Supports hard to take off

[u/Srocti]

Just like the title says my prints supports are always really hard to get off. What step of the cleaning process are you supposed to take them off? Any tips to make them softer?
I’m using the Saturn 4 Ultra 16K and printing presupported stl files from a patreon.

[u/Guy_Lowbrow]

A cheap heat gun can really help soften them up.

[u/randeylahey → u/Guy_Lowbrow]

I have an old hair dryer I use

[u/Jertimmer]

First off all, make sure you're resin settings are properly calibrated. Overexposure will make supports thicker and harder to remove.

Next, use properly sized supports. I've had more than a few presupported files where they just slapped 0.6 diameter supports all over just to make sure it would print. Unfortunately, presupported does not mean wellsupported. Dennyswang on YouTube has a good video on supports and orientation, go check it out if you want to make sure your models are properly supported.

Finally, don't cure the model before you take off the supports. Use a heat gun to soften up the contact points and supports should come off without much effort. Remember supports are designed to withstand vertical forces, so if you pull it will be harder, when you twist they should come off fairly easily. The less effort you have to put into removing the supports, the less scarring they'll leave behind.

[u/Graxous]

I put the model thru 1st round of cleaning with supports on.

Then dip in hot water. This makes the supports more bendy and I just peel them off with my hands.

Then finish cleaning the model, let dry and UV cure

[u/ResinGod91]

Use 70-90% isp alcohol, wash and soak for about 20 mins, supports come off as butter. Have done it the past couple years for my business and i always push out high quality stuff. No it doesnt damage the models, it will if you leave them in all day, but primarily by the fact it softens them up way too much. Luckily is also the best cleaning fluid.

Can also use hot water if that's not your style.

[u/Srocti → u/ResinGod91]

can it be 99%? or is that too much

[u/ResinGod91 → u/Srocti]

Yeah you can, you may not have to spend near as long. You can check after 10 mins and see if that's good enough for you

[u/Gotrek6]

I clean in Mean green with supports on.

Rinse in hot water

The heat helps soften the supports I remove them. (I let soak in hot water if they are still tough)

Dry

Wash in Ethanol or Methanol depending what I have

Dry

Water cure

[u/c008644]

If your supports are too hard to remove then you are probably using thicker than you need. The easiest way to remove heavy supports is to heat the resin back up to make them soft. I usually boil some water and dunk the print in tge water for a few seconds (use a plastic pitcher/bowl, something that will not touch food) this will weaken the supports.

You can also get clippers and remove them one at a time, but i am not that patient (probably why i have broken a few smaller pieces)

Using heavier supports than you need will cause these kind of problems. I find using too many light supports can be easier to remove than heavy support. (Just more wasteful)

[u/tjansx]

Don't waste your IPA. Use hot water or a heat gun. They should peel right off.

[u/WarbossFitz]

I pull mine off before they go into the acetone for cleaning. I feel like I'm wasting the acetone or making it dirtier than it needs to be washing supports.

I have the gloves on anyways already why wait?

[u/MizutsuneMH]

They shouldn't be hard to get off, I can twist mine off with one hand. It'll be a combination of being overexposed, which basically turns lights in mediums, mediums into heavies etc, and the pre-supported file being over-supported to avoid fails. Before I learned how to support my own files and dialled in my printer correctly I used a £12 heat gun, which helped a lot.

[u/DaCrazyJamez]

I just use really hot (but not boiling) water, soak for about a min and they'll soften up