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Hi,

Here's a vid I made showing how to cold acetone vapor finish your ABS parts. The results are amazing

Check it out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2lm6FuaAWI

Hey, that was you? Fantastic!

I think I stumbled across the youtube video as it was linked from reddit/r/3dprinting.

Thank you so much for sharing that. I looking forward to trying it out.

Awesome!!! cant wait to try this

McSlappy wrote:Hi,

Here's a vid I made showing how to cold acetone vapor finish your ABS parts. The results are amazing

Check it out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2lm6FuaAWI

How long does it take for the acetone to exit the finished part? I was playing around with this and made a part with a really good finish, then I let it sit for a day and them moved it to my kitchen and left it on the table. In the afternoon the sun came in the window and was shining on it and apparently warmed it up and these weird blisters formed all over the sunward face.

Once that happened I looked closer at some of the parts I did before with acetone and it looks to me like the ABS is still a bit malleable. I can make permanent depressions in it with my finger nail. Seems like it should be cured after a few days, right?

Is this normal, or is this just another symptom of my cheap ABS?

Brian, that's definitely not normal. I have vapor smoothed a lot of ABS parts, and after a few hours of off-gassing, they go back to regular ABS hardness.

Brian wrote:How long does it take for the acetone to exit the finished part? I was playing around with this and made a part with a really good finish, then I let it sit for a day and them moved it to my kitchen and left it on the table. In the afternoon the sun came in the window and was shining on it and apparently warmed it up and these weird blisters formed all over the sunward face.

Once that happened I looked closer at some of the parts I did before with acetone and it looks to me like the ABS is still a bit malleable. I can make permanent depressions in it with my finger nail. Seems like it should be cured after a few days, right?

Is this normal, or is this just another symptom of my cheap ABS?

Filament may have had a very high PolyManurium content.

nitewatchman

Glacian22 wrote:Brian, that's definitely not normal. I have vapor smoothed a lot of ABS parts, and after a few hours of off-gassing, they go back to regular ABS hardness.

I also noticed that after vapor polishing, the parts have a pecular stink to them. I gather this is also something that does not normally happen.

I'm printing with new filament from another supplier now, so I will see soon if the filament is the issue (it has other quality issues, this could be another of many problems I have with this roll of Sainsmart ABS).

What if you had active gas circulation inside your acetone vapor chamber?

I am thinking of putting a small fan inside that will create a constant draft. That way, i am hoping that all parts of the abs will get an even amount of acetone vapor on them.


Are the computer fans made out of ABS?

Also. Am i making my prints weaker with acetone or am i making the outside of the layers better bonded?

teoman wrote:What if you had active gas circulation inside your acetone vapor chamber?

I am thinking of putting a small fan inside that will create a constant draft. That way, i am hoping that all parts of the abs will get an even amount of acetone vapor on them.


Are the computer fans made out of ABS?

Kinda late, but going to chime in anyway, most small fans cause sparks on the motor brushes. Not sure I'd want those in contact with acetone vapors!

barry99705 wrote:

teoman wrote:What if you had active gas circulation inside your acetone vapor chamber?

I am thinking of putting a small fan inside that will create a constant draft. That way, i am hoping that all parts of the abs will get an even amount of acetone vapor on them.


Are the computer fans made out of ABS?

Kinda late, but going to chime in anyway, most small fans cause sparks on the motor brushes. Not sure I'd want those in contact with acetone vapors!

The small fans that run on 5 and 12v usually do not have brushes and generate no sparks.
I would be concerned about the plastic fan itself though because I am not sure what type of plastic it is made from or if it can stand being in the Acetone
vapors without warping or "melting".

only one way to find out