Resin printing is the choice when detail matters more than size: tabletop miniatures, figures, jewellery masters, badges and small parts with fine features or text. We print resin on a DLP printer, in grey, clear, black or white, and ship it anywhere in Australia.
Upload your model for an instant price
Choose “Resin” as the material in the quote, pick a colour and a size, and you will see the price straight away.
How resin printing differs from filament printing
Filament (FDM) printers build a part by laying down a melted plastic line, layer by layer. A resin printer works differently. A DLP printer projects an image of each layer into a vat of liquid resin, and the light hardens that whole layer at once. The part is built up from these thin cured layers.
The result is a surface that is much smoother than a filament print, with sharper edges and finer detail. Small features that would be lost on an FDM print, such as faces on a 28 mm miniature, chainmail texture or small raised lettering, come out clearly in resin.
There are trade-offs:
- Build size is small. Our resin printer takes parts up to 80 x 127 x 160 mm. Bigger models need to be split, or printed in PLA instead.
- Resin is harder but more brittle. It holds detail well but can snap where PLA would bend. Thin swords, spears and antennae on miniatures need care.
- Parts are printed solid. There is no infill setting for resin, so the price follows the size of the part.
If your part is large, needs to take a load, or does not have fine detail, a PLA print is usually cheaper and tougher. Our article on FDM printing over resin compares the two in more depth.
What resin is good for
- Tabletop miniatures and terrain details. Heroes, squads, monsters and bits for kitbashing. Our guide to resin printing miniatures for Warhammer-type games covers what to expect.
- Figures and busts for painting or display.
- Small cosplay details such as badges, insignia, rings and jewellery-style pieces. Larger armour and props suit PLA; see cosplay 3D printing.
- Small product parts and prototypes where the look and feel of fine features matters.
- Scale model parts such as architectural details, vehicle parts and fittings.
Resin colours
- Grey shows detail clearly and is a good base for painting. Most miniature painters choose it.
- White is clean and bright, and also takes paint well.
- Black suits parts that will be used unpainted.
- Clear lets light through. It suits lenses, gems and display pieces, and can be polished or clear-coated for more clarity.
What it costs
Resin parts start from about $5 each. Because they are printed solid, the price rises with the size of the part, and scaling a model down makes a noticeable difference. Prices include GST, and shipping is a flat $15 per order anywhere in Australia (free on orders of $80 or more), however many parts you order.
Getting your file ready
Upload the model as an STL, 3MF, OBJ or STEP file, up to 600 MB. Most miniature files are sold as STL. Check that the size shown in the quote matches the scale you want, since miniature files are sometimes exported at a different scale to the one you play at. If the model is taller than 160 mm, or wider than the build area, the quote will tell you it does not fit.
If your file will not open or is too big for the printer, email it to quotes@3dprinting.zone for a free manual quote.
Painting resin prints
Resin prints take primer and paint well. Wash them gently with warm soapy water before priming to remove any residue, and let them dry fully. Our guide to post-processing 3D prints walks through sanding, priming and painting for both resin and filament prints.
Frequently asked questions
What is the largest resin print you can make?
80 x 127 x 160 mm. Larger models can often be split into pieces and glued after printing, or printed in PLA, which takes parts up to 400 x 400 x 450 mm.
Is resin stronger than PLA?
Not for most uses. Resin is harder and holds finer detail, but it is more brittle, so thin parts can snap. For parts that need to take knocks or loads, PLA is usually the better choice. See prototypes and functional parts.
How much does a resin miniature cost?
Resin parts start from about $5 each, and the price depends on the size of the model. Upload the file to see the exact price in seconds.
Which resin colour is best for painting?
Grey or white. Grey shows detail most clearly, which makes it the usual choice for miniatures.
Can I order several miniatures at once?
Yes. Set the quantity for each model in the quote: 10 or more copies of the same part get a bulk discount, up to 50% off. Shipping is $15 per order, not per part, and free on orders of $80 or more.
Do you print in other resins?
The instant quote offers grey, clear, black and white. If you need something else, email quotes@3dprinting.zone and ask.