# Resin 3D printers: How bad are the fumes? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 18, 2021, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resin-3d-printers-how-bad-are-the-fumes/940268 "2021-04-18T20:17:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resin-3d-printers-how-bad-are-the-fumes/940268/1 "2021-04-18T20:17:39Z")
…Since it would be residing in my bedroom _cum_ office. I’m thinking with a liquid plastic there’s a solvent involved. There’s a window nearby so it would be possible to rig up a fan and hose blowing anything outside but it would be a PITA. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resin-3d-printers-how-bad-are-the-fumes/940268/2 "2021-04-18T23:44:08Z")
I have an Elegoo Mars and have been using [this water-washable resin](https://www.amazon.com/ELEGOO-Washable-UV-Curing-Standard-Photopolymer/dp/B07X34Z9SC). The fumes are not really bad at all. I can smell it when it’s printing if I’m in the same room and close to the printer, but it’s not very strong. I would describe it as somewhere between noticeable and barely noticeable. I usually don’t even have a window open when I’m printing. I think the smell of the alcohol-washable resin is stronger but I haven’t used that yet. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2021, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resin-3d-printers-how-bad-are-the-fumes/940268/3 "2021-04-18T23:52:36Z")
I also have an Elegoo Mars and so far I’ve only used the alcohol-washable resin. I’d say it’s not great, and definitely wouldn’t want it in my bedroom. I use it in my garage without any extra ventilation there, and it’s fine, but it’s a large volume and I’m not hanging out down there. Maybe I should pick up some water-washable stuff to compare. The alcohol wash itself obviously adds to the smell. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resin-3d-printers-how-bad-are-the-fumes/940268/4 "2021-04-19T00:33:14Z")
Isn’t “resin” a very broad category, that covers a multitude of polymers? It might be more useful to find out which specific polymer or polymers your printer can use, and ask about those. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2021, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resin-3d-printers-how-bad-are-the-fumes/940268/5 "2021-04-19T00:40:32Z")
“Resin” has a specific meaning here. There are only two basic types of consumer-oriented 3D printers, “filament” and “resin”. The resin type uses a kind of liquid plastic that is cured by blue/UV light. The resin printers all pretty much use the same stuff, but as noted there are two variants, alcohol-washable and water-washable. Filament printers use a solid plastic filament (similar to the stuff that weed-whackers use) as the feedstock, and there are lots of varieties there. But despite them also being resins, that’s not what’s meant by a resin 3D printer.