Resin 3D printing is the most significant development in the miniature hobby in recent years. A desktop resin printer lets you print your own miniatures, terrain, bases, conversion parts, and accessories at a fraction of the retail cost. This guide covers the best resin 3D printers for miniatures in 2025 — and what you need to know before buying your first printer.
Quick Pick: Best Resin 3D Printer for Miniatures
| Pick | Printer | Build Volume | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Beginner | Anycubic Photon Mono 2 | 143 × 89 × 165 mm | Check price → |
| Best Mid-Range | Elegoo Saturn 2 | 218 × 123 × 260 mm | Check price → |
Note: For detailed reviews, see our Anycubic Photon Mono 2 review and Elegoo Saturn 2 review.
12K mono LCD with a 218 x 123mm build plate — large enough to print a full 10-model squad in a single run. Fast mono exposure, excellent detail on 28–32mm scale, and well-supported by Chitubox and Lychee. The Saturn 2 is the go-to choice for Warhammer 40k and AoS infantry.
Check price on Amazon →Why Resin (Not FDM) for Miniatures
There are two main types of consumer 3D printer: FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling, which melts plastic filament) and resin (MSLA/SLA, which cures liquid resin with UV light). For miniatures, resin is the only viable choice.
298 x 164mm build plate — the largest plate in the consumer resin printer market. Print an entire army in a single run, or scale up terrain pieces that would require splitting on a smaller printer. The M3 Max is overkill for single models, but ideal if you want maximum throughput for batch printing warbands.
Check price on Amazon →- Resin printers achieve layer heights of 0.01–0.05 mm — virtually invisible surface layers on miniature-scale objects
- FDM printers have visible layer lines at 0.1–0.3 mm — clearly visible at miniature scale without extensive post-processing
- Resin prints capture fine detail (facial features, chainmail, fur texture) cleanly and consistently
- FDM prints are better for large terrain pieces, storage solutions, and objects where surface quality is less critical
Key Specifications to Understand
XY Resolution
XY resolution is the pixel size of the LCD screen that cures each resin layer. Measured in microns (μm) — lower numbers mean finer detail. A printer with 35μm XY resolution produces sharper features on small faces and fine textures than a 50μm printer. Most modern miniature-focused printers now achieve 35–50μm XY resolution, which is sufficient for tabletop-quality prints with excellent detail.
Build Volume
Build volume determines how many models you can print in a single run. Smaller printers (like the Photon Mono 2 at 143 × 89 mm) can print 4–8 standard infantry-sized models per plate. Larger printers (like the Saturn 2 at 218 × 123 mm) can print 15–25+ infantry models per plate, significantly improving throughput for large armies. If you plan to print entire armies rather than individual display pieces, a larger build volume pays off quickly.
Mono vs Standard LCD
Modern resin printers use monochrome LCD screens (“Mono” in the product name typically indicates this). Mono LCDs cure resin in 1–3 seconds per layer vs 6–8 seconds for older colour LCD screens. This dramatically reduces print times — a model that took 4 hours on an old printer takes 1.5 hours on a mono equivalent. Mono LCDs also last significantly longer before requiring replacement. Always buy a mono screen printer.
What Resin to Use for Miniatures
Standard resins are brittle — thin parts like sword blades, antenna, and spear hafts will snap with handling. For gaming miniatures that will see regular use, we strongly recommend:
- Siraya Tech Tenacious — the most popular flexible/durable resin for miniatures. Used at 20–30% mixed with standard grey resin, it dramatically increases impact resistance without affecting print quality significantly. See our best resin guide for the full comparison.
- Siraya Tech Fast Navy Grey — a popular grey resin pre-optimised for miniature detail, with good strength and excellent printability
Safety Requirements
Resin 3D printing requires proper safety precautions. Uncured resin is a skin and respiratory irritant. Before your first print:
- Nitrile gloves — always wear gloves when handling uncured resin or resin-coated parts
- Ventilation — print in a ventilated space or use an enclosure/filter. Resin fumes are unpleasant and prolonged exposure is inadvisable in enclosed spaces.
- IPA 99% — for washing printed parts before UV curing. An ultrasonic cleaner or dedicated wash-and-cure station simplifies this process significantly
- UV curing station — post-print UV curing hardens parts completely and improves surface quality. Most manufacturers sell wash-and-cure combo units.
Where to Find Free and Paid Miniature STL Files
- Printables.com — large library of free STL files including fantasy and sci-fi miniatures, terrain, and bases
- Thingiverse.com — the original free STL repository; older but still extensive
- MyMiniFactory.com — mix of free and paid files; higher quality curation than Thingiverse
- Patreon sculptors — monthly subscription to specific designers; typically $5–$15/month for 20–50+ new files per month. Many focus specifically on tabletop miniatures.
- DriveThruRPG — digital marketplace for STL files and physical products
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a resin 3D printer worth it for Warhammer?
For painters who buy many kits, yes. The printer pays for itself through printing terrain, bases, conversion parts, and third-party miniatures that would otherwise cost 2–5x more in retail form. The initial learning curve (5–10 prints before consistent results) is the main barrier. If you are buying more than $100/month of GW products, a resin printer is almost certainly worth the investment over a 12-month horizon.
Can you print official Warhammer miniatures?
No — official GW models are copyright protected. Printing GW-owned designs is IP infringement. However, there are thousands of legal, compatible third-party sculpts available that are similar in aesthetic and quality, produced by independent designers who sell STL licences for personal printing use.
What is the best resin for printing miniatures?
For gaming miniatures that will be handled, a blend of standard grey resin with 20–30% Siraya Tech Tenacious is the most recommended approach. The Tenacious additive dramatically improves impact resistance and reduces breakage of thin parts. For pure display pieces that will not see handling, standard high-detail resin without Tenacious gives marginally crisper results. See our best resin for miniatures guide for the full breakdown.
How long does a resin print take?
A single infantry-sized miniature at standard settings takes 45 minutes to 1.5 hours on a modern mono-screen printer. A full plate of 15–20 infantry models at the same settings takes the same amount of time as one model — all models on the plate cure simultaneously. This is the key economic advantage of resin printing: time per model decreases dramatically at scale.