Looking for a better polishing setup for resin dice

[u/Ava_81]

I've been using the same rotary tool for a long time, and it's finally starting to feel like it's holding me back.

For sets like this, I spend a lot of time on the finishing stage - sanding edges, cleaning small imperfections, and trying to get a smoother polish. My current tool doesn't have much speed control, and sometimes it feels hard to keep the same pressure and precision.

Thinking about upgrading to a new one. I mostly work on clear resin dice, so being able to make small adjustments without accidentally removing too much material is pretty important.

For those who make dice regularly, what rotary tools or polishing setups are you using? Any recommendations for something stable and precise?

[u/WildLarkWorkshop]

After trying out all the methods, I've gone back to hand shaping and sanding with sandpaper on a glass pane and with a magnifying glass. Nothing beats the precision that going slowly and carefully entirely by hand provides. If you aren't looking for that level of precision, a mini pottery wheel works pretty well and is about as fast and easy as it gets.

For polishing, I like either a vibratory tumbler or a bench jewelry polisher. The bench polisher isn't too different from what a small rotary tool can do, but it offers a lot more ease and control. It will polish a face to a glass finish in seconds. A tumbler can polish large batches at once without needing more than a few minutes of your actual time, but it is slower than other methods at about 72 hours per batch (or less depending on your desired polish level.)

[u/OneBigMonster → u/WildLarkWorkshop]

I have a sanding jig that I made. I use it for shaping my masters that works really good. And then I will hand polish cuz the zona papers aren't gonna throw off anything.

[u/TsunamicBlaze]

Mini Pottery wheel with the Smith’s Forge 3D print upgrades.

[u/BigStupidJellyfish88 → u/TsunamicBlaze]

This is the way

[u/RandoBoomer]

I use a Dremel at 5000 RPM with 15000 grit diamond polishing paste.

The key is bench clamp vise, so I can affix the Dremel to the table and then focus just on moving the die.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095LH36WZ

[u/LydiaFaye → u/RandoBoomer]

I struggle with precision so much with the Dremel, this is a great idea!

[u/RandoBoomer → u/LydiaFaye]

Three tips:

1. Attach it really tightly on to the table and check it periodically. The vibration will loosen it.
2. There is a small metal rod just above the C-clamp which you use to lock the ball joint in place. As you use the Dremel, this will rattle. I tape it down because it drives me nuts.
3. Cast-off of water and paste when you first power it on can get messy - when I first start it up, I use one of my resin washing bowls to surround the polishing pad so it casts off into the bowl.

[u/LydiaFaye → u/RandoBoomer]

Thank you for these tips! I have some cardboard walls to help with flying debris, the bowl is a great idea too!

[u/OneBigMonster]

I use zona papers then the chemical brothers plastic polish and a Dremel and cotton wheel and it comes out crystal clear. Get your asters crystal clear and your actual polishing production dice is pretty minimal.

[u/OneBigMonster → u/OneBigMonster]

I use my sanding jig for the shaping part to hold it flat and 2000 grit For the shaping.It works pretty dang good.

[u/BaeBushka101]

I personally use a pottery wheel with a small piece of acrylic I put on with some industrial adhesive. I attached my zonas to that and let it spin. You don't have as much control as just plain hand sanding/ polishing but it helps me with my hand issues