Introduction
This guide will cover how to smooth the surface of 3D printed objects using the wet sanding technique to avoid plastic melting into your sandpaper.
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Grab several grits of sandpaper. You will want to start around 200 grit or so and work up to higher grits
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Fill a small paint mixing cup with water. These are in the cabinets in the AFL. If you are in another lab, ask your LC if they know where some are.
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Lay some paper towels down on the table so you don't get water everywhere
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Pour a splash of the water on to your lowest grit sandpaper and gently rub it into the paper.
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Lightly sand your model. Use a circular motion and go slowly. If you sand quickly, the plastic will melt and ruin your sandpaper.
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If your sandpaper starts to dry out, add some more water.
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Once you have sanded across the entire surface of your model with the lowest grit, start the process over again with the next highest grit you have prepared.
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Resin prints do not melt when sanded fast, but wet sanding will still give you a better surface finish.
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You can use dry sandpaper for the lower grits to quickly remove material and support bumps on Formlabs parts.
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Use wet sanding for when you are smoothing the surfaces and want a high level of polish. Grits higher than 1000 should only be used with wet sanding unless the packaging says otherwise.
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