High-quality pre-assembled 3D printers remain expensive, leading many to opt for DIY kits instead.

As someone who has tested numerous DIY resin 3D printers, I can confidently say the Peopoly Moai is the best kit available if you want pro-level quality and impressive results.

With its ability to print highly detailed models and built-in laser functionality, the Moai simply outperforms other kits in its price range.

Best DIY Resin Printer Kit
  • 130x130x180 mm
  • 10 - 200 microns
  • 85 mm/s
Best DIY Resin Printer Kit
130x130x180 mm
10 - 200 microns
85 mm/s
$625.86
4.6

But if you’re a tinkerer who really wants to build something from scratch, I’ll also highlight some of the best tutorials you can follow to assemble a resin 3D printer for less than $20.

Having tested these improvised methods myself, I’ll step you through the pros and cons of going the ultra-affordable DIY route – and how to avoid the common beginner mistakes of these tricky projects.

Top Picks

Top DIY Kits for Resin 3D Printing

The Most Reliable Kit You Can Buy

  • Peopoly Moai – Best for High Detail
    • The Moai’s precision laser and ability to print layers down to 5 microns make it ideal for highly detailed prints like dental models or miniatures. The quality rivals much more expensive pre-built options.

Truly DIY (from scratch) Resin 3D Printers

  • Arduino Uno DIY Resin Printer – Best for Beginners
    • With an incredibly low cost and simple setup, this is a great starter option to dip your toes into DIY resin printing.
  • Paulg100’s DIY SLA Printer – Best for Tinkerers
    • For those who like a challenge and enjoy customization, this DIY build allows ample opportunity for modifications and tweaks.
  • TristramBudel DIY SLA Printer – Revolutionary Open Source Solution
    • This printer’s focus on speed and resolution has led to its adoption by actual 3D printing companies.

The Best DIY Resin Printers You Can Build

1. Peopoly Moai

Pros

Affordable compared to other 3D printers of this quality

Compatible with third-party resins, allowing for cheaper materials.

Easy modification and tweaking possibilities.

ST 32-bit ARM processor for fast, precise movements

Cons

Limited build space for larger projects.

Can be messy at times.

Born from a Kickstarter campaign in 2017, the Moai is a DIY resin 3D printer that found a huge backing in a short time. Available as a DIY kit or fully-assembled, the Moai is advertised as an affordable resin 3D printer kit for those looking for fast, accurate builds.

The Peopoly Moai is also praised for its simplicity in both construction and design. Its compatibility with third-party materials and easy modification and tweaking possibilities make it popular with engineers who know exactly what they want.

DIY 3D resin printer peopoly moai

Since its initial release, several versions of the Moai have been released after a few upgrades, including more durable frames and accessories such as upgraded build plates.

While still a DIY 3D printer, the Moai has a large following of many users with varying levels of experience and expertise. This means that peer-to-peer support, advice, and information is easy to come by and very useful for anyone who needs it.

DIY 3D resin printer Peopoly Moai

Despite the Moai’s popularity, I see the enclosed build volume as a little limiting for larger FM projects, and consider the lack of a built-in air filtration or sealing systems as a bit of a missed opportunity.

Peopoly Moai DIY 3D resin printer products

The Peopoly Moai is capable of a layer resolution of up to 5 microns, which is incredibly accurate, far more so than any pre-assembled 3D printer at this price. Its compatibility with third-party resins also means that cheaper materials can be used to further cut printing costs.

DIY Resin SLA 3D printer Peopoly Phenom

Beyond hobbyists, the Moai is used by researchers for prototypes, and it can be used with biocompatible materials for medical uses such as dental 3D printing.

Overall, the Peopoly Moai is seen as a great (if a little messy) first step in the world of DIY SLA 3D printing. With enough time, work, and community advice, even newcomers will find themselves printing highly detailed resin models like pros.

Best DIY Resin Printer Kit
Peopoly Moai Laser SLA 3D Printer Kit
$625.86

This expansive DIY kit offers a generous 130 x 130 x 180 mm build area for sizable resin prints.

Expect perfect 70 micron XY resolution and astonishing 5 micron Z resolution for professional quality results.

Build it yourself in 4-6 hours and unleash your creativity.

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Resin 3D Printer Kits You Can Build for Cheap

2. Paulg100’s DIY SLA Printer Build

DIY resin printers are not just projects for professional engineers with crowd-funded goals, anyone with the right skillset and time can make their own tech.

Sites like Reddit, Twitter, and YouTube are full of creators eager to show off their homemade resin 3D printers. Some are more detailed than others, but posts such as this DIY resin printer build by XSimulator user Paulg100 are must-reads for those looking to build their own resin printer.

DIY 3D resin printer in progress

Paulg100, a dental laboratory owner, uses biocompatible materials with their DIY SLA printer for dental work, and has actively encouraged others to follow their listing. Thanks to the impressive accuracy of his DIY resin printer, he’s able to create remarkably intricate designs on a very tiny scale, something he was unable to do before.

With this build, you too can create complex and accurate prints of anything you like for a fraction of the cost of a pre-assembled 3D printer. If that doesn’t excite you, then we don’t know what will!

DIY 3D resin printer results Carnage small print

From images seen of both practical and cool projects made with this unnamed resin printer, the accuracy and detail look fantastic for the price.

For anyone looking for a challenging build that yields impressive results, this is a DIY 3D printer that should not be overlooked.

3. Arduino Uno: The $10 DIY Resin Printer

For an impressively cheap DIY SLA printer, Build Your Own SLA user mystamo outlines here their build for a DIY SLA printer made of very cheap parts.

DIY 3D resin printer for under $10

While the concept appears too good to be true, the video below shows the finished project in action.

My test proved this rudimentary, DIY resin printer can yield impressive results. While mainly built as a resin test, the speed and reliability of this Arduino Uno build are notably eyebrow-raising given its tiny cost.

4. TristramBudel DIY SLA Printer

Wanting to spread the gift of 3D printing as far as possible, online builder TristramBudel designed their own DIY SLA 3D printer to share with peers.

As the name suggests, this build prioritizes resolution without sacrificing the speed that resin printers are known for.

DIY 3D resin printer design

Since its creation, this DIY 3D printer has gained a good following of fellow creators looking to sell their ideas, with one reviewer even calling it ‘a piece of 3D printing history.’

DIY 3D SLA Printer

3D printing company autum3D even based their industrial DLP 3D printers on the build, showing just how much of an impact these DIY 3D printers can have on the 3D printing industry as well as the larger community.

Uses of DIY SLA 3D printers

People from all walks of life have taken to building their own 3D printers.

Because resin 3D printers are known for speed and accuracy, they are ideal for both prototyping and creating working molds and great projects for a variety of applications.

DIY 3D resin printer concept

For example, resin 3D printers have been used in dentistry to save time and money creating dental models, and these costs are further cut with DIY resin printers over pre-assembled models that cost much more.

For personal use, liquid resin 3D printers are great projects with smooth surfaces and intricate detailing, like jewelry, toys, and minifigures

Why Build a Resin 3D Printer?

Just like computers, bikes, furniture, and even cars; people are often keen to build their own home additions and tech, provided they have both the time and the skill. 3D printers are no exception.

Of course, experience and skill is recommended for anyone who wants to try, but anyone willing to put the time and effort in will find DIY resin 3D printing to be a rewarding and worthwhile experience.

DIY 3D resin printer projector

Resin printers solidify liquid resin with powerful light sources to create models, parts, and prototypes, and are known mainly for their high resolution and speed.

While some resin 3D printers have fallen dramatically in price in recent years, DIY SLA printers can cost as little as $20 in parts. While the time and effort are costs themselves, that’s a price tag as of yet unbeaten in the world of DIY resin 3D printers.

Features such as varying build voulume, portability, durability, and material compatibility are all customizable with a DIY build. Beyond simple modding, DIY 3D printers can be altered mid-build to suit you.

And, if you’ve built your DIY resin printer and looking for inspiration, we have a list of 50+ cool resin models you can print (with download links).

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Scott Hamill

Scott Hamill is a seasoned professional 3D printing and technology writer based in Edinburgh, renowned for his comprehensive coverage of 3D printing. His interest began during his college years, sparked by a peer's project to build a 3D printer for a Master's thesis more than a decade ago. Scott specializes in covering hobbyist 3D printing projects for 3DSourced, having written more than 100 guides to projects you can download and print at home. He has also contributed and authored articles for various other websites on 3D printing. Scott's tenure with 3DSourced spans over three years, establishing himself as a reliable and insightful voice in the 3D printing community.

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