← All guidesThis is the kit the rest of the guides refer to, grouped by stage, with a note on why each item earns its place rather than a specific brand. You do not need all of it to start - a printer, resin, sandpaper, and basic safety gear get you a printed die; the mold and casting gear is the second step.
Printing the master
Resin (MSLA/SLA) printer. A small monochrome-LCD resin printer resolves the fine faces and engraved numbers a die needs - far better than filament for this job.
Pigmented (opaque) resin. An opaque resin keeps the cure confined to the current layer, so fine detail stays sharp and dimensions stay true. Keep clear resin for when you specifically want a see-through master.
Wash-and-cure station (or just IPA, a tub, and a UV source). For rinsing off uncured resin and post-curing the part.
A calibration test such as the Cones of Calibration, to dial exposure in for each resin so prints come out crisp and on-dimension.
Finishing
Graded sanding papers. Zona papers are the dice-maker staple - a set of fine, evenly-graded grits to step from coarse to polished.
A sheet of glass (or any dead-flat surface) to back the paper, so faces stay planar and edges stay crisp instead of rounding off.
Plastic polishing compound for the final even sheen.
Flush cutters for trimming support fins close to the surface before sanding the nibs back.
Making molds
Silicone. Tin-cure (condensation-cure) for the forgiving route that resin prints do not inhibit, or platinum-cure (addition-cure) for low-shrinkage, long-life molds if you will prep the master carefully. A 1:1-by-weight product is the most foolproof to mix.
A precision (0.01 g) scale for mixing by weight - a cheap jeweler's / pocket scale beats a 1 g kitchen scale here, because dice batches are small and the minor side of a tight ratio (the catalyst of a 10:1, say) can be just a gram or two, where 1 g rounding becomes a bad mix. Pick one with 0.01 g resolution and a few hundred grams of capacity for the bulk side. Plus mixing cups and stir sticks.
Mold release for the parting surface of a two-part mold, and a barrier coat (such as a clear acrylic spray or a dedicated inhibition barrier) if you use platinum silicone against a resin print.
Sulfur-free (oil-based / plastiline) clay and double-sided tape for bedding the master, plus a small box or form for the mold walls. Sulfur inhibits platinum silicone the same way resin does.
Casting copies
Two-part epoxy casting resin for water-clear, durable dice that handle a thick pour. (Skip polyurethane casting resin - it is the most hazardous of the common resins.)
Colorants: mica and pigment powders, liquid pigments or dyes, alcohol inks, and glitter or inclusions for the look you want.
Paint or ink for filling the recessed numbers after demolding.
Bubble control
A pressure pot (rated for the pressure you use) for casting crisp, bubble-free dice - the single most useful upgrade. Needs an air compressor to feed it.
A vacuum degassing chamber and pump for de-bubbling silicone before you pour the mold. Give it plenty of headroom, since the mix foams up dramatically.
Safety
Nitrile gloves (not latex - latex also inhibits platinum silicone) and safety glasses.
A half-face respirator with organic-vapour cartridges and a particulate pre-filter, for extended work and for sanding.
Ventilation - an open window and a fan, or proper extraction.