Screen Protectors: 

The Mono-X does not have anything between the FEP and the screen. If/when your FEP develops a hole resin will leak onto thee screen and you will probably destroy your screen trying to clean it up.  As of the date of this article, replacement screens run around $180.00 USD and have a very long lead time.  I have been using these from the beginning.  They have not effected my prints, small air bubbles between the screen and protector have not caused any issues in my prints.  

Kapton Tape:

Use this around the edges of the screen protector to add an additional level of protection from resin leaking between the screen and shield.  Kapton does not leave residue and is high heat resistant.

Alchohol:

99% Isopropyl Alcohol or Denatured Alcohol.  With a raging pandemic IPA has gotten expensive add a new demand from every type of hobbyist needing it for print clean up and you get  massive increases in cost and limited availability.  Denatured Alcohol is a great option as it works just as well and its much cheaper.  I buy mine at Lowes in 1 gallon metal cans.  As you clean you prints your alcohol is gonna get dirty. There will be a post on ways to recycle it or at least dispose of it properly.

Filters:

Occasionally you are gonna need to to clean the resin vat, pour the resin trough a filter back into a resin bottle.  The filter will catch any bits of cured resin in the vat.  These will also be useful in filtering big bits out of your used alcohol.  This set came with a silicone funnel, its nice because you can set it in the sun to cure any resin and then it just pops right off.

One time purchases:

Giant Cookie Sheet:

These are huge and are great for catching any spills, leaks, accidents, etc. I have one under my printer, and one in used in my work area for removing prints from the build plate.

Giant Silicone Mat.

UV resin will peel right off of these when cured. When mine gets messy I take it outside, let the sun cure the resin and flex the mat to pop off the resin bits.  Plus it adds a little bit of cushioning to dropped prints as they come off the build plate.

Silicone Brush:

I find these to be great for stirring a vat that has set for a while between prints or for feeling the FEP to see if any thing is stuck to it after a failed print.

 

Wash and Cure Station:

You could try to put together a homemade UV cure box, or leave the prints in the sun.  You can use all kinds of things to hold alcohol while trying to clean your prints, pickle jars ultrasonic cleaners, etc.  I've tried those things and found this to be a better and safer choice.  Anycubic will be releasing a larger model soon

Other useful things:

Space heater, your resin and room the printer is in needs to be warm, cold resin fails often.

Digital Scale, Useful if you ever start mixing resin types or colors

Plastic Razors, good for removing cured resin from surfaces with little or no damage to the surface.

Digital Calipers, I use these all the time, checking prints.

UV flashlight, this one came from Wal-Mart, great for spot curing resin, or using resin as a glue between two printed parts.

Squeeze wash bottles, having clean IPA or water nearby and convenient is a huge help. 

Small USB powered fans, Once I clean a print I set it between a couple of these fans to rapidly remove the alcohol before I UV cure.

Work Station Lights:  

I included these because I have found them to be great for my work table and the light they put out does not cure the resin, I have replaced the overhead light bulb in my room as well and I do not get any unwanted cuing of exposed resin.  My workshop is in a basement room with no windows so I have completely eliminated unwanted UV exposure.