Surface Finish

Getting a great surface finish on the 3D printed part is not easy. The printed parts come out rough and jagged. Often they have external support attachments that were required when printing the product. We’ve been working on a few different methods to allow you to safely use the toys you print. We have two different methods that seem to work. Here is how to get a good finish on your 3D prints.

Method 2 – Acetone and ABS slurry

You will need:

A can of Silicone Conformal Coating Spray (typically used to protect circuit boards)

220 grit sandpaper

An Exacto knife or razor blade.

Here is how to finish your part:

1. Using your knife, trim off all of the external support. Do it as cleanly as possible. Spending a little time here will save you trouble in the next steps.

2. Use the sandpaper to sand the part as smooth as possible. You won’t be able to eliminate every tiny ridge, but you can get it pretty good. You will probably have to do this by hand as an electric sander can heat up the ABS and ruin the part. 

3. Spray the part with the conformal coating. Spray thin coats and they will dry in 30 minutes. Try to avoid thicker coats as they will take much longer to cure and will drip. 

4. Each coat will end up really thin, so you will have to reapply the conformal coating a number of times to get a smooth finish. 

5. Your part will probably be hygienic after two or three coats, but 10 coats will make it feel much smoother. 

This method will produce the silicone coating that you desire. Silicone is the material of choice for its hygienic properties and durability.

Method 2 – Acetone and ABS slurry

You will need:

Some acetone (a couple of 2-4 ounces, 200ml)

A glass jar with a metal lid

Some leftover ABS filament in the same color as your part.

A paint brush (natural bristles)

220 grit sandpaper

An Exacto knife or razor blade.

Here is how to finish your part:

1. Using your knife, trim off all of the external support. Do it as cleanly as possible. Spending a little time here will save you trouble in the next steps.

2. Use the sandpaper to sand the part as smooth as possible. You won’t be able to eliminate every tiny ridge, but you can get it pretty good. You will probably have to do this by hand as an electric sander can heat up the ABS and ruin the part. 

3. Prepare an ABS/Acetone slurry:

3a. Put the ABS filament in the jar.

3b. Pour in the acetone.

3c. Tighten the lid and shake until the acetone dissolves the ABS and forms a slurry. It is nice if it ends up the consistency of thin paint. 

4. Paint the part with your slurry. This should seal the cracks and smooth out the finish. 

5. Let the acetone evaporate and the part dry. It shouldn’t take long.

6. The result will look like the above part. 

A Note About ABS – ABS has been used for sex toys for decades. It is the material of choice for hard plastic toys. It is also used in children’s toys, drink ware, and other body safe products. A smooth, non-porous ABS part is body safe, but the presence of cracks and crevices can harbor bacterial growth. Be sure your part is smooth and defect free before you use it.