I print figurines for D&D adventures with my kids, both monsters and player characters, I’ve also done a few scenery items and player trinkets. So far I’ve just used whatever PLA I had around, but was thinking that maybe there were some brands (or other filament) that are better for this type of thing? Preferably also easily paintable since they’ve started to want more than just plain solid colour.

I’m using a 0.2mm nozzle for these, and detail is actually pretty decent.

  • roofuskit@lemmy.worldEnglish
    14·
    2 days ago

    If you’re printing miniatures on FDM you should check out

    https://youtube.com/@tombof3dprintedhorrors

    and

    https://youtube.com/@onceinasixside

    The first, Fat Dragon Games, has many years of experience printing, designing, and selling models for FDM miniatures. He’s got opinions on filaments.

    The second channel is more recent to FDM printing but made the jump from printing exclusively in resin and is now enjoying a journey into FDM. He talks about his preferred filaments in his videos.

    I highly suggest you follow both of them. Also Fat Dragon minis aren’t the greatest detail or have very expressive poses, but they are design specifically to print in FDM without support. So I suggest checking them out. Brite Minis is another FDM exclusive miniature model seller.

    I haven’t done FDM minis in a while so I’m not sure what filament brand to recommend specifically for that. But definitely stick with PLA. I know I used to use E-Sun and I believe that’s what fat dragon used to recommend as well.

    DO NOT use white filament to print minis. Pigments in the filaments affect their properties and there’s a LOT of white pigment in white filament and it makes it more brittle. Black tends to have the least pigment, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that makes the best filament for minis. Fat dragon usually recommends grey but I think that’s more for aesthetic reasons.