Do you Print it all, then finish or do it in Sections?

[OrangeCrush]

I've printed the lower legs, Calf & Knee. We were going to start with the feet, but we don't know what shoes we will be wearing... LOL

Should we start the post processing, um, process?
Or should I focus on getting everything printed first?

Do you find it works out printing it all and THEN do the sanding filling painting and stuff?

I'm looking at it in terms of sections: lower legs, thighs, arms, chest, helmet, boots,

I'm thinking print a section at a time. Then do about 60% of the post processing Filling, Sanding & Priming & Sanding & priming & Sanding
Then move on to the next section. Basically get the 2nd coat of primer sanded. And maybe a first coat of finish color.
I think it will be more consistent if we plan on Final painting & weathering all that at the same time.

Anyone have any feedback on what worked better for you?
I have an inconclusive list of reasons to do it each way. I'm looking for some feedback to push me one way or the other.

I have lots of time to get this thing completed before DragonCon 2025. But I need maintain a schedule or .... yea, it will be better if we stick to a schedule.

Thanks

 

[tahu505]

The first time I printed a suit, I wasn't sure if I was doing scaling right. So I printed all of the parts, made sure they were all scaled well with each other, after I made sure they were, then I began sanding and post processing. I did not want to waste time sanding if I was going to reprint a part.

For the next suit I did, I was a lot more comfortable with scaling and on a time crunch. For that one I began to post process and sand parts while the next part printed.

So when to begin post processing and sanding is going to really depend on how confident you are that you will be using that piece.

Painting and weathering all the parts at once for consistency is a very good idea, a lot of people tend to do the same!

 

[SgtSaint]

My approach...
Start at the feet and work up. From the hands and work in.

• Try on the parts as they come off the machines and make sure they work... and work with the previous part.
  • EX: Shin, then thigh because you need them to work together, not lock the knees and so on. Then belt because you don't want the belt 'clacking' with the hips.
• Then kind of a "sand as I go" within the reality of the world, meaning sand when its not face-melting hot outside.
  • Sand when I can get gritty and have time for shower directly after because you don't want to spend the rest of the day like that even in your shop.
  • And means I'm doing a couple hours a day instead of 12 hours a day for 8 days in a row for the entire suit at once which will give you the worst 'tennis elbow' you've ever had.
  • In other words: Don't over think it like there's only one right way. You do what you can do, as you can do it, while still living your life in the world.
• I prime as a I go. This gives days and days between primer coats to really truly fully cure between coats.
  • How you do priming and color coats can depend on your work space. My spray booth is big enough for 1/3 of a suit. So I can paint that many parts in a morning and let them sit in their for a day to ensure they don't get dust/bugs/etc. stuck to the paint as well as ensuring they're safe to handle without fingerprinting when I take them out. They will then sit on a shelf for days before getting the next coat. Meanwhile another set of parts go in the booth. It becomes a continual rotation.
  • This is a good time to do any drilling, screwing or heat-set inserts. Then clean up and prime again.
  • Remember those parts are curing for days as new parts are rolling off the printer assembly line. With a continuous flow of new parts now going to sanding the primed parts are curing for long periods. To me, this is the biggest advantage to not waiting to do everything at once because then you're tempted to rush each layer of paint. But if you have parts coming off machines to sand you're not focusing on the parts just sitting on the shelf with paint curing for days

But it cannot be stated enough: There is no one right way. If you work 80hrs/wk you have to adjust to what works for you. If you have access to your brother-in-law's auto paint shop but only on Sunday's when the shop is closed, you adjust your workflow. Don't take all these advices as instructions on what to do. Take them as people sharing what *they* do, and apply what strikes a chord with you to your approach. 10 people means 10 different yet right ways. Treat the advice like an all you can eat buffet: Take what you like and leave the rest.