Review Phrozen Sonic Saber - sneak preview

[oierlings]

We all know it, resin sprues are tedious and take a lot of work to prepare. Sawing, filing and sanding are time-consuming. When 3d printing large models, you have to print a lot of support structures that have to be removed.

Ultrasonic cutters are a potential solution. These have been on the market for some time, but as niche products they had prices that were beyond good and evil.

With the increasing popularity of 3D printing, the number of potential users is rising and prices can come down as a result.

Phrozen is a supplier of 3D printers, together with MAD they have launched the Sonic Sabre Ultrasonic Cutter.


Since it was my birthday recently and the best wife of all knows how to keep her grumpy old hubby happy, I got just such a Sonic Sabre Ultrasonic Cutter as a gift.

Here are a few first insights, the cutter will be put through its paces in the next few days and the report will be supplemented accordingly.

I will also try out the cutter with commercial, traditional resin kits and post corresponding videos in use.
So stay tuned

 

[steeleagle]

Pricey little puppy! $249 on Amazon. Very nice but I think I'll pass on this one. If you do lots of resin I could see where it could be a real time saver.

 

[oierlings]

Here some practice bits I've done today. The smaller Astronaut has a scale of 15mm , the larger is a 200 % scaled up Version.

For those who are not familiar with 3D printing: With resin printing, you have to attach so-called supports so that a model can be printed. With large and heavy objects, this can involve a very large number of supports.
You have to be very careful when removing these supports, because the resin is still soft. You can remove most supports by simply tearing or pressing them off, but you run the risk of dents or holes.
Here you see a sample of those supports.

Here are the same astronauts after removing the supports with the Sonic Sabre. The figures have not yet been cleaned. As you can see, all the fingers are still on them, including mine.

I still need more practice, but for the first attempt I am quite satisfied with the result.
The secret seems to be to let the cutter do its work. Without pressure or back and forth movement.

 

[oierlings]

Pricey little puppy! $249 on Amazon. Very nice but I think I'll pass on this one. If you do lots of resin I could see where it could be a real time saver.

Correct, the part is certainly not cheap. But compared to the other sonic cutters, it only costs half.
Since I work a lot with resin models and plastic models, it is worth it for me. But everyone has to decide for themselves.

 

[MattMcK.]

This can be a great tool, but only for certain materials. I had a friend who bought one and tried cutting PE, which wrecked it. Only soft and semi soft materials!

 

[oierlings]

This can be a great tool, but only for certain materials. I had a friend who bought one and tried cutting PE, which wrecked it. Only soft and semi soft materials!

Instruction Manual says beside resin: PVC, Balsa Wood, Foamboard and Duplex Bord up to 0.1 cm thickness. I've tried it on Styrene Kits Spures, which works fine

 

[Larsen E. Whipsnade]

Very cool, thanks for sharing.
Rick

 

[serafeim]

I don't know but lately I've been feeling a melancholic nostalgia for the modeling of the 70's when you bought a Matchbox or Airfix airplane kit with the 3 child allowances of 60 drachmas (0,18 euros), built it at home quickly with uhu glue, paint it with every available paint and then staged the whole Battle of Britain with your younger brother in your room. Today modeling tends to become a business or better a very expensive hobby for very few.

 

[oierlings]

I don't know but lately I've been feeling a melancholic nostalgia for the modeling of the 70's when you bought a Matchbox or Airfix airplane kit with the 3 child allowances of 60 drachmas (0,18 euros), built it at home quickly with uhu glue, paint it with every available paint and then staged the whole Battle of Britain with your younger brother in your room. Today modeling tends to become a business or better a very expensive hobby for very few.

I do remember those Kits from Matchbox and Airfix in the 70's. Remember having a humbrol pink metallic spitfire...
Sure, this tool isn't cheap and it's not a "need to have" tool. It just makes the postprocessing faster to get me to the thing I like : Painting.

On the other hand, if I look at kit prices, they have gone to the roof in the last 25 years. Have a look at for example Dragon 1/35 Tank Kits.

 

[Francisco]

I didn't even know this tool existed.

 

[Union brigade]

I will be getting one. From where did you obtain it?