Quick verdict: Sunlu Standard Grey is the best budget resin for 3D printing miniatures. It prints reliably, captures detail well enough for gaming pieces, and costs significantly less per litre than Siraya Tech or Elegoo. If you print in high volume — terrain, armies, proxy models — Sunlu keeps your cost per model low without meaningfully sacrificing quality. For the best results, mix with 20% Siraya Tenacious to reduce brittleness.
Who is Sunlu Standard Grey For?
Sunlu Standard Grey is a volume printing resin. It is not the most detailed resin you can buy, and it is not the toughest. It is the resin you buy when you need to print a lot of models at the lowest sustainable cost without crossing the line into genuinely poor quality.
The primary use cases:
- Army painting — printing 20–60 infantry models for a Warhammer or Age of Sigmar force where per-model cost matters
- Terrain and scatter pieces — rocks, barricades, walls, bases — where maximum surface detail is not critical
- Practice prints — testing new slicer settings, testing new supports, dialling in exposure without burning through expensive resin
- Mixing base for Tenacious — Sunlu is the budget-friendly base resin for adding Siraya Tenacious to improve durability
Sunlu Standard Grey Review: Pros and Cons
Pour
- Best price per litre in its quality tier
- Good detail for terrain and rank-and-file infantry
- Grey colour works well as a painting base
- Compatible with all 405nm MSLA printers
- Consistent within the same batch
- Widely available — easy to reorder
Cons
- More brittle than ABS-like or premium resins — thin parts snap easily without Tenacious
- Slightly less fine detail capture than Siraya Tech Fast Grey on 8K+ printers
- Can vary slightly between production batches — recalibrate when opening a new bottle
Sunlu vs Siraya Tech Fast Grey: Which Should You Choose?
This is the most common choice for miniature printers who want grey resin:
| Sunlu Standard Grey | Siraya Tech Fast Grey | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per litre | Lower | Mid |
| Surface detail | Good (4K printers) | Excellent (4K–8K) |
| Solidité | Standard (brittle alone) | Standard (brittle alone) |
| Best use | Volume printing, terrain, armies | Character models, showcase pieces |
| With Tenacious | Yes — best budget durable mix | Yes — best quality durable mix |
Rule of thumb: Use Sunlu for anything printed in bulk where cost per model matters. Use Siraya Tech Fast Grey when printing individual characters or showcase models where you want the sharpest possible surface.
The Budget Durable Mix: Sunlu + Siraya Tenacious
The main weakness of Sunlu Standard Grey — and all standard resins — is brittleness. Thin parts snap. The fix is to mix in 20% Siraya Tenacious. Sunlu is the cheapest base resin that works well with Tenacious, making this the most cost-effective route to durable miniature prints:
- 80% Sunlu Standard Grey + 20% Siraya Tenacious = durable, grey, cheap per-model cost
- Use this mix for rank-and-file infantry, proxy armies, and any models that will be handled regularly at the table
- Save the Siraya Fast Grey mix for character models where surface detail justifies the premium
For printer recommendations, see our guide to the best resin printers for miniatures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sunlu resin good for miniatures?
Yes, for volume printing and terrain. Sunlu Standard Grey captures enough detail for gaming-quality miniatures at 28–32mm scale and costs less per litre than premium options. For the highest detail (character models, showcase pieces) consider Siraya Tech Fast Grey. For durability, mix Sunlu with 20% Siraya Tenacious.
Does Sunlu Standard Grey work in Elegoo Saturn and Anycubic Photon printers?
Yes. Sunlu Standard Grey is a 405nm UV resin and works in all major MSLA printers including the Elegoo Saturn series, Anycubic Photon series, and Phrozen range. Calibrate exposure settings when opening a new bottle, as there can be minor batch-to-batch variation.
Why is my Sunlu resin print brittle and snapping?
Standard resin — including Sunlu — cures hard and brittle. Thin parts (weapon blades, spear tips, antenna) will snap under impact. The solution is to mix 20% Siraya Tenacious into your Sunlu resin. Tenacious is a flexible additive that adds toughness without sacrificing detail at that ratio.
How does Sunlu compare to Elegoo Standard Grey?
Both are standard grey resins at a similar quality and price tier. Elegoo Standard Grey (Amazon) tends to be slightly more widely available in some regions. Performance is similar — either works well for volume miniature printing. The choice often comes down to which is cheaper at time of purchase.
What is the best mixing ratio for Sunlu resin and Siraya Tenacious?
20% Tenacious to 80% Sunlu is the standard starting point. This ratio adds meaningful impact resistance and flexibility without making prints feel rubbery or losing surface detail. Go up to 25% if you print primarily thin-parts models like cavalry with lances or models with extensive weapon sprues.