3D print post-processing

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Finishing starts the moment the print comes off the plate: supports off without scarring the surface, then strings and blobs, then sanding or smoothing if the part needs to look made rather than printed. Each step is easier when the one before it was done properly.

• How to remove supportsTools, slicer settings and PVA — removal without damaging the part.
• Removing strings and blobsCleaning up a finished print, and what to change so it stops happening.
• How to sand 3D printsGrit progression, wet sanding and filling layer lines.
• Post-processing toolsA starter kit that covers most jobs, and the beginner mistakes to skip.
• Acetone vapour smoothing for ABSA glossy finish on ABS and ASA, with the safety rules acetone demands.