support prison (help)

[Pope]

this is kind of a multi question problem- i have a print (a character wearing armour) that has a ton of support all around it, (pla, ender 3) and the supports really hard to get off, any tips on getting it off and how to have easy supports to remove in the future? Thanks, pope

[airscapes]

Tip.. don't stab your fingers.. When done removing and you have all those white spots, hit it with a micro torch real fast..

[airscapes]

Supports are kind of an art. The slicer should have a bunch of support controls but I have only used simplified 3d so can not comment on others. In S3D there are settings to allow a separation at the top. In S3D this number equates to layers.. so if set to 1 the slicer will leave one layer height gap when it starts it's first layer of the model. This allows the plastic to drop on to the support and not stick well. Problem is the that firs layer is really not very good, especially if you are using a .3mm layer or taller. The other think that is paramount is that your extrusion multiplier be correct and not over extruding making everything fatter than is expected.. Main thing I do now, is never print anything that needs supports if possible.. build a all models for 3d printing.. use abs so models can be made in multiple parts and then assembled with chemical bonding adhesive .. Other wise you will need a very strong pair of tweezers, many needle nosed pliers, Xacto knife, dental pics, o-ring picks, micro torch, and big box of bandaids!