Technologies

Best 3D Printer Resin

You’ll want a selection of different resins to make the most of your 3D printer.

Resin 3D printing is a little different from what you might think of as normal 3D printing. Most of the best 3D printers use a material called filament to produce prints, but some use reactive resin to create stunningly detailed models.

These printers use a special type of UV resin that comes in a variety of colors and chemical compositions, each of which can create a different type of end result. A lot of them are specialty resins that you aren’t likely to need every day, but it can get complicated when you’re searching for the right material. We’ve put together this helpful list of the best resins for you to choose from. The list will get updated as more resins are tested by our team.

Siraya Tech

Siraya Tech Fast

Best all-around resin you can buy

Siraya Tech Fast is the perfect balance of price per gallon and functionality. There are cheaper resins, but a lot of them tend to split or become sticky if handled improperly. Fast has been my go-to for the last few years and never lets me down when it comes to reliability.

I also use it for all of my resin 3D printer reviews so I know what each printer can handle. The smoky gray color is my favorite, but there are some amazing colors to choose from.

$37 at Amazon

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Anycubic

Anycubic High Clear resin

Almost glass-like quality

The holy grail of clear resin is to stay clear after curing. When you add UV light to clear resin, it tends to turn slightly yellow, making it look more like nicotine-stained glass rather than freshly made. Anycubic’s high clear resin resists the yellowing of other clear resins and, as long as you don’t over-cure it, will maintain the clear look of crystal.

Pro tip: After you’ve cured the model, spray it with several coats of high gloss clear coat to really make it shine.

$40 at Anycubic

Sunlu

Sunlu 3D printer resin (4-pack)

A great bulk buy

When you’re just starting out it’s helpful to buy a bulk batch of inexpensive resins to get your collection started. This four-pack of 500 gram bottles of resin can be mixed and matched so you can have four different colors, perfect for creating different effects on your models.

$49 at Amazon

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Elegoo

Elegoo plant-based resin

A great budget option

While Elegoo touts its plant-based resin as a nonirritant and safe, it is much better than any other resins in that regard. It should still be handled with gloves, respirator and goggles until it is fully cured.

It is, however, cheap, easy to use and gives reliable results for the price. I also like that the smell of resin is almost nonexistent with plant-based resins.

$15 at Amazon

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Anycubic

Anycubic tough resin

Make your models shatter-resistant

Resin can be quite brittle, and if you’re building parts that need to have stress exerted on them, a resin like the tough resin from Anycubic might help with its longevity.

The tough resin works the same as other resins but allows for some flexibility in the final model. This reduces the chances of it shattering into pieces like dry spaghetti.

$56 at Amazon

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Siraya Tech

Siraya Tech Cast

For jewelry-makers

One of the coolest things I’ve ever done with a resin printer is to make a cast for jewelry. I used some of this resin to print a Green Lantern ring, then took it to a friend of mine with a kiln. She wrapped it in plaster and fired it. The resin has a high wax content that helps it melt away, leaving a perfect mold behind for pouring silver.

This resin is not cheap, but if you’re interested in making your own jewelry and have access to a kiln, this may be for you.

$75 at Amazon

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3D printing resin FAQ

Resin 3D printing is a lot different from other types of additive manufacturing. It can be hazardous, but it is incredibly rewarding if you can get it right. Here are some of the frequently asked questions I get asked about the process.

Is 3D printing resin dangerous?

Short answer: Yes. Long answer: Yes, if you’re careful it’s fine. Touching resin with your bare hands can give you chemical burns, and the more you handle it the more likely you are to become allergic to it. I now have to be extra careful, as I get swollen eyes if any liquid resin touches my skin. It’s no joke. Making sure you’re wearing the correct protective equipment is of vital importance when using resin. Minimally you should be using Nitrile gloves any time you’re handling uncured resin, though I would recommend a pair of safety glasses and a respirator to keep the toxins away.

Can I use normal resin from Michaels?

The type of resin you might see at Michaels or other craft stores is not the same as 3D printing resin. Most of those resins are two-part systems that chemically bond when mixed. UV resin cures under, you guessed it, UV light. It only does this under certain wavelengths, though, so not all resins will work. You will need to use resins specially labeled as 3D printing resins.

What happens if I don’t cure the model?

There are two main stages of curing for a resin-printed model. The first is the curing that happens inside the printer when the UV light hardens a layer of resin to form the model. The second happens after the model is finished. When you first take the model off the build plate you still need to use gloves to handle it, as the outside will be covered in uncured resin. You will need to wash the model in isopropyl alcohol — 90% or above is best — and then cure it one final time in a UV chamber or out in the sun. This will harden the outer surface and make it safe to handle.

If you don’t do that second cure, the model will stay sticky and be unsafe to handle. Even covering it in paint won’t stop it from being hazardous to you and everything around you, including animals and plants. I would recommend a wash-and-cure system to streamline that process.

Can I 3D print something in resin that is food/body safe?

No. 3D printing resin is never food-safe. While curing makes it safe to handle, it is never 100% and ingesting any amount of resin is a big no-no. The best way to make food-safe products from your resin prints is to make a silicone mold of them and use that to make food-safe resin products instead.

Are there different types of resin?

While all UV resins are essentially the same, some have different properties that help you achieve different results. Standard resin is great for a lot of projects but can be quite brittle. Some have a lot of flexibility but don’t lend themselves to fine detail, making them great for more practical prints. There are even resins that can be used to make denture molds, so the uses are endless.

Siraya Tech Fast — the best overall resin on our list — can be mixed with other types from the brand to create different properties so you can buy the cheaper resin and mix it with a small amount of more expensive resin with different properties.

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Sunday, May 18

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for May 18.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword offers up two golf-computer clues, which sound confusing, but are pretty easy once you give them some thought. Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get at those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Golf shot that’s also a piece of computer hardware
Answer: CHIP

5A clue: Golf shot that’s also a piece of computer hardware
Answer: DRIVE

6A clue: Screenwriter Sorkin
Answer: AARON

7A clue: Nonreactive, chemically
Answer: INERT

8A clue: «Bye-bye!»
Answer: SEEYA

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Origami bird
Answer: CRANE

2D clue: Person added to the staff
Answer: HIREE

3D clue: Material used to plate the skin of the Parthenon Athena and the statue of Zeus at Olympia
Answer: IVORY

4D clue: Five: Prefix
Answer: PENTA

5D clue: Speaker’s platform
Answer: DAIS

How to play more Mini Crosswords

The New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day’s Mini Crossword for free, but you’ll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for May 18, #237

Hints and answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 237, for May 18.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

The blue group in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle played on my Gen X heart. If you know your classic video games, you’re golden here. Read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Not lose.

Green group hint: A baseball out.

Blue group hint: Glass Joe.

Purple group hint: Think Chicago.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Win

Green group: Strike out

Blue group: Classic sports video games

Purple group: Associated with Michael Jordan.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is win. The four answers are dub, triumph, victory and W.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is strike out. The four answers are fan, K, ring up and whiff.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is classic sports video games. The four answers are NBA Jam, NFL Blitz, Punch-Out and Tecmo Bowl.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is associated with Michael Jordan. The four answers are 23, 6 rings, His Airness and Last Dance.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for May 18, #707

Hints and answers for Connections for May 18, #707.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections puzzle is a mix of difficult and easy. The purple category does what most purple categories do, and makes you really break down how you think about the words. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group, to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: School days.

Green group hint: About there!

Blue group hint: Sure, let’s go.

Purple group hint: The Scarlett Letter.