Acetone smoothing: which material it works on

How the technique works

The print is exposed to acetone vapour in a closed container. The surface softens and levels out. Once dry it is smooth and glossy and the layers are gone. It is mainly ABS that is treated this way. ASA reacts similarly.

It dissolves the surface rather than coating it, so material is lost and small details are rounded off. Acetone is flammable and its vapour is harmful to health, so you work outdoors or in a ventilated space and away from any source of fire.

Why it does not work on PLA and PETG

Acetone practically does not dissolve PLA or PETG. The surface does not smooth out, at most it turns matt or softens. Other solvents work on PLA, but they are toxic and laborious, so we do not normally recommend them. And we do not print ABS or ASA.

If you need a part that resists UV or higher temperatures, email us at jakub.novak@boostello.com with what exactly you need, and we will advise what to do. We do not promise ASA or ABS printing though.

How to get a smooth surface on PLA or PETG

• Sanding with progressively finer paper, see sanding.
• Filler and primer fill the remaining grooves, see filler and primer.
• An epoxy coat forms a smooth glossy layer, more in the entry on epoxy.
• A finer layer would give a smoother wall straight from the printer, but we print at a 0.2 mm layer.

What this means for your order

An order with us is in PLA or PETG with visible layers. If you want a fine surface, you do the finishing yourself after delivery, we do not offer these finishes. The price and lead time are calculated from the print only.

If what you want is a smooth look and not a specific material, try the combination of sanding, filler and primer. It is more work, but the result on both PLA and PETG tends to be good. If a smooth surface is a condition of your project, write to us before ordering.