If you're planning to make figurines you're better off with a resin printer (as opposed to filament).

This is very true, I tried to print some figurines using filament, and it was a total disaster. I'm sure there are some figures and some settings of slicer and printer that work, but just grabbing a fig and printing it isn't the same as grabbing other things and printing them. My experience based on 5-7 spools of filament printed through a rather enhanced Ender 3 Pro (+BLTouch, MicroSwiss, new mobo, dual gear extruder, upgraded bed springs).

Though, as others here mentioned, resin may not be what you want either. I looked at them briefly when my son was interested in painting minifigs, and decided I didn't want to deal with resin and I DEFINITELY didn't want him working in resin, based on the messes he makes with cereal.

You can get reasonable results printing minifigs with a FDM printer ... tiny nozzles (0.1 mm), tiny layer heights (0.05 mm) and very slow print speeds (<10 mm/s) will get you a long way ... but even then resin printers just blow the results out of the water easily.

Resin is really nasty stuff though. Many folks may not want to deal with having it in the home and disposing of it.

I’ve spent more time mastering my resin disposal process than printing with my resin printer. From settling, exposing and filtering my isopropyl alcohol so I don’t waste tons of money on rinsing my prints, to how to handle all the partially cured resin and avoid contamination (was really surprised to discover the sorts of things that will soak up some resin chemicals and get. Discoloured)

It depends on the scale. I'd imaging GI Joe/Barbie scale you want FDM. Minis for D&D you want resin.

Not to mention, way cooler to watch while printing.

and you can add glitter!

She mentions that it loses a fair bit of surface details, so good for largish organic things, but maybe not so good for miniatures?

Or, depending on the polymer, smoothing can be done chemically.

This is simple, cheap and clean by comparison. I have the same inclination to try it too. I think it's brilliant.

Thanks!

You are welcome. I love it when we can share process info like you did. Who knows what people my think of or do?

> I’ll probably stick to figurines instead of sex toys though

That sounds painful.

Everything's a dildo when you're brave enough

Counterexample: bowling ball

You are not brave enough.

Bravery cannae change the laws of Physics!

My urologist friend has removed some of that everything out of those brave people’s bladders

Depends the figurine I guess.