3D Printing Miniatures: Settings, Supports, and Painting

FDM Miniatures: Better Than You Think

Resin printers get all the glory for miniatures, and they do produce incredible detail. But FDM printers have come a long way. With the right settings, nozzle, and technique, you can produce tabletop miniatures on an FDM printer that look fantastic on the table — especially after painting. If you already own an FDM printer, you don't necessarily need to buy a resin printer for miniatures.

That said, if you want museum-quality display pieces with crisp 0.02mm details, resin is still king. We'll focus on FDM here because that's what most people already have.

Essential Print Settings

Layer Height: Go Low

For miniatures, you want the finest layer height your printer can handle reliably. The sweet spot for most FDM printers is 0.08mm (80 microns). This produces layers that are nearly invisible after priming and painting. If 0.08mm causes issues, 0.12mm is a good fallback — still much finer than the default 0.2mm.

Yes, this makes prints slow. A 32mm miniature at 0.08mm might take 2–4 hours. That's the tradeoff for quality.

Nozzle Selection

Your stock 0.4mm nozzle can print miniatures, but a 0.2mm or 0.25mm nozzle dramatically improves detail. Smaller nozzles produce thinner lines, capturing fine features like facial details, fingers, and weapon edges that a 0.4mm nozzle smears over.

• 0.2mm nozzle: Maximum detail, very slow, prone to clogging — for dedicated miniature printing
• 0.25mm nozzle: Great detail with better reliability — the recommended sweet spot
• 0.3mm nozzle: Good compromise if you also want reasonable print times

We stock nozzles in all sizes at Forgely Roy. Hardened steel options are available for abrasive filaments.

Speed and Temperature

Slow down. Miniatures print best at 20–30mm/s for perimeters and 40–50mm/s for infill. Faster speeds introduce vibrations and ringing that destroy fine detail. For temperature, stick to the lower end of your filament's range — lower temps produce sharper details with less oozing.

Infill and Walls

Miniatures are small, so infill barely matters for print time. Use 15–20% infill with 2–3 walls. Some people print miniatures at 100% infill for maximum strength, but it's rarely necessary unless the mini will be handled roughly in gameplay.

Support Strategies

Supports are the biggest challenge with miniatures. You need them for outstretched arms, weapons, capes, and overhangs, but removing them from a tiny figure without breaking details is nerve-wracking.

• Tree supports: The best option for miniatures. They touch the model at fewer points and are easier to remove.
• Support interface: Enable a support interface layer (1–2 layers) with a small Z gap. This creates a smoother separation point.
• Orientation matters: Rotate the model to minimize the number of supports needed. A slight lean can eliminate supports from a face or detailed area.
• Custom supports: In PrusaSlicer and Bambu Studio, you can paint supports exactly where needed and block them from delicate areas.

Post-Processing and Painting

Cleanup

Remove supports carefully with flush cutters and a hobby knife. Sand support contact points with fine sandpaper (400+ grit). A small needle file helps with tight spots.

Priming

Always prime miniatures before painting. A thin coat of spray primer (gray is the most versatile) hides layer lines and gives paint something to grip. Apply thin coats — thick primer fills in the details you worked so hard to print.

Painting Basics

Acrylic paints designed for miniatures (Citadel, Vallejo, Army Painter) work best. The basic painting workflow:

• Base coat: Block in the main colors with thin, even coats
• Wash: Apply a dark wash (like Nuln Oil) to settle into recesses and add depth
• Dry brush: Lightly brush a lighter shade over raised surfaces for highlights
• Details: Paint eyes, gems, insignia, and other fine details last
• Seal: Finish with a matte or satin clear coat to protect the paint job

Get Started at Forgely Roy

We carry fine nozzles, detail-oriented filaments, and can help you dial in the perfect miniature settings for your specific printer. Whether you're printing a whole army or a single character piece, stop by our Roy, Utah store for materials and advice.

📍 Forgely Roy — 5519 S 1900 W, Roy, UT 84067
📞 385-449-2694
⏰ Mon–Fri 11–6 • Sat 11–3