<p>desktop tumbler/brass polisher, rotary rock tumblers are probably a better option than a small sandblasting cabinet. choose your abrasive material from there, a coarse sand is probably not what you want but there are walnut based things and finer grit materials that should be able to get a nice shine. if you would rather do it manually and geometry allows you can try a dremel-type rotary tool with a buffing wheel or similar</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-12T20:35:53.313Z
The rotary rock tumbler method has not worked for me, neither has the acetone bath
K Mmmm
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-13T13:46:44.903Z
@KMmmm, Try different media until you get a result you can live with. Some people use Silicon Carbide in their tumbler.
user77232
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-28T18:48:16.637Z
2019-06-28T18:48:16.637Z
entropicCreator
<p>I have some transparent resin parts printed with a polyjet printer. Where the support contacted the part it has a matte finish. The recommended finishing technique for these parts is to sand them with sandpaper, but the geometry of my part makes that very difficult. What alternatives to sanding do I have, to give these parts a glossy finish?</p>

<p>I'm looking for techniques appropriate to a home or small office environment. A technique that needs special equipment bigger than a desk is probably not going to work for me.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-25T14:34:09.633Z
"paint" with a solvent?  or, paint a thin layer of resin and re-expose?
Carl Witthoft
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-25T21:17:09.977Z
i've used a rock tumbler to smooth prints, but that smooths the whole thing. maybe you could tape over the areas that need detail preserved...
dandavis
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-26T09:05:00.197Z
@dandavis A tumbler is a good idea, but what i'm trying to do is turn my small, flat, matte surfaces into glossy surfaces, so taping over those surfaces in the tumbler won't help with that.
Dan Hulme
<post-processing><resin><polyjet-printer>
What alternatives are there to sanding resin parts with fine details?
Dan Hulme
# What alternatives are there to sanding resin parts with fine details?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-06-25)

I have some transparent resin parts printed with a polyjet printer. Where the support contacted the part it has a matte finish. The recommended finishing technique for these parts is to sand them with sandpaper, but the geometry of my part makes that very difficult. What alternatives to sanding do I have, to give these parts a glossy finish?

I'm looking for techniques appropriate to a home or small office environment. A technique that needs special equipment bigger than a desk is probably not going to work for me.

**Tags:** post-processing, resin, polyjet-printer

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: "paint" with a solvent?  or, paint a thin layer of resin and re-expose?  
> **username_2**: i've used a rock tumbler to smooth prints, but that smooths the whole thing. maybe you could tape over the areas that need detail preserved...  
> **username_0**: @username_2 A tumbler is a good idea, but what i'm trying to do is turn my small, flat, matte surfaces into glossy surfaces, so taping over those surfaces in the tumbler won't help with that.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-06-28. Score: 1

desktop tumbler/brass polisher, rotary rock tumblers are probably a better option than a small sandblasting cabinet. choose your abrasive material from there, a coarse sand is probably not what you want but there are walnut based things and finer grit materials that should be able to get a nice shine. if you would rather do it manually and geometry allows you can try a dremel-type rotary tool with a buffing wheel or similar

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: The rotary rock tumbler method has not worked for me, neither has the acetone bath  
> **username_5**: @username_4, Try different media until you get a result you can live with. Some people use Silicon Carbide in their tumbler.  

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