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how to stop 3d printed vases from leaking

Chapman_Armor

Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2025
Messages
24
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Maryland
I printed a vase from Thingiverse that has a double-twirl design, and I'm worried it's going to leak. In Cura's preview, when I rotate the sliced model, I can see little gaps where the inner and outer walls don't seem fully sealed. Looks like green specks showing through the red, which in my experience usually means trouble. I've already tried upping the wall thickness and that helped some, but it didn't totally solve it. For those of you who print decorative but watertight stuff, what's the best approach? More perimeters, 100% infill, slower print speed? Or is sealing with epoxy or resin the only realistic way to make it hold water?
 
@Chapman_Armor you know, for vases, the best approach is often to use a slicer setting called the Vase Mode or Spiralize Outer Contour. This setting makes the printer print a single, continuous, and seamless perimeter from the base to the top. This means there are no layer lines or seams to leak from.
You'll need to use a single perimeter, but it's the most reliable way to get a perfectly watertight print directly from the printer
 
Yh yh more perimeters usually help, and slowing the print a bit can improve layer bonding. 100% infill isn't always necessary for vases and for tricky gaps, a thin coat of food-safe epoxy or resin is often the simplest way to make it fully watertight
 
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