{"id":21054,"date":"2022-11-04T11:58:45","date_gmt":"2022-11-04T11:58:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/the3dsourced.wpengine.com\/?p=21054"},"modified":"2023-02-17T16:20:07","modified_gmt":"2023-02-17T16:20:07","slug":"is-3d-printing-miniatures-cheaper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/guides\/is-3d-printing-miniatures-cheaper\/","title":{"rendered":"Is 3D Printing Miniatures Cheaper? (We Calculated It)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Nowadays even $200 3D printers produce quality miniatures, an intriguing proposition for tabletop gamers and D&amp;D fans wanting to expand their collection from the comfort of their own homes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But does 3D printing miniatures work out cheaper than buying them from your favorite online or brick and mortar outlet?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we&#8217;ll be diving into the cost of producing miniatures with a 3D printer, factoring in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/3d-printers\/how-much-does-a-3d-printer-cost-price\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"13413\">price of the printer<\/a>, filament or resin, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/guides\/how-much-electricity-does-a-3d-printer-use\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"13414\">electricity<\/a> to determine an average cost per model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our findings present exact figures and cost comparisons &#8211; for those wondering whether it\u2019s worth buying a 3D printing, FDM or resin, to print miniatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And if you\u2019re looking to buy a 3D printer to print minis, we have evaluated all of the top picks thoroughly in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/rankings\/3d-printer-for-miniatures\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"13415\">guide to buying a 3D printer for D&amp;D\/Warhammer miniatures and terrain<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-table-of-contents uagb-toc__align-left uagb-toc__columns-1 uagb-toc__collapse uagb-block-1a42c8d7\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-scroll= \"1\"\n\t\t\t\t\tdata-offset= \"30\"\n\t\t\t\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uagb-toc__wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uagb-toc__title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTable Of Contents\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox= \"0 0 384 512\"><path d=\"M192 384c-8.188 0-16.38-3.125-22.62-9.375l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-12.5-32.75 0-45.25s32.75-12.5 45.25 0L192 306.8l137.4-137.4c12.5-12.5 32.75-12.5 45.25 0s12.5 32.75 0 45.25l-160 160C208.4 380.9 200.2 384 192 384z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uagb-toc__list-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<ol class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#is-it-cheaper-to-3d-print-miniatures\">Is It Cheaper To 3D Print Miniatures?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#how-much-does-it-cost-to-3d-print-a-miniature\">How Much Does it Cost To 3D Print a Miniature?<\/a><\/li><ul class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#optional-extra-costs\">Optional Extra Costs<\/a><\/li><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#is-3d-printing-miniatures-worth-it\">Is 3D Printing Miniatures Worth it?<\/a><\/li><ul class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#miniature-3d-print-savings-on-an-fdm-3d-printer\">Miniature 3D Print Savings on an FDM 3D Printer<\/a><\/li><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#miniature-3d-print-savings-on-an-fdm-3d-printer\">Miniature 3D Print Savings on an FDM 3D Printer<\/a><\/li><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#is-a-resin-printer-worth-it-for-miniatures\">Is a Resin Printer Worth It for Miniatures?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#are-3d-printed-miniatures-good\">Are 3D Printed Miniatures Good?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#faqs\">FAQs<\/a><\/li><ul class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#how-many-miniatures-can-you-print-with-1l-of-resin\">How Many Miniatures Can You Print With 1L of Resin?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#are-3d-printing-minis-worth-it\">Are 3D Printing Minis Worth It?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#is-it-cheaper-to-3d-print-toys\">Is It Cheaper to 3D Print Toys?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"uagb-toc__list\"><a href=\"#how-much-does-it-cost-to-print-a-3d-figurine\">How Much Does It Cost to Print a 3D Figurine?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/ul><\/ul><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-17f5da06 no-title-margin gb-container-3ce39208\" id=\"question-box-pattern\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n<div class=\"gb-grid-wrapper gb-grid-wrapper-cb7186aa gb-grid-wrapper-13867f42\">\n<div class=\"gb-grid-column gb-grid-column-aa6aefb5 gb-grid-column-44ad68b8\"><div class=\"gb-container gb-container-aa6aefb5 gb-container-44ad68b8\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<figure class=\"gb-block-image gb-block-image-a1cd5870\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"256\" height=\"256\" class=\"gb-image gb-image-a1cd5870 gb-image-01dc0c8a\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/circle-wavy-question-duotone.svg\" alt=\"\" title=\"circle-wavy-question-duotone\"\/><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"gb-grid-column gb-grid-column-5b8fa74e gb-grid-column-f8c4bfec\"><div class=\"gb-container gb-container-5b8fa74e gb-container-f8c4bfec\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<h2 class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-5fa8a6ad gb-headline-text gb-headline-ec198c29\"><strong>Is It Cheaper To 3D Print Miniatures?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Yes, 3D printing miniatures is cheaper per model than buying miniatures. An officially-licenced, unpainted and unassembled Warhammer, D&amp;D, or other popular franchise mini will cost $10 to $15, while printing an equivalent miniature with a 3D printer can cost as little as $0.20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can buy off-brand bulk packs of miniatures for as low as $40 for around 70 pieces, which works out to around $0.60 per mini, but printing them yourself still comes out cheaper.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These bulk packs also tend to contain low quality models with fewer details, and use cheaper manufacturing techniques than if you were to 3D print them yourself at home.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2>How Much Does it Cost To 3D Print a Miniature?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The average cost to 3D print a miniature is around $0.20 with FDM, and around $0.27 with resin. This includes the cost of resin or filament, electricity, and a small extra added to account for any failed prints.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/3D-printed-miniatures-from-Dune.jpg\" alt=\"3D printed miniatures from Dune\" class=\"wp-image-21311\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">3D printed miniatures from Dune. Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/dune\/comments\/s19lqk\/i_3d_printed_and_painted_some_dune_miniatures\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"13416\">Reddit<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Several factors can affect the cost of 3D printing minis &#8211; the size of the mini, the cost of filament, the cost of electricity, and wasted filament from inevitable failed prints.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To get a sense of the cost of printing miniatures, we\u2019ll base everything around printing an average-sized 28 mm mini, using mid-range filament or resin, and using typical kWH electricity costs. But, it\u2019s worth remembering that the wattage of individual printers can vary greatly as can the cost of filament, so take this as a broad generalization that won\u2019t apply everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s how the cost to 3D print a miniature breaks down first for an FDM printer and second for a resin printer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>FDM miniature cost:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th>Materials\/Energy<\/th><th>Cost for Average 28 mm Miniature<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Electricity &#8211; $0.15 per kWH<\/td><td>$0.01 (30 minute print with 0.15 kWh consumption)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Filament &#8211; PLA<\/td><td>$0.14 (7 grams of filament &#8211; $20.00 spool)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Failed Prints<\/td><td>$0.05<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Total FDM miniature 3D printing cost:<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>$0.20<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">FDM 3D printed miniature average cost.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Resin miniature 3D printing cost:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th>Materials\/Energy<\/th><th>Cost for Average 28 mm Miniature<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Electricity &#8211; $0.15 per kWH<\/td><td>$0.02 (1 hour print with 0.15 kWh consumption)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Filament &#8211; Resin<\/td><td>$0.20 (4 ml of resin &#8211; $25.00 500 ml bottle)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Failed Prints<\/td><td>$0.05<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Total resin miniature 3D printing cost:<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>$0.27<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Resin 3D printed miniature average cost.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>We also have a more in-depth article explaining the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/guides\/resin-vs-fdm-for-3d-printing-miniatures\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"23317\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"16100\">differences and benefits of resin vs FDM in 3D printing miniatures<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Optional Extra Costs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond this, there are also optional extras that add to the overall cost of 3D printing minis.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll need to factor in the cost of a cleaning and curing station for resin prints (though you can do this by hand using Isopropyl alcohol and natural sunlight for next to nothing), and the cost of primer and paint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s a quick breakdown. Note that most of these only come into play with resin printers, as FDM printing is cleaner and simpler, requiring only the printer, filament, and possibly a few tools, most of which are bundled with the printer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/optional-exta-cost.jpg\" alt=\"optional exta cost\" class=\"wp-image-21312\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Optional items that can be used in 3D printing miniatures.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/rankings\/best-wash-and-cure-resin-stations\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"18377\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"13417\">Clean and curing station<\/a><\/strong> (for example, Elegoo Mercury X) &#8211; $170<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Isopropyl alcohol 1 liter bottle<\/strong> &#8211; $10<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pack of Nitrile Gloves<\/strong> &#8211; $5 &#8211; $10<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Resin Funnel Kit<\/strong> &#8211; $6 &#8211; $7<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Miniature starter paint kit<\/strong> with an assortment of colors &#8211; $25 &#8211; $30<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Primer 60 ml<\/strong> &#8211; $8 &#8211; $10<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The mileage you get out of paint and primer depends on a lot of factors, so it\u2019s difficult to provide a per mini cost.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In any case, most miniatures, especially those on the more affordable end of the pricing scale, ship unpainted, so this is money you would have to spend regardless of whether you buy or 3D print miniatures.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-66d2e0bc no-title-margin gb-container-3ce39208\" id=\"question-box-pattern\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n<div class=\"gb-grid-wrapper gb-grid-wrapper-01043ce3 gb-grid-wrapper-13867f42\">\n<div class=\"gb-grid-column gb-grid-column-09a8134b gb-grid-column-44ad68b8\"><div class=\"gb-container gb-container-09a8134b gb-container-44ad68b8\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<figure class=\"gb-block-image gb-block-image-d2dc302e\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"256\" height=\"256\" class=\"gb-image gb-image-d2dc302e gb-image-01dc0c8a\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/circle-wavy-question-duotone.svg\" alt=\"\" title=\"circle-wavy-question-duotone\"\/><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"gb-grid-column gb-grid-column-695016cf gb-grid-column-f8c4bfec\"><div class=\"gb-container gb-container-695016cf gb-container-f8c4bfec\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<h2 class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-86c79847 gb-headline-text gb-headline-ec198c29\"><strong>Is 3D Printing Miniatures Worth it?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-fd676b74 gb-headline-text gb-headline-168631b7\"><strong>3D printing miniatures is indeed worth it for the cost saving compared to buying miniatures. The per mini cost is between $0.20 to $0.27, which compared with $15 store-bought minis, only takes 18 printed miniatures to earn back the price of a $260 desktop resin printer.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>There are additional costs involved in processing printed miniatures such as cleaning and curing, but over the long run the savings speak for themself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The elephant is the room is, of course, the initial cost of the printer itself. An entry-level resin or FDM printer can cost as little as $200 to $300 &#8211; a big spend up front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Miniature 3D Print Savings on an FDM 3D Printer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Anycubic-Kobra.jpeg\" alt=\"Anycubic Kobra\" class=\"wp-image-18174\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Anycubic-Kobra.jpeg 800w, https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Anycubic-Kobra-300x150.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Anycubic-Kobra-768x384.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Anycubic Kobra<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>To get a sense of how long it takes for 3D printing miniatures to be worth it, let\u2019s take a $15 store-bought mini.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you buy for example a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/anycubic-kobra\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow sponsored noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"13418\" data-lasso-name=\"Anycubic Kobra 3D Printer\">$260 Anycubic Kobra<\/a>, a solid and reliable entry-level printer with many advanced features like automatic bed leveling and a direct drive extruder, you can print a miniature for $0.20 a 28 mm piece, factoring in filament, electricity, and other variables.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That means a saving of $14.80 per miniature, so once you print your 17th or 18th miniature, you are already saving money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These numbers can vary, especially if you\u2019re used to buying bulk, non-official miniatures, which can cost as little as $0.60. In that case, you\u2019ll start saving after you\u2019ve produced 433 miniatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Miniature 3D Print Savings on an FDM 3D Printer<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s do this for a resin printer, like the budget-conscious <a href=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/elegoo-mars-3\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow sponsored noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"13419\" data-lasso-name=\"Elegoo Mars 3 4K Resin 3D Printer\">Elegoo Mars 3<\/a>, priced at $210.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Elegoo-Mars-3.jpeg\" alt=\"Elegoo Mars 3\" class=\"wp-image-15010\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Elegoo-Mars-3.jpeg 800w, https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Elegoo-Mars-3-300x150.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Elegoo-Mars-3-768x384.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Elegoo Mars 3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Given that a resin miniature costs roughly $0.27 to print, you need to produce 15 miniatures to make it worthwhile based on a $15 official store-bought mini, and around 488 minis based on $0.60 bulk-buy minis.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-5e9472a5 no-title-margin gb-container-3ce39208\" id=\"question-box-pattern\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n<div class=\"gb-grid-wrapper gb-grid-wrapper-f0e06d35 gb-grid-wrapper-13867f42\">\n<div class=\"gb-grid-column gb-grid-column-b88bae36 gb-grid-column-44ad68b8\"><div class=\"gb-container gb-container-b88bae36 gb-container-44ad68b8\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<figure class=\"gb-block-image gb-block-image-13bf834c\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"256\" height=\"256\" class=\"gb-image gb-image-13bf834c gb-image-01dc0c8a\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/circle-wavy-question-duotone.svg\" alt=\"\" title=\"circle-wavy-question-duotone\"\/><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"gb-grid-column gb-grid-column-c6aa8d2e gb-grid-column-f8c4bfec\"><div class=\"gb-container gb-container-c6aa8d2e gb-container-f8c4bfec\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<h2 class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-93e275ac gb-headline-text gb-headline-ec198c29\"><strong>Is a Resin Printer Worth It for Miniatures?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-bcac11fc gb-headline-text gb-headline-168631b7\">Yes, absolutely, a resin printer is absolutely worth it for miniatures. The cost-per-mini falls around $0.27, considerably lower than the $15 price of an officially-licensed unpainted and unassembled, store-bought Warhammer or D&amp;D mini. Another benefit of printing minis with resin printers is the high-detail, precision results, which flirt with those of typically injection-modeled store bought miniatures.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2>Are 3D Printed Miniatures Good?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When talking about the quality of 3D printed miniatures, we have to draw a clear line between FDM and resin printers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Resin-vs-FDM-3D-printed-miniatures.jpg\" alt=\"Resin vs FDM 3D printed miniatures\" class=\"wp-image-21310\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Resin vs FDM 3D printed miniature. Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/PrintedMinis\/comments\/pdc2gz\/my_first_resin_mini_vs_fdm_mini\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"13420\">Reddit<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Resin printers have a clear advantage in terms of features, detail, with an overall finish quality which approaches that of store-bought minis &#8211; especially on the latest 4K and 8K printers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019d effectively have to take a magnifying glass to a mini to notice any real difference between the two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for FDM printers, there\u2019s a non-negligible drop in overall quality and precision compared to store-bought pieces, which may make FDM printed minis unsuitable for those looking for the best quality results.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, if you\u2019re just looking to pump out batches of minis on the cheap for your weekly tabletop session, or want to give a starter set of minis to a younger sibling, the quality is decent, especially with layer height and print speeds dialed low.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Where FDM printers trump their resin counterparts, is the production of terrain. The large build volumes allows you to create large backdrops, props, and such than on resin printers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list\">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1668411843003\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\"><strong>How Many Miniatures Can You Print With 1L of Resin?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>You can print roughly 250 miniatures with 1 liter of resin, based on using around 4 ml of resin to print a standard 28mm miniature. Naturally, this varies if you print larger miniatures or props for terrain, but generally 1 liter of resin allows you to print a huge number of miniatures.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1668411853111\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\"><strong>Are 3D Printing Minis Worth It?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>Yes, the cost saving compared to buying miniatures makes 3D printing miniatures worth it. With a 3D printer, you can produce for as low as $0.20 per mini compared to paying up to 100x more for individual officially-licensed miniatures. The cost of the 3D printer itself is also recapped fairly quickly, with anywhere from as low as 18 miniatures needed before you start saving money.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1668411874396\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\"><strong>Is It Cheaper to 3D Print Toys?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>Yes, manufacturers apply hefty premiums to toys that cost pennies to produce. By 3D printing toys you can avoid these and produce high quality toys for a fraction of the cost. In the case of miniatures, you\u2019re looking at paying roughly $0.20 per part, instead $15, often more, for an individual store-bought equivalent.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1668411890319\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\"><strong>How Much Does It Cost to Print a 3D Figurine?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>A 95 mm or 3.75\u2019\u2019 figurine will cost approximately $0.70 to 3D print using a FDM printer, while a resin printer pushes costs up to a slightly higher $0.90 per figurine. Other factors need to be taken into account such as the cost of the printer, a clean and curing station, materials (resin and filament), materials lost\/wasted to print failures and errors, and post processing supplies like paint and primer. Even with these taken into account, 3D printing works out substantially cheaper in the long term than buying figurines.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related posts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a data-lasso-id=\"13421\" href=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/rankings\/3d-printer-for-miniatures\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"4217\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The best 3D printers for miniatures<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/rankings\/best-resin-for-miniatures\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"27863\">Best Resins for Miniatures<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a data-lasso-id=\"21915\" href=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/guides\/resin-vs-fdm-for-3d-printing-miniatures\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"23317\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FDM vs Resin printers for miniature 3D printing<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/3d-printers\/how-to-design-3d-print-miniatures-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"27857\">How to Design and 3D Print Miniatures<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/guides\/can-you-sell-3d-printed-miniatures\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"24384\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"21916\">Can you sell 3D printed miniatures legally? We investigated<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/guides\/is-3d-printing-miniatures-cheaper\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"21054\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"21917\">Is 3D printing miniatures cheaper than buying? We calculated every detail<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/guides\/fdm-3d-printing-miniatures-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"24087\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"21918\">The complete guide to FDM 3D printing miniature models<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/3d-printers\/resin-dlp-sla-3d-printer-stereolithography\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"128\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"13422\">The best resin 3D printers for all prices<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/rankings\/large-resin-3d-printers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"13423\">Today&#8217;s Best Large Resin 3D Printers For All Budgets<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/3d-printer-materials\/strongest-3d-printer-resin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"13424\">Ranking The Strongest 3D Printer Resins<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nowadays even $200 3D printers produce quality miniatures, an intriguing proposition for tabletop gamers and D&amp;D fans wanting to expand their collection from the comfort of their own homes.&nbsp; But does 3D &#8230; <a title=\"Is 3D Printing Miniatures Cheaper? (We Calculated It)\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/guides\/is-3d-printing-miniatures-cheaper\/\" aria-label=\"More on Is 3D Printing Miniatures Cheaper? (We Calculated It)\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":21320,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":""},"categories":[7,2],"tags":[],"featured_post":[],"post_template":[56],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Is-3D-Printing-Miniatures-Cheaper.jpg",878,494,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Is-3D-Printing-Miniatures-Cheaper-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Is-3D-Printing-Miniatures-Cheaper-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Is-3D-Printing-Miniatures-Cheaper-768x432.jpg",768,432,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Is-3D-Printing-Miniatures-Cheaper.jpg",878,494,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Is-3D-Printing-Miniatures-Cheaper.jpg",878,494,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Is-3D-Printing-Miniatures-Cheaper.jpg",878,494,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Tom Bardwell","author_link":"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/author\/tom-b\/"},"uagb_comment_info":4,"uagb_excerpt":"Nowadays even $200 3D printers produce quality miniatures, an intriguing proposition for tabletop gamers and D&amp;D fans wanting to expand their collection from the comfort of their own homes.&nbsp; But does 3D ... Read more","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21054"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21054"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21054\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21320"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21054"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21054"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21054"},{"taxonomy":"featured_post","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/featured_post?post=21054"},{"taxonomy":"post_template","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.3dsourced.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_template?post=21054"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}