I show you something you absolutely need to learn if you ever hollow a model for resin printing. Seriously, don't hollow a model without watching. For real.
This was fantastic... I'm a complete 3D printing newbie and just binge watched all your tutorials, I'm feeling much more confident now... thanks so much for taking the time
Although I've been using filament 3D printers for many years, I finally got myself a resin printer (Elegoo Mars 2). When possible, I keep my models flat with as much surface space touching the bed as I can. I use supports only if I absolutely have to. I've been getting fantastic results with 95% of all my prints right from the beginning. The only problems I have had are when I scale down a model so small that the walls are micro thin. Most everyone talks about the need to tilt models but for myself, it just seems to increase build time and use more resin. I still have much to learn about resin printing and I thank all content creators who have made so many helpful videos on the subject. Well, enough chat. Back to watching videos and printing.
I'm using v1.6.3 and it generates auto-supports internally when the model is hollowed.. at first I thought that was not good, but then realized it's good.
Just finished your whole playlist on this. Thank you so much! It was informative and easy to follow. I just stepped into the world and got myself a Anycubic Photon Mojo X 6k.
Protip, If you use the slider from the bottom UP after you hollow the model, you can work from a more convenient angle like you're more accustomed to. ;)
One of the more serious consequences of unsupported islands that doesn't cure to the model is a subsequent layer or print pressing that into your screen. You're right, it can mess up the fep, but it can also destroy your screen causing dead pixels.
I'm curious if this would actually be a problem, though. If there's an unsupported area, it's going to cure on the bottom of the fep, and if not attached to the rest of the print, will just remain there or get knocked loose and float around, right? If it stays put, it's not going to get any taller, because the print will be sitting on top of it. The printer brings the model back down with the same .04mm (or whatever your layer height is) gap, right? So it'd at most get wider and wider until the print eventually picks it up or it floats away. I guess a floater could get stuck sideways, caught between supports or something?
The way I get around this is saving it out hollow as a stl and edit the file in a 3d application. Where you can easily build select support inside the mode with walls.
If you hollow and prepare drainage holes in an external program for example magics, then generate support in chitu, it will fill the internal void with support. I think Chitubox might be manipulating the slice images rather than the 3D mesh when doing these hollow calculations, so it is left out when you try to generate supports which operates on the mesh. Its a pretty big bug imo. Although if they can sort it out it will save people a lot of money on file prep software.
I know the video it from 2019 and its 2022 now, I just started resin printing a few weeks ago and I will hollow models alot if there bigger for sure, and when I hit +All supports it has always supported the inside as well. Dont know if it was just a update from Chitubox or what but its worked fine for me.
Sometimes I get gratefull for little accidents, I was looking for thickness for 3d Prints and watch this video, I get a heads up on one problem I didnt know I may have, Thank you very much!
Ok, I'm totally new to 3D printing (not got one yet but I have been making 3D models for videogames for years) You could just make a large hole in the middle of the bottom base to allow supports to print from the plate up to the unsupported areas you need? All you appear to need in the base bottom is four supported holes for magnets to go into. You could even have a large scale mesh bottom to support those 'holes' and have easy access to the upper inside for supports. Just my 2c.
I was hoping for a simple trick : but well 3d printing is not simple :D - but you opened my eyes on the creatin of islands due to hollowing! Great. And thanks for the whole series.
Only if those supports happen to be under one of the islands mentioned in the video. It would certainly make things faster, because you'd only have to add the manual supports to the spots missed my the infill.
Thank you for the video. It in fact didn't occur to me that interior space of hollowed out model might require that much support. I am however a but uncertain about your choice of drain holes. I really suspect that the insets that hollowing out process made around the magnet holes will prevent resin from draining properly, trapping a large amount inside.
In 1.8.1 Chitubox offers an Infill setting for hollowing the model. Only one option (Grid3D) and I see no option to regulate the amount of infill, but it's probably better than nothing?
Great video and info! I wish chitubox would allow the ‘dig hole’ option on solid models. Then you could cut down on suction forces while still ‘hollowing’ or creating cylinders throughout the model with no unsupported island being created....maybe in the next version or upgrade? *fongers crossed*
Could you slice the base off and save it out. Then do “support all”. It should do supports on the inside, you’d think. Then possibly import the base back in and combine the model back together. You could even then remove the base supports clean and redo the “support all” PS. I’ve never used the above software before, but have 20 years 3d animation FX experience. So workarounds are a daily thing.
Sure, but you'd need to use something like Blender to do that slicing. Chitubox doesn't alter the model itself except in very specific ways, like drain holes, hollowing, and adding supports. Cutting pieces off the model or changing a model's dimensions would mean using another program for that part.
Could you give a list of your light/med/heavy top/middle/bottom settings, its hard to glean from the video. That being said I've watched all of your support videos and they really help. Thank you !
NOTE: Because of where you put the holes you could not drain the all the resin out of that model. At least one hole needs to be at the lowest point of the cavity so all the resin can drain out.
So you tilt the object to reduce the surface area, but then add support structure that creates even bigger solid surface area on the build platform. I am new to MSLA printing so I don't quite get that. If someone could clear that up for me I would be very thankful. :D
There is a chance that if you hit supports first before hollowing out the model it won't build them inside. If you instead hollow the model first then add supports it will build little supports on the inside... just a thought worth trying...
I have a very similar model, a base for a dragon, but when I press dig hole and click the green 'hole' on the model, Chitibox pro doesn't dig the hole. The hole I'm trying to dig is deeper than the wall, but not so deep that it starts to dig on the opposite wall. It works on some surfaces of the model, but not the ones I want. Please could anyone advise?
What's the point of having drain holes? The cavity will remain open until the end of the print, in which case the resin will drain out the top (being upside-down). Right?
I'm just going to make my bases solid, had to drill some drain holes after the few I've made in Chitu didn't do a damn thing. Thanks for the video as always!
I know this is more on the modelers end but would it not be better for a print like this to simply not have a solid base and have it hollow all the way so its more like a shell. Then the auto supports would work better. I guess you could make it this way buy just using the venting hole feature to just hollow out the bottom as much as possible. Im new so Im not sure this would work.
I'm just getting into 3D resin printing and you are the first person I've subbed to so far. Can I ask... have you tried LycheeSlocer ? and if so then how does it compare to Chitubox ? Thanks
Amazing videos! You're information is so clear. I'm curious if you had used auto, but with the light supports selected, wouldn't it apply them to the inside? It seems you could do a light auto and then manually add a few thick ones on the outside.
Okay. I thought the infill created internal support. does it not? I am waiting on a Photon Mono X. I do not want to mess up that monochrome surface. My thought was to do 9% infill as I do with FDM. A lot of people overkill infill. 9-14 percent usually works for me. Is this different in resin printing? Gawd I am so paranoid right now. FDM... all I wanted was an Arkham Origins Batman suit. Resin.... I have hundreds of character STL files to do and lots to learn about chopping to fit the build plate. Please correct me if needed and tell me infill is not the same as internal support. I have a huge Viking Thor project I am starting tomorrow. I do not want to break my FEP sheet before getting to Medusa or Anubis. PLEAAAASE! Lol!
What is the advantage of creating a hollow model vs. a solid model? Sure it would use less material, but the small cost compared to the time and possible increase of failure doesn't seem worth it. Any other reasons?
I ran into that problem just yesterday. WHat can I do if my Chitu just does not place supports inside even though I clearly see it needs them due to islands? is there a way to force support placement?
thank you very much, great advice. I'm a total novice (actually I'm still waiting for my first 3D resin printer), so I have a very very dumb question: for something like this (regardless the hollowing and its problems/consequences), why do you need to raise it off the bed and tilt it? it has a flat base, so what would happen if you just let it laid flat on the bed? I'll need to print a bunch of bases for my miniatures, which will all have (obviously) flat bottoms. thanks if you can answer, and thanks anyway if you can't, for this video! :-)
Very good tip on the video. (just ordered my 1st printer) I've been wondering recently, if you are building the model upside-down then the hollow area is open till nearly the very end and should keep draining as it builds right? So how helpful are drainage holes? Are the holes you make at the top (build-plate area) merely to help with preventing suction?
at the top doesn't help with suction or "cups" it's just fro cleaning. If you fear suction or a cup forming, which is real, you need a hole somewhere near the build plate but on a "side" :)
@@3dprintingpro212 Oh for cleaning the inside of the print, though is that necessary of it would be sealed otherwise? thats the 1st time I've heard of it called "cups". yea on the side near the build plate would be ideal for that. So, why the holes where the magnets go ? I guess I don't fully understand how the draining process works. My theory seemed sound though.
I have a model that fills the build plate and uses 3/4 of the build height. It needs to be hollow. No matter how I hollow it, the neck and head are always an island. I can clearly see the island, but can not add support, even the light ones. I know there is enough distance to do even a heavy support. I can not get my mouse in there to select the points to add them. How do you fix that? How do I lock teh layer so that I can simply go right and left and not up and down so that I can get inside the model?
Is there a way to hollow only part of model I have these models on bases and it’s like 6 quarters thick.... I want to follow just the base ? Is this possible ? Do you have a video thank you greg
Would you say that the chitubox support setting still need careful watching? I am just starting to print models that need to be hollow and then I look inside they are really full of supports.
Please help! What would cause chitubox to try to print hollow models as solid? Or, I can print it hollow but the drain holes stay completely solid- what settings should I look into? (I can get hollow without drain holes by turning infill off and on)
Some people snake a thin UV led in, I just make sure light gets into the holes :) Most important thing is that you clean the inside as thoroughly as possible
