Filament vs Resin
What Type of printer should I get?
On the market, there are Filament (FDM) and Resin Printers.
The first thing you have to ask is what you want to print. For smaller complex items you will need a Resin printer, Filament printers may be able to print them but there will be print quality limitations. If you’re looking at printing larger less complex items then you will probably need a filament printer. It’s really hard to say at what point you need to select one type over the other as a novice. All I can suggest is you watch plenty of YouTube videos and make an informed decision.
From my point of view, I have had a resin printer since October 2020 and have loved it printing small to medium-sized detailed items. I keep it in my garage where it’s more ventilated. A couple of months ago I bought a Filament printer, I bought a filament printer for all those things that were just not suited to resin (generally larger items or items I need to be stronger). I have been impressed with the quality but have found where support material the quality of the print has a long way to go to match resin printers.
How much do you need to spend on a printer, personally most people don’t need to spend more than £200 - £400 ($250 - $500). My resin printer cost me about £250 and the Filament printer cost me £290. For railway modeling, I don’t see the need to spend much more unless you’re looking at printing really big items or need the benefits the more expensive printers have.
But what are the running costs like? When printing sizes that are very similar the price isn’t much different. I have found with my filament I’m printing a lot larger items and the monthly spend on filament is far higher than resin has ever been. You will need gloves and ventilators when handling but in the grand scheme of things they are not expensive. Water washable resin can be cleaned with regular tap water, I use water from the dehumidifier but both don’t cost anything. IPA isn’t that expensive to buy if needed. A wash and cure station is not needed as you can clean components in a bowl and then cure them with a cheap UV light or sunlight.
Let’s look at toxic fumes, chemicals, etc., don’t go thinking it's only resin that has this issue. Filament has also got its downsides and especially if you're using more exotic filaments. Also, some resins are worse than others. Both types of printers should be used in a ventilated room. Also, consider using the correct PPE for each type of printer, also read data sheets for resin and filament. Remember cleaning products and paints you use are also bad for you if not handled correctly, there are also lots of other everyday items to be careful with.
You may decide on one type over the other. From my point of view now that I have a resin and a filament printer I wouldn’t be without either, depending on what I want to print I will select the most appropriate printer.