SMOOTHING 3D prints WITH ACETONE VAPOR

If you’ve ever utilized an extruding 3D printer, you understand that the resulting prints aren’t precisely smooth. At the Southackton hackerspace [James] as well as [Bracken] worked out a technique of smoothing the parts out utilizing vapor. The technique includes heating acetone up until it develops a vapor, then subjecting ABS parts to the vapor. The technique only works with ABS, however produces some great looking results.

Acetone is rather flammable, so the people started out with some security testing. This included getting a great air to fuel blend of acetone, as well as testing what the worst case scenario would be if it were to ignite. The tests showed that the amount of acetone they utilized would be rather safe, even if it caught fire, which was a worry a number of people pointed out last time we saw the method.

After the break, [James] as well as [Bracken] provide a in-depth explanation of the process.