It is very important to handle your Gizmo 3D printer and the resins you use with a Safety First! attitude.  Always be alert to any potential safety hazards - here are some safety points to carefully consider:

Lifting the printer to move it:

It's a heavy piece of equipment - take note of the following tips for safer lifting:
 

• When lifting heavy equipment, ask someone to help you carry it.

• Don't lift it if you have a sore back or a history of back problems.

• When picking up the heavy printer, get close to it and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart for stability.  

• When lifting, take care not to bend your body at the waist - bend your knees instead (keep it bent as you lift) and keep your back as straight as you can. It helps to pull in your abdominal muscles and tuck in your rear end.

• You want to rely on your leg muscles to bear the weight - wear good shoes with low heels (not sandals or high heels) and plant your feet squarely.

• Lift slowly and gradually.
  
   

Unpacking the printer:

 

• All the steps for unpacking your Gizmo 3D Printer can be found here but with regards to safety specifically, you want to ensure you have easy access to the front and rear of your printer for the setup process.
  
   

Safety in your workspace:
 

• Place your printer on a stable surface.

• We have a list of recommended tools to have in your workspace. These include latex gloves which are super important as you should never handle resin with your bare hands. (Refer to the Resin Safety section below for more information).

• Be careful of leaving slippery resin spillages on the floor.

• Where possible, eliminate the use of devices during printing that is sharp enough to puncture your skin - ask yourself if there's a safer alternative you could be using.

• If you choose to use sharp tools such as scalpels to remove printed parts from your build plate, you want to take care to not leave those lying around where they can fall onto the floor and be stepped on or fall into the hands of young children for instance.  It is said that disposable safety scalpels with fixed blades are better to use as it eliminates the need to remove a blade which requires skill to perform safely.
   

 

Safety precautions to take note of when setting up your printer:

When following our recommended steps for setting up your printer, keep the following in mind:

 

• You don't EVER want to plug in the power cable of the heater if the heat pad is not covered with resin - it could cause a fire.

• When installing the vat heater, take note - the heater uses high voltage at the moment. Please do not connect/disconnect the heater while the power cable is connected to the printer.

• Keep your fingers out of the inside of the back panel (where the fans and wires are) when the cables are plugged into the wall.

• Remember to put on latex gloves when filling the vat with resin! (It's very important to note the safety sheets of the particular resin you are using - refer to the Resin Safety section below.)

• Find and read the safety precautions of the projector you are using (finding it is usually as easy as Googling it or searching for it on the manufacturers' website).
  
  Safety precautions for the Acer projector for instance include:
  > Do not look into the projector's lens when the lamp is on. The bright light may hurt or damage your eyes.
  > To avoid the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose the projector to rain or moisture.
  > Do not disassemble the projector as this may cause electric shock.
  
  Always wear UV glasses when working with a UV projector!
   

 

Printing:
 

• This cutting-edge 3D printer of yours is sure to draw some attention! It helps to have a sign on the wall stating "Only authorised personnel are to handle/touch this equipment. Please do not touch the resin." Take care to supervise users of the printer/s that have less experience.

• You may use pure Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) to clean or rinse printed parts - be sure to follow the safety points provided with the isopropyl alcohol that you choose to purchase as it is considered to be a toxic substance to humans that readily absorbs through the skin. For starters, Isopropyl alcohol is a flammable liquid (even explosive) and should be kept away from open flames, heat or sparks.  Keep any containers of isopropyl alcohol closed or covered when not used.  It's advisable to have good ventilation when working with it and to wear protective gloves as it is best to avoid contact with the skin.  As we do not manufacture isopropyl alcohol we recommend that you refer to the website of the manufacturer of the isopropyl alcohol you are using for in-depth safety tips.
  
   

Resin safety:
 

Some general safety recommendations for working with resins include:

 

• Always wear gloves when working with any resin. Some resins causes skin irritation.

• Avoid touching your eyes when handling the resin.

• If irritation of the eyes, skin or respiratory system occurs and or persists, urgently refer to the relevant material safety data sheet for that specific resin for further safety instructions - see blue text below for more information)

• Use it in a well-ventilated area.

• If recommended by the Material Safety Data Sheet of the resin you are using, wear protective clothing, eye protection or face protection when handling it.

• Store it locked up.

• Keep the containers tightly closed.

 

These are just some of the basic safety precautions when working with resin. However, one of the many advantages of having a Gizmo 3D Printer is the ability to use many different resins from many different manufacturers - giving you access to a wider variety in price to achieve the print results you dream of. As we do not manufacture these resins, we choose not to provide you links to the safety sheets of each resin as we cannot guarantee that we will always have the latest updated safety information that the manufacturers will have.

It is your responsibility to read and understand the safety precautions
of the particular resins you choose to use. 

Visit our Materials page for links to the websites of every manufacturer whose resins we recommend -
you will find the most up to date Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for the resins on their websites.

We recommend contacting them directly for any information with regards to the usage or safety of the resin.

 

 

We'd like to ask that you take these safety procedures seriously
to ensure not only a great but a safer printing experience!