SLA Toolbox

This is a compilation of suggested tools and resources for 3D printing; there’s more to it than just buying the printer and taking it out of the box.

On this page:

Digital Tools

• Chitubox

  • https://www.chitubox.com/

  • A free-to-use pre-processing and slicing program. I’ve found it to be much more robust and user-friendly than the slicing software provided by Anycubic. It’s not perfect, but it’s good at what it does.

• Lychee Slicer

  • https://mango3d.io/lychee-slicer-for-sla-3d-printers/

  • Another slicer for resin printing. There is a free version, and a pro version available for a small subscription fee (yearly or monthly payment options are available).

  • Lychee has a steeper learning curve than Chitubox, but I find it to be a more robust slicer with better auto-support and island-detecting options than Chitubox. I pay for the pro version, as I find the subscription fee entirely reasonable, and worth the cost to support the developers.

• AmeraLabs Town

  • https://ameralabs.com/blog/town-calibration-part/

  • This is a print designed for calibrating your 3D printer, in terms of exposure time, lift speeds, layer thickness, etc. Definitely check the website for detailed information on how to interpret the print, along with a download link for the STL file.

Physical Tools

General use

• Nitrile gloves

  • Whichever size, brand, and color you like. These are a must for handling liquid resin and unwashed prints.

  • These are single-use, disposable items. Once you get them dirty with uncured resin, throw them out. You’ll go through a lot of these, depending on how much printing you do.

• Pickle jar LOCK & LOCK Pickle Container

  • These locking leak-proof containers are designed with their own internal basket. They are perfect for creating your own resin rinsing stations. I have one each for water (for water-washable resin) and isopropyl alcohol.

  • Safety Notice Once you use these for resin rinsing vats, that’s it. DO NOT use them for anything else after that (especially food storage).

• Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) (minimum 90%)

  • Essential for rinsing resin prints. Even if you use water-washable resin, a final swish in IPA is recommended.

• Plastic Spatulas

  • While I recommend using a large metal putty knife for removing prints from the build plate, these are good to have on hand for scraping remaining resin off of the build plate, and gently scraping the bottom of the resin vat, or using to mix/agitate the resin in the vat. The rounded edges and soft plastic are less likely to scrape and damage the FEP film.

• Silicone funnel and stainless steel strainer

  • A reusable alternative to paper strainers for filtering resin.

Maintenance and Repair

• Precision Driver Kit

  • This kit has all of the hex bits you’ll need for performing maintenance on the Anycubic Photon, and then some: The flex shaft makes it easier to reach some of the hidden screws for more intense maintenance. Having tweezers and spudgers with dedicated slots in the storage box keeps everything together and handy. You really can’t have too many spudgers or tweezers.

• Electronics Repair Kit

  • This particular kit has a fantastic assortment of the various things you’ll need:

    • Spudgers (lots of different kinds)

    • Antistatic tweezers (three)

    • 2mm double-sided tape (essential for when, not if, you need to replace the LCD screen in your printer)

• Magnetic screw tray

  • Often overlooked, but extremely handy for keeping screws together when doing maintenance or repairs.

Printer Parts

• FEP Film 140x200mm for UV DLP 3D Printers Thickness 0.15-0.2mm - 5 Pack

  • This isn’t Anycubic branded, but I’ve used this film and it’s an excellent deal for the price. FEP film is a part that will wear out with use, so having spare films on hand is highly advisable.

• Replacement LCD screens

  • No matter how careful you are, eventually the LCD screen will start to burn out and you’ll need to replace it.

  • Check out my article on the LCD Screens: Anycubic Photon vs Elegoo Mars for advice on selecting a replacement screen for the Anycubic Photon.

Hardware Upgrades

• Heat Resistant Kapton Tape

  • I found this recommendation in a list of upgrades for the Anycubic Photon. This is a simple, inexpensive tool that can potentially save you a lot of headache. I haven’t run into any issues with resin spills, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. Better safe than sorry!

  • For more information, check out this video by Frameone's Makerspace on YouTube.

• Z-Axis Upgrade

  • The list of upgrades above includes an upgrade for the Z-Axis to minimize “z-wobble.”

  • If you have the proper tools (and the engineering confidence), you can try this method for adding dual rails to your Photon: https://youtu.be/7oYx40jhtGA

  • If you would prefer not making any irreversible changes to your Photon, Jackson Products makes a fully-assembled Z-slide upgrade, and has videos for installing it.

• Build Plate Leveler

  • A build plate leveler is a widget that replaces the ball and socket joint used to level the build plate in a stock Anycubic Photon.

  • You can print your own, using one like this by wundel on Thinigiverse.

    • You’ll need to purchase machine screws separately in order to install a printed version.

  • You can purchase a prefabricated version from any number of vendors, like this one from Jackson Products.