Hey! I built this and am loving it. I ran it for 15 minutes on a vat that had about 6 liters through it (had filtered with coffee filters, aluminum sulfate, etc before) and it was so clean afterwards that I exposed it to the sun for an hour and got zero resin precipitation in the vat. A yellow does stay behind, and some dye, but it surely gets the resin out!

I just finished my build. Running it for the first time as I type so far so good. Thx again for sharing

Dude, you are brilliant! I love your filtration system. I was going to buy a parts washer, but this looks like a much better idea and will keep the alcohol in much better condition than a parts washer could.

The reactor coil is truly ingenious. Outstanding.

thanks for the tip on heating band, I'm just back to resin printing and back in the Anycubic OG Photon days I used the same relay/sensor but had no idea that heating band existed so I used a heating block and a small fan inside the enclosure, it helped my printer stay active throughout our winter in the garage

This is the perfect system. I have it now set up for 4 weeks and I have printed nearly 10 litres of resin. IPA is still transparent, just a bit tinted grey as I have uses Phrozen speed and Siraya smoky black resins. Thank you Nick! You should patent this and then sell to some 3D printers manufacturer :) I cant believe such filtration systems are not yet available as resin printers accessory.

Kid you are BRILLIANT! I’m going to build this over the next month.

I imagine that because it's specc'd for IPA use, this would be more than capable of handling a set up with water. Thanks for posting this, I need to make one like this.

Well thought out video. The filter process makes sense. Thanks for sharing.

This is so cool! Must have projects for SLA printers!

Keep up the great work, you've saved me hours of alcohol clean-up. I just built this tonight and it works like a charm! I make resin figures on a semi-weekly basis and have been looking for a better way to clean and reuse my IPA. The flow is just good enough to get the excess resin off my figures.

Amazing! Thanks for sharing your brilliant cleaning system!

Beautiful. Awesome setup. Thank you for sharing!

This is awesome! We need more videos from you!!!

We need more videos from you--great stuff!!

Great design! Thanks for sharing.

I really need to build this!!! Thank you so much!

Really inspiring projects - something I would love to tinker with - great video thanks.

Dude, that is most excellent. Thanks for sharing!

This is a great setup! Inexpensive, reasonably easy to set up, effective, doesn't rely on extra consumables like aluminum sulfate or diatomaceous earth (my preferred bulk filtration medium right now), doesn't require containers to be left in the sun, and best of all (in my opinion), it keeps the tank clean enough that you can clean in one stage rather than having multiple containers of progressively cleaner IPA. I look forward to any other improvements you might make on this in the future! One improvement I would make if I built this would be to put some kind of UV shield around the hose loop for eye safety, even if just a drawstring cloth sack. It would be very interesting to do a before/after dry weight measurement of the two different filters after significant use to see how much they are pulling in, what percent of the material each one gets, and how much they can hold before the pump hits its pressure limit. Did you use the same 360W PSU you linked in another comment for the diaphragm pump, UV LED strip, heat strip, and the peristaltic pump seen in the video?

Wow this is awesome! Keep making videos Nick! subbed.

👏👏 great video!

The heating mantle is brilliant!

Very cool, well done!

This is a genius setup!

This is exactly what I was looking for!

I'm interested to hear more about your commercialized version. Curious if more testing has revealed improvements. On the one hand I want to build one myself right now, but I could be persuaded to wait. : )

I really like this setup! I too hate cleaning up after myself when doing resin printing. I did try out some of my own solutions, most of which definitely did not work well enough for a second attempt, but one I tried recently actually did work well enough for me to recommend it as a low cost, low effort solution. Basically, use the UV lights to cure to resin dissolved in the alcohol, so that you get a gross, cloudy suspension of microscopic resin particles. If you do nothing, and just let those particles settle, over a few weeks you'll get _most_ of them to collect at the bottom of the container, leaving you with mostly clean IPA. But I'm impatient, that takes too long, and isn't effective enough. But, good news, if you just add some sodium bentonite (aka bentonite clay, I got nearly a pound from my local grocery store for under $10, sold as a bird feed additive) suspended in solution, the bentonite will bind with the particles of resin, and make them settle out much quicker and more effectively. Is it a set-and-forget solution? No, but is it cheap and effective? Hell yeah.

I will be assembling my filtration system tonight!

This ist so amazing!!! ❤

I've been running one of these for a few months now... my only regret is that I didn't make one sooner!

Thanks this is very helpful.

Fantastic setup! Thanks for the brain food!

This is awesome. I was looking for a distiller to clean my ipa but this looks like a much safer way albeit slightly more expensive. I can't find the exact parts you used here in Sweden but I think I managed to find equivalents so hopefully I can get just as good results once I have it set up. Thanks for a great video.

Very clever, and good to see you took safety precautions. Only thing I could think of that might be helpful is maybe some valves to prevent any flow when changing filters if IPA stays in the tubes between cycles

Wanted to chime in with a few things. 1. The pump in the link is a different brand now. I didn't realize that but it seems to work! 2. I got the cheapest filter housing possible. I don't recommend this. Getting some of the dual housing or single housing x2 for around 50$ total is the better idea. 3. It full on works!!! 4. Some improvements: maybe quick release fittings for the container connection! I found that having a Y at the pump outlet with one section going to a valve and a small extra set of tubing allows me to hook up an air compressor to drain 50%+ of the IPA that say in the filter housings! This makes filter replacement super easy!

Need to see in action!

wow great work

Great video. 'nuff said

Thank you.

Great job. This is over the top.

Nice setup. I use a more KISS approach, I have a dirty IPA bath container where all the parts are sunk before going to the cleaning station. I never felt the need to change the IPA in the station, it's about 2 years old by now. It's not 100% translucent, but never failed me until today. Parts leave it squeaky clean.

I don't even have a 3d printer and I found this super interersting!

Thanks for the info

Awesome!

this is sick youre a mad man

amazing!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!! edit: Not sure if intended - The pump linked in the description, looks very similar but is a "maxzone" pump, and not the Seaflo Pump actually talked about in the video. Tried to look it up, but couldn't see if it contained the same materials, so be sure to look up the actual Series-33 Seaflo pump.

I would love to see how you have configured the washbucket (in terms of where you added the lines) as well as the resin drain system that I see in the back ground

I would just wrap it in Aluminium foil. That way you get some thermal cooling of the led strip plus reflection of any uv light back to where you want it. I have been thinking about a system like this for the better part of 3 years, but never had the time, or the interns, to get this done. Had all kind of crazy ideas in, charcoal filter plus diatomaceous earth...etc. I do think that you will have to check your tubing quite regularly as uv damages plastic.

I want one!!

Спасибо!

This is really nice and I would not be afraid about the components having problem with IPA. I rather wonder how the PVC tubes will perform after a couple of months. Usually PVC is not UV resistant, why outdoors it is either put into the ground or coated with some paint for UV protection. In this case you cannot do that, since the UV should go through the PVC tube, so it should get brittle over time. Maybe it takes years, but maybe only a few months, I dunno since the UV source is right in front of it. Replacing with silicone tube might be smart after they start becoming harder and harder. Same goes for the fittings, but those can be easily shielded from the uv.

I was exposing my tank to the sun, then filtering the alcohol through a paint strainer. Does OK, I can't wait to try this..

This system is interesting, and it clearly works, however sediment filters keep catching particles in themselves, that means that's a matter of time when they will loose efficiency or clog completely. For set it and forget it kind of approach, I think something like centrifugal filtration is more fitting. Cause that way its possible to set it up so all the debris will collect in one place and you will be able to just take it of, clean it and put back

Wow, I wish I had found about this sooner but considering that you only put this out in mid 2023 I prolly wouldn't have heard about it in time. Considering how relatively toxic resin printing is to your health and the environment, as well as costly and time consuming, your IPA filter looks like a winner in my book at addressing those issues rather well. I would prolly still let the filters lay in the sun for a few days before disposing of them. The overall cost up front isn't cheap but it isn't prohibitive either. I am glad I didn't spend that xmas gift card on other things since it should cover the cost of the materials here. I thought the pump was going to be pretty pricey but it is quite affordable. I would love to see a 1 year, 18 month and 2 year update to get a good long idea of how well it performs long term. The only consumable would be the filters aside from the obvious IPA that would be lost due to evaporation but I would love to see the cost savings long term. Either way I would do it simply to have a single stage cleaning vat and not having to always think about how dirty my IPA is or how long it might take to let the cured resin settle after leaving it in the sun, filter, squeeze out more from the goo that forms from that process, cure in the sun some more and finally dispose.

Mate you need to market this, I'd happily pay for it to avoid work, but a lot of other people might not be confident in making it themselves aswell and buying a ready made system would be their only solution

Thanks so much for these awesome ideas! I'm going to order all the pump parts today - although I'll go the 120V route since I don't have a nice 12V supply. One thought - maybe a pressure gauge between the pump and the filters? That would tell you far in advance about the condition of the filters, no? I'm glad to see you used hose clamps too even though they're not on the list - I'd be worried at 50 psi that you'd blow the tubes off the barb fittings, which would be quite a mess and danger.

Nick! Excellent rig you have created. Thank you for sharing this with the resin 3d printing community. Can you show us a video or photos of where the fittings are connected to the bucket? Thank you.

Awesome video! Is there a step by step on how to put it all together?

This is very interesting, can we see this in action please, I'd love to hear an update video on how this has perfromed since this videos release, or perhaps a "6 months later" along with any mishaps, upgrades or in hindsight thoughts.

Nick, great video. Looks like you use your SLA printer for functional parts (versus miniatures or figurines). I'd like to see videos and how you orientate your parts on the build plate to control warping and obtain the best part-to-part fitment. I'm also interested if you have tried any of the flexible resins in your functional parts?

Que centro de limpieza estas gastando me encanta el deposito de limpieza IPA

I don't see why the filter system couldn't also be used for water wash resin, Very nice setup.

Hmm I would recommend replacing your curing loop with another reservoir and adding the leds to the main container with the 3d printed part. With proper programming of the pump/necessary additional valves you could make an automated wash and cure station (with self cleaning ipa)

Thanks for posting this Nick. Got some questions regarding your setup. (#1) After a month of using it have you noticed any reduced effectiveness of the filtered IPA? i.e. is it just as effective as new IPA? (#2) would a clear tube with UV light strips wrapped around it between filter #1 and filter #2 add any benefit? (#3) would you change anything in your setup now that you have been using it for a while, i.e. add additional filter stages, use the clear see-through filters, etc (#4) does the pump come with it's own power plug? And finally, (#5) what is that white box with the tubes on the left side of your filtration system?

Hi @Nick Wilson, I have posted this over Hackaday too, but I don't know if you'll see the question so here it is also: For the past year, can you tell us after how many kilograms of printed resin have you finally had to change the filters (and which one clogs first if you’ve done the test)?

Great idea! How often do you clean the filters? Well done 👍

This is some low-key final boss villain shit i love it

This is wonderful! Any chance you could do a close up or provide more info about how to do the wiring on the heating strips with the temp relay? For a total neophyte like myself, it's a bit of a mystery.

Here from Hackaday, would have been cool to see the IPA circulation running. Very nice idea. Do you stir (agitate) the IPA as well, or is the pump flow enough to not worry? Would be good to track IPA usage and publish your findings as well, just as supporting.

I didn't catch your method of cleaning. Are the parts just static in the tub and the high flow rate does the job? My method for some time is to use a garden sprayer. I leave the parts on the build plate and squirt the parts with reasonable pressure. Inside a large tub of course. I find the mechanical force speeds up the dissolving of the remaining resin. It is a bit messy though. The pressure can't be too high of course. Not just for mess but it can blow the parts off the plate which is a nuisance because I post-cure on the plate as well. For recycling the resin I just let gravity do the job. The fact that alcohol is less dense than resins is very handy. Overnight is generally long enough for the resin to settle. I then just decant the alcohol till I see resin particles at the lip. The remainder goes into another container with the previously settled mixture for further settling. It works but is a bit messy. It would seem your system greatly reduces mess. As to the heating, I have just purchased Chitu System's heater. Cheap and works a treat. I'm going to get more for my other machines. Your system is the best I have seen. Thanks for sharing. One question. How long do the filters last?

I am still waiting for someone to start manufacturing ITO/FTO-coated heating screen protectors for efficient FEP heating. For example, KRALYN demonstrated it's use as heatbed for his FDM printer PositronV3, so it is definitely viable. Only thing you need is suitable ITO-coated glass, PSU and some kind of thermal feedback. Also, I am devising IPA filtration based on continual deposition of resin on a disposable surface. Imagine stairs on a slight slope covered with disposable non-woven fabric, complemented with overhead UV floodlight and peristaltic pump. UV light will cure resin only on the fabric, and peristaltic pump will cycle the IPA over the stairs over and over until it is clean or until the fabric is all saturated. It would be all sized up for ultra-cheap 10.6l Ikea 365+ container. Originally I planned to build it in the container's lid, but it would provide better access to the filtration fabric if it were on a standalone frame, only encased in the container. Replacing even hundred of sheets of non-woven fabric is still cheaper then replacing one proper filter, it is clog-proof because if the fabric is saturated, the IPA sipmply spills over to the next stair and eventually back to the bottm of the container. I expect to have it built by the end of the march. What do you think?

I love the system you've built, but based on the amount of resin I pull out of my IPA, I'd be going through new filters every couple weeks. I Currently have over 20lbs of cured goop I'm waiting to dry out outside. It's been over a month and...still goop.

Really great! Anyone built this in the UK and have been able to source correct parts here in uk?

Wow! awesome setup! Going through the parts n pieces, for now, I'm only doing the warming piece, and I love the low price of your recommendations. I did notice though that the heating element is super long. Can it be cut? or did you just wrap it around a few times. I have an AnyCubic Photon 4, smaller than yours.

thank you so much for sharing this brilliant Tip. I have a question. Did you make holes in your wash cure bucket to pass in the tubes? If so, please what did you do exactly ? Thanks in advance.

Atm almost done building a filter set like the vid. Some l leaks in the water test so almost done. Had to get some fittings but it seems to hold on the board so here's going it holds when in service.

Subbed

I love this idea. I've been using a much more manual, MUCH slower method of charcoal filters attached tot he bottom of a bucket, filtering into the bucket below. It works well, but it's more annoying than the post processing itself. Putting this on my to-do list. Thanks for the video. Did I miss this part, but what power supply are you using for the pump/leds? Just a random 12v psu?

Your system looks nice. I would cover the loop though because UV is not good for your eyes. Printing a plastic cover for the loop might be a good idea.

This is amazing and I will be building this! I'm curious if any other cleaning solution would work. SimpleGreen or one of the less caustic/expensive cleaners would be amazing in a system like this and would cost pennies to run. Thoughts?

Looks awesome! How is it holding up after a year? Is there a maxium amount of IPA you can run through it until filters are full?

Very nice ideas! Thanks for that! When i am running the heatband with 12V and it has 150W, do i need a acdc adapter with 12,5A? Or did i a mistake? Could u maybe list the full setup how u are running your heatband with thermoelement?

Hi Nick, thank you so much for creating this video and filtering system! I've read through a lot of the comments and it sounds like you are working on a commercial system that you may sell. If so, how far out are you from that? I'd love to purchase one, but if it is still going to be a while I'll build what you have in this video. Also, can you provide the model number of the pump? The link in the description is taking me to a smaller Maxzone pump that I doubt is rated for IPA. Thanks!

First thanks for the information. I have built this system and really look forward to a much better washing system. I have two issues (questions). First the filter size. I see that the Amazon listing shows 0.5 microns for the carbon filters. However I do not see that confirmed on the packaging. I suspect these are 5.0 micron filters. I compared to another purchased filter that was labeled 0.5 microns, and there was a huge difference in back pressure. The validated 0.5 micron filter caused much more back pressure compared to the listed filters.... the pump struggled to push the water through... got a few leaks too. So I switched back to the listed filters. Are we sure the 0.5 micron filter is the right filtration size? My IPA is looking very mirky without the 0.5 micron filter installed. I need to decide whether its worth it to try and get it to work. I am just looking for confirmation. The other issue/question is pump flow rate. Seems to me a much slower pump would be more ideal for the UV light to have more time to solidify the resin. I think the IPA is flowing threw the UV light too fast to actually cure. Anybody have recommendations on a slower or speed controllable pump?

This is a really awesome system.

Hey man, really smart setup you got there. I was planning on making something similar, and was wondering if I could get the link for the pump and filters. Cheers.

Very nice video! Any specific reason why you didnt choose the transparant filter housing? Isn't it easier to see if the filter is full?

The filter system looks great. I am just about to dive into the exciting world of 3D printing and have bought elgoos wash and cure Station. I don’t know exactly how it works as I haven’t used it yet but my idea was to try and cure the resin left in the ipa under the cure station lights (assuming the vat you get with it fits). If so, could you then circulate the ipa through those filters and back into into vat? (negating the need for the UV LED strips around the tubing)

The yellowing of the ipa would concern me slightly if im using clear resin. I wonder if adding a carbon reactor at the end of the filtering to clear that up

Can you talk about the resin transfer pump by the washing cleaner

This is amazing. I'm running 20-30 build plates and consuming maybe 5 kg of resin per day. Do you think this system could keep up? (Currently I'm cleaning IPA using a distiller - it feels like a matter of time before a disaster 💥.) Also, do you find resin attaching to the tubing in the UV reactor?

Brilliant! How are the pipes connected to the tank?

For the curing of the resin in the tube have you ever thought about using a water filtration UV sanitizer?

You have 165 subscribers. Well you now have 166. 🙂

Great video and great insight! Have you found any resin layer buildup in the lumen of the reactor? Do you think the continuous flow will be able to prevent it?

Great video, thanks Nick! How has this system been holding up since you initially built it? Is the IPA staying clean/functional?

Neat idea! Is there a reason why you're reactor is after your pump? I think having reacted fluid flowing through the pump would reduce the likelihood of resin building up on the pump parts.

Can you post a how to video walking us through setup? Or is it relatively simple once the materials ship in? Thank you very much for your content, easily the most effective and low maintenance setup I’ve seen!