<p>I have used Styrol based Polyester resins on prints and they created the usual stench as well as a surefire bond and it is easily useable with unstructured fiberglass, as that fiberglass has usually a binder that will react with the styrol and bond the mat.</p>

<p>Epoxy resins also bond nicely to PLA and don't have the styrol smell, but they are not bonding that nicely to normal fiberglass, you want to use them with fiberglass weave.</p>

<p>Either resin is a quite viscous fluid. When you cast a flat surface, it will try to smooth out to a good degree under gravity. When coating a curved surface, you should make sure to align it in way that the lowest point is either the top of the dome or the lower edge, so it settles equally. You can aid in this process by providing heat as this will lower viscosity. An airstream will also aid as it presses onto the surface helping to smooth out unevenness.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-09T14:35:33.117Z
2019-12-09T14:35:33.117Z
Trish
<p>I've been experimenting with FDM 3D printers and PLA for about a year now.
I'm at the point where I'd like to produce something considerably stronger than PLA, and was wondering if there is a <em>faux-pas</em> list, or general instructions on how to coat PLA with epoxy resin, or even fibreglass/carbon fibre and resin to add strength and a surface to sand and paint.</p>

<p>I would have assumed that I'd need to coat the PLA object using a brush and epoxy resin, but I've also seen blogs where the epoxy mix has been heated enough to become liquid and then the PLA object was submerged in it. </p>

<p>Obviously the fibre coating would most likely have to take place manually by adding sheets, unless I decide to go for shredded fibres (which probably won't provide the strength I'm interested in).</p>

<p>Has anyone tried it, or have a guide on how to do this?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-02T15:40:26.170Z
Have you considered printing in a different, stronger material rather than coating it? Know that there are also fibre reinforced nylon filaments available. So, is the question still directed to a coating or stronger print?
0scar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-02T15:55:02.390Z
@0scar I have, unfortunately my current setup doesn't allow me to do so. Furthermore this question isn't only about strength, but also about the finish the object will have. For example, coating it with epoxy would allow me to treat it differently (spraying, painting, even electroplate it). I've seen carbon filaments which are prohibitively expensive and still won't reach the strength of a CF reinforced object.
Ælex
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-02T16:01:51.127Z
Fair enough, let's see what post processing answer this generates! Welcome to 3DPrinting.SE! :-)
0scar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-02T17:22:36.430Z
resin tag does not apply, as that is for SLA/DLP/... Resin Printers
Trish
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-02T19:21:39.490Z
It would be interesting to see a resin that could hold the shape of a PLA  print in high temps. Maybe a two part resin, mixed together, painted on at room temp, that would harden and hold PLA's shape up to like 250 C. PLA is just so easy to print
K Mmmm
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-02T19:54:27.593Z
@KMmmm We call that concrete! ;-)
0scar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-03T12:06:10.090Z
I've bought some epoxy resin, clear and fast curing. I'll try using it on a phone holder, a Moebius artwork and maybe a ring. For the phone holder I want to coat it with epoxy, then add carbon fibre 0.5mm sheet around it and then add another layer of epoxy. For the artwork I just want to encase it/embed it. The ring is meant to have a piece of pebble stuck on top, so the epoxy would need to adhere to PLA, else it will fall off. I'll keep this post updated and if I have time I'll post it on YouTube.
Ælex
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-09T14:37:18.717Z
@KMmmm Plaster or Gypsum. I am experimenting with a lost-mold item to be cast in aluminium atm...
Trish
<pla><post-processing>
overlaying epoxy resin on PLA
Ælex
# overlaying epoxy resin on PLA

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-12-02)

I've been experimenting with FDM 3D printers and PLA for about a year now.
I'm at the point where I'd like to produce something considerably stronger than PLA, and was wondering if there is a *faux-pas* list, or general instructions on how to coat PLA with epoxy resin, or even fibreglass/carbon fibre and resin to add strength and a surface to sand and paint.

I would have assumed that I'd need to coat the PLA object using a brush and epoxy resin, but I've also seen blogs where the epoxy mix has been heated enough to become liquid and then the PLA object was submerged in it.

Obviously the fibre coating would most likely have to take place manually by adding sheets, unless I decide to go for shredded fibres (which probably won't provide the strength I'm interested in).

Has anyone tried it, or have a guide on how to do this?

**Tags:** pla, post-processing

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Have you considered printing in a different, stronger material rather than coating it? Know that there are also fibre reinforced nylon filaments available. So, is the question still directed to a coating or stronger print?  
> **username_0**: @username_1 I have, unfortunately my current setup doesn't allow me to do so. Furthermore this question isn't only about strength, but also about the finish the object will have. For example, coating it with epoxy would allow me to treat it differently (spraying, painting, even electroplate it). I've seen carbon filaments which are prohibitively expensive and still won't reach the strength of a CF reinforced object.  
> **username_1**: Fair enough, let's see what post processing answer this generates! Welcome to 3DPrinting.SE! :-)  
> **username_2**: resin tag does not apply, as that is for SLA/DLP/... Resin Printers  
> **username_3**: It would be interesting to see a resin that could hold the shape of a PLA  print in high temps. Maybe a two part resin, mixed together, painted on at room temp, that would harden and hold PLA's shape up to like 250 C. PLA is just so easy to print  
> **username_1**: @username_3 We call that concrete! ;-)  
> **username_0**: I've bought some epoxy resin, clear and fast curing. I'll try using it on a phone holder, a Moebius artwork and maybe a ring. For the phone holder I want to coat it with epoxy, then add carbon fibre 0.5mm sheet around it and then add another layer of epoxy. For the artwork I just want to encase it/embed it. The ring is meant to have a piece of pebble stuck on top, so the epoxy would need to adhere to PLA, else it will fall off. I'll keep this post updated and if I have time I'll post it on YouTube.  
> **username_2**: @username_3 Plaster or Gypsum. I am experimenting with a lost-mold item to be cast in aluminium atm...  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-12-09. Score: 2

I have used Styrol based Polyester resins on prints and they created the usual stench as well as a surefire bond and it is easily useable with unstructured fiberglass, as that fiberglass has usually a binder that will react with the styrol and bond the mat.

Epoxy resins also bond nicely to PLA and don't have the styrol smell, but they are not bonding that nicely to normal fiberglass, you want to use them with fiberglass weave.

Either resin is a quite viscous fluid. When you cast a flat surface, it will try to smooth out to a good degree under gravity. When coating a curved surface, you should make sure to align it in way that the lowest point is either the top of the dome or the lower edge, so it settles equally. You can aid in this process by providing heat as this will lower viscosity. An airstream will also aid as it presses onto the surface helping to smooth out unevenness.


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