Sanding

With sanding, you will reduce the unevenness of the 3D print. Consider the layered structure that can be visible on the sides of a 3D print. This sanding can be done by hand but also using various forms of sanders. Depending on the desired “smoothness,” choose the appropriate grit size for the sandpaper. Sanding is great for large areas. Small areas can be tricky. Holes and small cavities/spaces may be difficult to reach or even inaccessible for sanding.

Acetone-smoothing

A well-known trick and a reason to print with abs is the so-called abs-smoothing with acetone. Acetone, the solvent in nail polish remover, among others, dissolves abs, making it suitable for post-processing the plastic. If you try that, do it in a well-ventilated room, because if you already found abs smelly while printing, the vapor of acetone is probably even worse for you. For acetone-smoothing, it is not convenient to immerse your print in acetone, but better to work with vapor. You do this, depending on the size of your print, for example, in a sealed container with a piece of kitchen paper dipped in acetone inside. You put your print in the jar and after half a minute or more, according to what is needed, you take your print out. The acetone “melts” the surface of your print and lines are polished smooth that way. In many cases, you can get your print mirror smooth.

Primer

Another tool to use is sandable primer paint spray. This is a filler and makes the 3D object glossy. The primer and the paint spray must be from the same manufacturer, otherwise chances are that this method will not work. There are also 2-in-1 sprays from Duplicolor or Rust-Oleum, for example. This only needs to be sprayed on the object.

Spray

Spray paint for plastics are always a good choice, automotive paint is also possible. be careful with this, it may be a little thinner than the primer and spray putty. If you spray a little too much on the object you can quickly get drips. Keep enough distance while spraying approx 25 cm let the object dry for 5 min each coat. After the last coat, the spray paint is dry and manageable after 24h.

Then you can choose to give the object an extra shine, there are many clear or glossy coats available to give it an extra glass. Again, it is important not to spray too much on the object at once.