Your first resin 3D printer: everything you need to get started

What comes in the box with a resin printer?

Most resin printers include the machine, LCD screen, resin vat, build plate, basic tools, and a USB drive with software. Resin, isopropyl alcohol, and personal protective equipment are not included.

When you open the box of a resin printer like the Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra, a great option for beginners, you'll find more than you expect — but less than you actually need. The printer comes almost fully assembled — you just need to attach the build plate and level it. The resin vat (the transparent tank that holds the liquid resin) comes pre-installed with a tensioned FEP film.

In terms of tools, most brands include:

• Metal spatula for removing prints
• Paper filters for straining resin
• Plastic funnel
• Allen keys for maintenance
• Nitrile gloves (one pair — not enough)
• Basic face mask (buy a proper respirator instead)
• USB drive with slicing software (usually Chitubox)

What's NOT included — and absolutely essential: the resin itself, isopropyl alcohol for washing your prints, washing containers, paper towels in bulk, and UV-blocking window film if you're setting up near a window.

What do you need to buy before your first print?

Before your first print, you'll need: 1 liter of resin, 2–3 liters of 99% isopropyl alcohol, nitrile gloves, a respirator with organic vapor filters, and airtight containers for washing. The basic starter kit runs around $40–60.

My day-one shopping list covers everything you'll need from the very first print. These aren't optional — without them, you simply can't print safely:

When choosing resin for your first prints, I recommend starting with a standard gray or beige — these are the most forgiving with exposure settings and tolerate beginner mistakes well. Transparent and black resins require finer tuning that you'll develop with experience.

How does the resin printing process work, step by step?

The full workflow includes: preparing your 3D model with supports, transferring it to the printer, pouring the resin, running the print (2–8 hours), removing the print, washing it in alcohol, removing supports, and UV curing. Total time: 3–10 hours depending on size.

The real resin 3D printing workflow involves more steps than most beginners expect:

1. Model preparation (30–60 min): Open your STL in your slicer (Chitubox or similar), orient the part at 45–60°, generate supports at 75% density, adjust the Anycubic resin settings for your resin type, and export the file.
2. Physical setup (10 min): Put on gloves and a mask, shake the resin bottle for 2 minutes (pigments settle at the bottom), pour resin into the vat up to the fill line, and transfer the file to the printer via USB.
3. Printing (2–8 hours): The build plate lowers, and the first layers expose for 60 seconds to ensure strong adhesion — then each normal layer takes around 8 seconds with standard gray resin. The printer does the rest — don't open it during the print.
4. Post-processing (45 min): With gloves on, remove the build plate, detach the print with a spatula, submerge it in isopropyl alcohol for 2–3 minutes with gentle agitation, remove it and clip off the supports with flush cutters, give it a second rinse in clean IPA, then cure it under a UV lamp or in direct sunlight for 3–5 minutes.

A 5-liter jug of Mr Resin 99.9% Isopropyl Alcohol will last you around 50–60 medium-sized prints before it gets saturated. When the IPA turns cloudy and starts leaving residue on your prints, it's time to replace it.

What are the most common mistakes on your first day with resin printing?

The five beginner mistakes that will ruin your prints: not leveling the build plate properly, using the wrong exposure times, skipping the resin shake, pouring used resin back into the bottle unfiltered, and handling prints without gloves because they look dry.

I made every single one of these mistakes when I started, and I see beginners repeat them constantly in forums:

Mistake 1: Sloppy bed leveling. The build plate MUST be perfectly parallel to the LCD screen. If one side sits higher, half your print will delaminate. Use the paper method: loosen the screws, lower the plate until a sheet of paper is just barely pinched, then tighten while keeping even pressure.

Mistake 2: Blindly copying settings. Every printer-resin combination is different. Those 8-second exposure times for gray resin could be 13–15 seconds for black resin. Download the free Anycubic Resin Field Guide to get reliable reference settings.

Mistake 3: Using unsettled resin. Pigments sink to the bottom of the bottle. If you don't shake for 2 minutes before pouring, the first half comes out watery and the second half like paste — your prints will have color inconsistencies and be brittle.

Mistake 4: Contaminating your resin bottle. NEVER pour used resin straight back into the original bottle. Always strain it through paper filters to remove any cured fragments. A single solid particle in the vat can puncture the FEP film on your next print.

Mistake 5: Trusting prints that look dry. Not dripping doesn't mean clean. Uncured resin is invisible but still toxic. Always wear gloves until after the final UV cure.

How long does it take to get good at resin 3D printing?

Expect 2–4 weeks to print consistently, but mastering complex orientations, minimal supports, and specialty resins can take 3–6 months. Most beginners can produce decent prints within the first week if they follow proven settings.

Here's the typical progression I see in motivated beginners:

Weeks 1–2: You'll wrestle with leveling, experience catastrophic failures (prints won't stick, or stick all wrong), learn that more supports are always better than fewer, and discover that orientation matters more than support count. By the end of week two, you'll be pulling complete prints off the build plate.

Month 1: You start to understand the exposure-detail relationship. Clear resins need shorter exposure times, darker resins need longer. You experiment with layer heights — 0.05mm for fine detail, 0.1mm for speed. Failure rates drop to around 20%.

Months 2–3: You tackle hollow prints to save resin, learn to add drain holes, and optimize orientations to keep supports away from visible surfaces. You start blending resins (rigid + flexible) to dial in specific material properties.

Months 3–6: You master specialty resins (castable, flexible, high-temp), dial in parameters by instinct based on the model, and can predict support failures just by looking at the orientation. Your success rate climbs above 90%.

The fastest way to accelerate your learning: document EVERYTHING. For every print, log the resin used, ambient temperature, exposure times, what failed, and why. Within two weeks, you'll have your own bulletproof parameter cheat sheet.

Where should you set up a resin printer at home?

The ideal spot is a well-ventilated space with no direct sunlight, a stable temperature between 68–77°F (20–25°C), away from high-traffic areas, and on a solid, vibration-free surface. Garages, ventilated storage rooms, or dedicated workspaces work far better than living rooms or bedrooms.

Where you place your resin printer affects both print quality and your long-term health. I've seen setups at both extremes — from bedrooms (terrible idea) to climate-controlled garden sheds (ideal if you can swing it).

Minimum space requirements:

• Active ventilation or openable windows
• No direct sunlight (UV light will pre-cure your resin)
• Stable temperature of 68–77°F / 20–25°C (cold thickens resin and causes failures)
• A solid, vibration-free table (vibrations create layer lines in your prints)
• Enough room to work comfortably while wearing gloves
• Out of reach of pets and children

Best to worst locations for your resin printer:

1. Garage or workshop with ventilation: The gold standard — just add a thermostat-controlled space heater in winter to keep temperatures stable.
2. Storage room with a window: Works well if you install an inline fan exhausting to the outside.
3. Spare bedroom with exhaust fan: Acceptable with strong airflow and an activated carbon filter.
4. Kitchen: Only viable if you have a powerful range hood and you're not cooking while printing.
5. Living room or bedroom: Avoid entirely. Resin fumes are not compatible with living spaces.

If you have no choice but to print in a shared living space, invest in a grow tent enclosure with an inline fan and activated carbon filter. It runs around $120–180 but your health is worth every penny.

When is resin printing a bad choice for your first printer?

Skip resin if: you live in a small apartment with poor ventilation, you have young children around, you're sensitive to chemicals, you need large prints (>6 inches / 15cm), or your total budget is under $450 including materials and safety gear.

Resin printing isn't the right fit for everyone, and it's better to know that before you spend money. These are the red flags that suggest FDM might be a smarter place to start:

Inadequate space: If your only option is a living room or bedroom, stop there. Resin fumes — even from "eco" or "bio" formulas — require real ventilation. I've seen people develop chemical sensitivities after months of printing in enclosed spaces.

Young children at home: Liquid resin is toxic through both skin contact and ingestion. A curious child can open the printer mid-print, and post-processing involves open containers of alcohol and uncured resin. It's an accident waiting to happen.

Tight budget: The printer is just the beginning. Factor in a basic safety kit (€40–60), resin (€30/liter), isopropyl alcohol (€20/3L), and a wash-and-cure station (another €100 if you want to skip doing it by hand), and your real entry cost lands around €400–500. With FDM, you can get started for around €250, all in.

Large parts: A typical resin build volume is around 15×15×15cm. If you need enclosures, large prototypes, or full-size functional parts, FDM is far more practical and cost-effective. Resin excels at fine detail, not size.

Allergies or chemical sensitivity: If you react poorly to cleaning products, paints, or solvents, resin will likely cause you problems. I know makers who developed a resin allergy after a year of printing and had to switch to FDM entirely.

Your first recommended print and basic settings

Start with the RERF exposure validation test included with your printer, or print the Ameralabs Town model. Use standard grey resin, 0.05mm layer height, 8-second normal exposure, 60-second bottom exposure. Adjust based on results.

Your first print should NOT be that epic 200-piece miniature you've been saving. Start with calibration tests — you'll learn more in 30 minutes than from 10 YouTube tutorials.

Recommended tests, in order:

1. RERF (Resin Exposure Range Finder): Pre-loaded on many Anycubic and Elegoo printers. Prints 8 variants at different exposure times. The one with sharp, clean detail and no overexposure is your baseline.
2. Ameralabs Town: The go-to calibration test. A miniature town complete with windows, doors, and rooftops. If you can distinguish every feature clearly, your settings are dialed in. Available as a free download from their website.
3. Hollow calibration cube: 30×30×30mm with 2mm walls. If the walls measure exactly 2mm with calipers, your exposure is spot on. Thicker than 2mm means you're overexposed.

Baseline settings to start with (tune after testing):

Keep in mind: these are starting points, not guarantees. Every printer varies slightly. A Mars 5 may need 1–2 seconds less than a Photon Mono 4K Ultra with the same resin. Ambient temperature also plays a role — add 1–2 seconds if you're printing in a room below 20°C.

Resin printer FAQ for first-time buyers

Can I wash resin prints with water instead of alcohol?

Not with standard resins. Water won't dissolve uncured resin — your prints will stay tacky. Water-washable resins do exist, but they cost more (€40–50/L) and have weaker mechanical properties. Isopropyl alcohol remains the most effective and widely used option.

How long does an LCD screen last before it needs replacing?

Typically between 1,000 and 2,000 hours of UV exposure, which translates to roughly 6–12 months of heavy use. Monochrome screens last significantly longer than older RGB panels. Replacement screens run €40–80 depending on the model.

Is resin printing safe in an apartment with natural ventilation?

With consistent cross-ventilation and low-odor resins, it's manageable — but not ideal. Open windows on opposite sides of the room, use a fan to create airflow, and print while you're out of the house. Even better: invest in an exhaust fan with an activated carbon filter.

How do I dispose of liquid resin waste and contaminated IPA?

NEVER down the drain. Cure liquid resin waste in an open container under direct sunlight until fully solidified, then dispose of it as solid waste. Saturated IPA can be left to evaporate outdoors in the sun (takes several weeks) or taken to a hazardous waste facility for proper chemical disposal.

Is an automatic wash and cure station worth it?

If you're printing more than 2–3 times a week, absolutely. It saves time and delivers better, more consistent results. You can start out manually with tupperware containers and a UV lamp or sunlight, but in the long run a wash and cure station pays for itself in convenience and consistency.

Why do my supports leave such ugly marks on my prints?

Your supports are too thick or poorly positioned. Reduce the tip contact diameter to 0.2–0.3mm, increase support density to better distribute the load, and orient your model so supports only contact non-visible surfaces. With practice, support marks will be barely noticeable.

Happy printing! 🔥 😎

ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra

If you're looking for your first resin printer that delivers professional-quality results right out of the box, the ELEGOO Mars 5 Ultra is the perfect place to start. It combines ultra-fast print speeds with incredible precision, and it's intuitive enough to use that you can focus on creating instead of troubleshooting.

279.00€ View in store →