Painting – XTC-3D® can be painted and/or primed and then painted with acrylic enamel paints. For best results, lightly sand surface prior to painting. Also for this part I printed a jig which fitted on the bottom so that could rotate the part as I coated it without getting my hands on the part itself. The more solvent added, the longer XTC-3D® will take to cure. Cured material will be more flexible.

Time & Labor Savings:XTC-3D® fills in 3D print striations and creates a smooth, high gloss finish. The need to post finish is almost eliminated. The two "blobs" ringed in blue were a result of the "running problem I mentioned, now overcome. If you look at the strut on the right, at the lower left corner you will see some roughness on the edge which is a result of the scanned image. Extending Working Time - If left in a mixing cup with a concentrated mass, pot life will be short and material may cure in your cup due to exotherm. Important - Reduce the mass of the mixture to increase working time. Example: layer two sheets of aluminum foil together and create a single-use flat tray with vertical sides to contain the liquid resin. After mixing parts A and B, pour mixture into the aluminum foil to reduce the mass. Your working time will be significantly increased. After the job is done, leave the model to dry. It takes about 2-3 hours at room temperature, in the winter, in a garage, at a temperature of a few degrees above zero, the resin will take all day to dry up. As for the container, we leave it to dry as well. The dried resin comes easily away from the container walls when you bend them a little. There is a problem with the brush, though. You could toss it into the container with a solvent, but it is in fact only a half-measure, because the resin will never come away completely. If you leave the brush to dry, you may as well throw it away. It is therefore sensible to use rather cheap tools, because the lifetime of the brushes is very limited when working with the XTC-3D. Before you start working with the material, you should be well prepared for the job. The XTC-3D has a very short curing time after mixing, and therefore after mixing the components it is best to begin coating the model with the resin immediately. You should also pay attention to such details as how you are going to hold the model, or what is it going to be attached to. The material takes at least two hours to dry, so holding it by an appendix which you have just covered with resin is out of the question. Although it may seem obvious, keep it in mind from the start – otherwise you will have to paint the model in parts (which is sometimes inevitable anyway).

Adding Color - XTC-3D® can be colored with SO Strong® color tints, UVO® color pigments or ignite color pigments. Pre-mix color with Part A before combining with Part B.

XTC-3D®is a protective coating for smoothing and finishing 3D printed parts. It does not melt plastic. Two liquids are mixed together and brushed onto any 3D print. Coating self-levels and wets out uniformly without leaving brush strokes. Working time is 10 minutes and cure time is about 4 hours (depending on mass and temperature). XTC-3D® cures to a hard, impact resistant coating that can be sanded, primed and painted. Adding colors and metal effects is easy. Applying XTC-3D: Use a disposable chip brush or foam brush to apply XTC-3D®. To achieve the thinnest coating possible we recommend applying material with a foam brush. Brushing on one thin layer of mixed material is recommended for most prints to create a smooth, uniform coating: less than 1/64“(.039 cm). To avoid drips and runs, continue brushing and working the surface until the resin begins to set up. For particularly complicated prints with intricate detail you may want to coat one a section at a time for better control. XTC-3D® bonds to itself. Protective coating for smoothing and finishing 3D printed parts that does not melt plastic. XTC‑3D® fills in 3D print striations and creates a smooth, high gloss finish. The need to post finish is almost eliminated. XTC‑3D® can be applied to both SLA and SLS prints. It works with PLA, ABS, Laywoo, Powder Printed Parts and other rigid media such as EPS, EPDM and urethane foam as well as wood, plaster, fabric, cardboard and paper. Measuring and Dispensing – You need to be accurate in measuring for XTC-3D® to cure properly. Parts A and B can be measured by either volume or weight. Dispense proper proportions of parts A and B into clean plastic, metal or wax-free paper containers (do not use foam or glass cups). Painting – XTC-3D™ can be painted and/or primed and then painted with acrylic enamel paints. For best results, lightly sand surface prior to painting.XTC 3D is for those people who dont want to risk their life for an stupid method how to clean 3D Prints

Thinning XTC-3D™ for Coating Starch / Powder Printed Parts - Viscosity can be lowered with acetone or denatured alcohol to penetrate porous parts. Mix Ratio Adding Fillers - A variety of dry fillers can be added such as Cast Magic™ or bronze or other metal powders, Glow Worm™, Quarry Tone™ or Ure-Fil™ powders. The maximum filler load is an amount equal to Part A by volume. Pre-mix filler with Part A before combining with Part B. We tested the XTC-3D on prints made of the following materials: ABS, PLA, woodFill and the t-glase. The manufacturers ensure that the material will also work on prints made of resin, gypsum powder or sintered polymeric powder and… I see no reason not to believe them. The material seems to be able to cover virtually any surface.Thinning XTC-3D® for Coating Starch / Powder Printed Parts: Viscosity can be lowered with acetone or denatured alcohol to penetrate porous parts. XTC-3D is an epoxy resin that mixes by volume rather than weight, which is a lot easier. A very small amount of XTC-3d is needed to coat a 3D print. With 1oz of mixed XTC-3D you can cover three Phil’s. Now, let’s get started: Preparation: Materials should be stored and used in a room temperature environment (73°F/23°C). Elevated temperatures will reduce Pot Life. XTC-3D Part A resin and Part B Hardener must be properly measured and thoroughly mixed to achieve full, high-strength, solid-cure properties. Because no two applications are quite the same, a small test application to determine suitability for your project is recommended if performance of this material is in question. Adding Color: XTC-3D can be colored with SO Strong colour tints, UVO® colour pigments or ignite color pigments. Pre-mix color with Part A before combining with Part B.

Measuring and Dispensing: You need to be accurate in measuring for XTC-3D to cure properly. Parts A and B can be measured by either volume or weight. Dispense proper proportions of parts A and B into clean plastic, metal or wax-free paper containers (do not use foam or glass cups). Any product that you have subsequently cut, shaped, broken or modified, unless found to be faulty or defective. Removing Uncured Material - Scrape as much material as possible from the surface using a scraper. Clean the residue with E-POX-EE KLEENER™ available from Smooth-On, lacquer thinner, acetone or alcohol. Follow safety warnings pertaining to solvents and provide adequate ventilation. The answer in all these cases is the same. Clean the surface. Use a cleaner or solvent compatible with the surface being treated. Deodorized mineral spirits (mineral spirits minus toluene and other aromatic hydrocarbons) work well for many surfaces. One possible solution, though I haven't had an opportunity to try it since I heard about it, is to thin the XTC-3D with acetone or denatured alcohol. These should lower the surface tension and increase surface penetration. And of course, use appropriate safety precautions regardless of what you do. At the least, use gloves with epoxy as exposure to it can sensitize resulting in nasty allergic reactions on re-exposure. The XTC-3D can be spread on the model with ease and the process resembles regular painting. It is diluted enough so that there is no problem with even applying it to the model, and it is dense enough that it does not drip of while painting (though in the course of drying it does a little – though only from the fragments which are at high angles towards the ground, about 75-90º).I have had similar problems and the issue seems to be dirt or some other material that prevents the surface from wetting properly. The coating seems to brush on OK, but then patches thin as the resin retreat from these regions, and the spots appear. Its seems the surface tension of the XTC-3D is exceeding the affinity between the XTC-3D and the surface being coated. Same reason oily spots on a glass surface prevent water from forming a smooth sheet. Or spray paint fails to coat dirty patches. Applying a Release Agent – For applications where adhesion is not desired, a spray release Ease Release™ 200 available from Smooth-On may be used. Adding Color - XTC-3D™ can be colored with UVO™ or IGNITE™ colorants. Pre-mix color with Part A before combining with Part B. I think this is down to experience to get it right - On my first few attempts I was suffering on runs on non-horizontal surfaces (good finish where it did not run though)so I gradually loaded the brush with less XTC 3D until I got to a point where I did not get runs.