I still havent had chance to test the thing yet, but I'm pretty confident that It works perfectly well. The guy is a regular at the local games store, and he gave me a ton of extra bits and bobs along with the thing for some reason (two extra resin reservoirs, an extra build plate, and bric-a-brac like filters/plastic film, gloves, resin, etc) so if he's tried to scam me he's been a bit of a daftie given that I can likely sell this for parts for around the same price.
Vis-a-vis still being a NoPrints; I still need to get some Isopropyl Alcohol (Or Acetone, apparently... Though the former is probably better with my limited ventilation) and a cure station. Has anyone got any advice on Cure stations? I'd honestly be willing to DiY one if that would be around as effective as a storebought example, though I do need to know a little more about the subject.
I need to try and get this done within the month, as I need to get a Bretonnian warband printed for an upcoming Mordheim campaign.
On resin: Surely there are meaningful differences between different resin? There was a calibration print in the bottom of the box of stuff I got with my printer which was printed with the same resin that I recieved with the package, and it's extremely flexible, a little brittle in the smaller parts, and mars very readily with a fingernail... Though perhaps that's simply because it wasnt subsequently cured fully? I guess you don't really need to "finish" a test print.
Hah, I remember when FDM stuff was first being posited as a viable method of creating your own models, and the 0.1mm layers really, really put me off as I'm an autistic perfectionist. How far the tech has come in basically no time at all is absolutely astounding.
I think FDM printers probably still have the advantage with regards to robustness of prints, though I haven't done any research on the material properties of ABS/PLA resins vs filament.
About the cure station, if you can get one, especially a wash+cure station, that's optimal. I have a Creality UW-02, which was cheap for what it is (at least when I got it, and considering at the time, the only brand of anything 3D printing present in my neck of the woods was Creality; slowly some more brands have started coming in, but my equipment and supplies are still all Creality, except for filaments).
Before I got it, I made do with a UV lamp and some tupperware wrapped in tin foil; or just the sun, when the weather allowed it. You can come up with reasonable DIY curing setups, so long as you have UV lights. I've seen pros work with just a cabinet, some mirrors, maybe some kind of rotating base (I've seen some that are sold to display cakes and pastries), and the lights. As for washing (always before curing), a big tupperware container with a good lid, full of isopropyl alcohol, the printed piece inside, and you shake it like you just don't care.
About resin: there's significant differences in resin, but mostly you gotta go through a lot of personal research to find what fits your needs. Most people will print resin for looks and detail, but here's a video of a guy who does airplane stuff that requires durability and heat resistance, and he goes into detail about the research he had to do to find a
blend of resins that suited his needs, plus some other good info
https://youtu.be/gb_I-9UZem0.
And yeah, FDM printing, particularly with ABS, is better suited for durability, but not for the level of detail you want for minis and such. I use mostly PLA, but that's because I mostly make toys for my kid, some nephews and other child relatives. That said, and I'm sure it was weird wording rather than a misconception, but there's no "ABS/PLA resins", ABS/PLA/TPU are filaments only, and resins are their own thing.
