This is interesting Cliff. I thought you had to throw out the resin when it got cloudy, making it quite expensive compared with filament.
Didn’t know it could be re-distilled.
Hi Bill, yeah, I’ve been reusing the alcohol way too much because I didn’t want to throw it out! I have done, but I didn’t like it. But my prints were getting gummy coming out of the wash, so it was time to either pitch it or figure it out.
So after watching a number of vids on YouTube and failing at my favorite hopeful method (cure-the-resin-in-the-alcohol-in-the-sun-and-filter-it-out), and not really liking / believing the others, I’m gradually coming up something that works for me. I think. 
I’ve got a couple minutes before my “herself” (uh… that doesn’t sound right?) hits the dinner bell. So, here’s my process so far.
- Put a jug of dirty alcohol on a cheap display turntable
- Point two big UV lights on the jug and let them work for 5 or ten mins (this is doing the work of the sun, but in a very compressed timeframe)
- Turn all that off
- With a long brush, brush away the cured resin from the walls of the container
- Let it settle for 5-10 mins
- Repeat ~4 times
At this point, one can let it settle for a few days and carefully pour off the clear alcohol into another container.
To get more out, the residue can be poured through a decent-weave cheesecloth, and slowly squeezed out like a cheese ball (yumm!!).
At least, that’s how I’d hypothesize at this point. I did a number of extra steps today, but now I think maybe they’re not needed.
So, like I said, a process still in development.
Cheers!
Cliff
Tell me your secret sauce for straining the resin. Nevermind I see you posted it… I’ve been recycling old paint stripping alcohol for resin baths.
Instead of trying to pour off the clean-ish IPA and mixing in some of the gunk on the bottom, I bought a 500ml syringe and just skim the ipa off the top
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That’s a really good idea Bob. I can apply it at work with used paint thinner. I keep about 5 gallons of mineral spirits in various states of oil based paint contamination. After the first discard sits and settles for a week or so, I can pour off a fairly clear “used” batch. Trouble is, as I pour, what has settled out begins to go back into suspension. If I were to carefully draw off the top I wouldn’t disturb the sludge.
Yeah Cliif, it’s just HERSELF , sort of like Her Majesty. You can say my majesty, but my-self implies you are king of the castle, and that’s why “my herself” didn’t sound right.
For clarification, may I refer you to the MAN SONG?
Back to the thread:
So it’s the Alcohol you are distilling/cleaning not the resin?
Cliff, roughly how many prints can you make before you have to buy new resin? …and is it because you’ve run out of resin or because it has become cloudy?
A great song Bill, HAHahahHAAA!
Sorry for the confusion, but yes, I’m cleaning the alcohol, which is used as a bath for cleaning resin prints. The uncured resin gets left behind in the alcohol, and that’s what needs to be gotten rid of when it builds up too much.
FWIW I explained the cleaning process a bit better with a set of videos. I guess the main thing I wanted to show was how fast the resin particles react to the uv light.
No wonder I print with PLA… 
FYI: Did you know there was a whole city running on compressed air?
Thanks very much Bill, that’s a keeper! And it explains why Paris was the one city where pneumatic streetcars proliferated, seeing they had that infrastructure. Nice find!
Use to live 4 miles from this tunnel, like home to me. The area is closed off to the public as it is privately owned by a mining company. I lived in the area for forty years.
Brings back so many memories.
That’s awesome, Bruce.
It’s now owned by a non-profit, who is restoring things. I’m a part of that volunteer group, though remotely. As of this week, they’ve restored the Tunnel 100’ in. And they’re working on the various outbuildings.
Cliff;
Miss my old home town, but not the crowd.
You have unknown depths
A true fan.
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Cliff,
So I was going through the Sutro Tunnel site and I’m curious if I stumbled on you oldest brother that apparently helps out there as well. (Even if he may be a brother from another mother)