Resin Vs. Filament 3D Printing: Which Is Better for 1:64 Miniatures?

You have built the street, placed the diecast cars, added the signs: and something still feels missing.

That is the classic “empty diorama” problem. The environment may be meticulously detailed, but without believable people and small-scale character, the scene can feel more like a model than a living moment.

If you are printing your own figures or accessories, you have probably asked the big question: Should you use resin or filament?

For most 1:64 people figures and highly detailed accessories, resin is the clear winner. Filament still has an important place in the hobby, especially for terrain, bases, and durable structural parts.

Let’s compare both technologies so you can choose the right tool for your next scene.

Quick Verdict: Resin for Figures, Filament for Terrain

Here is the practical answer:

• Resin printing: Best for 1:64 people figures, seated passengers, expressive poses, tools, props, and small vehicle details.
• Filament printing, also called FDM: Best for roads, building shells, walls, display bases, large props, and parts that need extra durability.
• Hybrid printing: Often the best overall solution. Use resin where detail matters and filament where strength and low cost matter more.

Why does resin work so well for miniatures? At 1:64 scale, a human figure may only be around 25–30 mm tall, depending on the character’s height and pose. That leaves very little room for facial features, clothing folds, hands, tools, and other storytelling details.

A resin printer can preserve those details far more effectively than a typical filament printer.

Fine Detail: Resin Has the Biggest Advantage

This is where the difference becomes immediately visible.

Resin printers cure liquid photopolymer one thin layer at a time. Common miniature settings fall around 25–50 microns per layer, allowing the printer to reproduce small surface changes with impressive precision.

That matters when you are printing:

• Facial features and expressions
• Hair, hats, and collars
• Jacket seams and clothing folds
• Hands holding tools or phones
• Belts, bags, and small props
• Seated drivers and passengers
• Thin mechanical or workshop details

Filament printers melt plastic and extrude it through a nozzle. Modern FDM machines can produce excellent results, but they are still limited by nozzle width, extrusion behavior, and visible layer lines.

At 1:64 scale, those limitations can soften or eliminate the very details that make a person look realistic. Faces may become indistinct. Fingers can merge together. Thin accessories may print as blobs: or disappear entirely.

If your priority is realism, resin is the better choice.

That is why resin is commonly used for display miniatures, tabletop figures, model railway people, and the kind of detailed characters featured throughout the Kickstarter Volume 7 collection for authentic diecast photography.

Durability: Filament Is Tougher

Filament gives up some fine detail, but it offers a major benefit: toughness.

PLA, PLA+, PETG, and similar materials can handle more impact and rough handling than standard miniature resin. That makes filament a strong option for:

• Diorama bases
• Roads and sidewalks
• Buildings and walls
• Large crates and containers
• Terrain sections
• Display stands
• Parts that will be transported often

Standard resin can be more brittle, especially in thin areas such as ankles, wrists, tools, or outstretched arms. A resin figure is usually ideal for display and careful handling, but it may not appreciate being dropped onto a hard floor.

However, resin technology has improved considerably. Tough and flexible resins can provide more impact resistance than traditional standard resin. DoubleG Diecast customers regularly comment on the strength and quality of our resin figures, including figures with narrow or delicate parts.

Still, the basic rule remains simple:

• Choose resin for detail-focused display figures.
• Choose tough resin or filament for pieces that will be handled heavily.
• Reinforce delicate parts whenever possible through careful orientation and support placement.

Cost: Filament Usually Wins

The printer itself is only part of the cost.

Entry-level resin and FDM printers can both be accessible to hobbyists, but filament generally has the lower operating cost. A spool of common PLA can often cost less per kilogram than resin costs per liter. Filament also does not require the same amount of additional cleanup supplies.

With resin printing, you may need:

• Liquid resin
• Isopropyl alcohol or another washing solution
• Nitrile gloves
• Paper towels and disposable supplies
• UV curing equipment
• Replacement vat film
• A properly ventilated workspace

A single 1:64 figure does not use much material, so the actual per-figure cost can still be reasonable. But if you are printing large quantities, those additional expenses add up.

Filament is the budget-friendly choice for bulk printing.

It is especially useful when you need many square feet of pavement, walls, warehouse structures, or large environmental elements. Resin is usually worth the extra expense for the characters that draw the eye and provide the emotional center of the scene.

Would you rather spend extra material on a background wall: or on a perfectly posed mechanic leaning over a diecast engine bay?

Cleanup and Post-Processing

This is resin’s biggest disadvantage.

A resin print typically requires several steps:

1. Remove the print from the build plate.
2. Drain excess resin.
3. Wash the print.
4. Remove supports carefully.
5. Allow the piece to dry.
6. Cure it under UV light.
7. Sand or trim remaining marks.
8. Prime before painting.

Liquid resin must be handled responsibly. Wear gloves, provide suitable ventilation, and follow the safety instructions for your specific resin and cleaning materials. Do not treat uncured resin like ordinary craft paint.

FDM printing is more straightforward:

1. Remove the print from the build plate.
2. Clip away supports or a brim.
3. Sand or fill visible layer lines if needed.
4. Prime and paint.

That simplicity makes filament attractive for beginners and creators who want to print without setting up a dedicated resin workspace.

For 1:64 figures, though, the extra resin workflow often pays off. A smoother surface means less sanding and a cleaner result under primer and acrylic paint.

Supports: Small Figures Need Careful Planning

Both printing methods can require supports, but resin supports are especially important for miniature figures.

A poorly supported resin figure can develop:

• Missing hands or tools
• Warped limbs
• Support scars on visible clothing
• Soft facial detail
• Failed thin sections

The best results usually come from orienting the figure at an angle and placing supports on less-visible surfaces. Support density and tip size should be balanced carefully. Too little support can cause failure. Too much can leave unnecessary marks.

Filament supports are generally easier to understand and remove, but they can still affect small figures. Support removal around arms, legs, and accessories may damage a delicate FDM print or leave rough surfaces.

For either technology, inspect the STL before printing. Check the minimum wall thickness, unsupported overhangs, and thin features. A model designed for a larger scale may need modification before it is reduced to 1:64.

People Figures Versus Accessories

The type of object you are printing should guide your decision.

Resin is best for:

• Human figures
• Crowds
• Drivers and passengers
• Workers with tools
• Historical characters
• Expressive poses
• Small bags, phones, and hand-held objects
• Detailed automotive accessories

Resin is especially valuable when the figure is part of the story. A mechanic holding a wrench, a tenant calling for maintenance, or a commuter checking a device creates a specific moment in your diorama.

Filament is best for:

• Large crates
• Road sections
• Garage floors
• Building interiors
• Walls and partitions
• Display platforms
• Larger signs and structural elements

Simple geometric accessories can print well in filament. A box, barrel, or broad storage bin does not need the same resolution as a face or hand-held tool.

The most convincing dioramas often combine both. Filament builds the world. Resin gives it a pulse.

How STL Files Can Be Scaled for Different Projects

One of the biggest advantages of STL files is flexibility. You are not limited to one final size.

You can scale a model in your slicer before printing:

Target scale percentage = target size ÷ original size × 100

For example:

• Scaling a model from 1:64 to 1:32: 200%
• Scaling from 1:64 to 1:48: 133.3%
• Scaling from 1:64 to 1:87: approximately 73.6%

You can also scale based on the model’s measured height. If a figure is 30 mm tall at 1:64 and you want a 54 mm figure, set the scale to:

54 ÷ 30 × 100 = 180%

This makes STL files useful for everything from compact diecast scenes to larger 54 mm displays.

However, scaling is not completely automatic. When reducing a file, thin arms, fingers, tools, and straps may become too fragile to print. When enlarging a model, surface imperfections and unsupported geometry may become more noticeable.

Resin handles scaled-down detail much better than filament. FDM may require editing the STL to thicken fragile parts or simplify tiny features.

You can explore DoubleG Diecast’s 3D STL file collection for downloadable projects, or visit the 1:64 miniatures page to learn more about finished figures and custom scale requests inspired by the Kickstarter Volume 7 collection.

Final Recommendation

So, which is better for 1:64 miniatures?

For realistic people figures and small, detailed accessories, choose resin. The fine detail, smooth surface, and paint-ready finish make it the strongest option.

Choose filament when you need:

• Lower material costs
• Easier cleanup
• Greater impact resistance
• Larger terrain pieces
• Bases and structures
• A simpler entry point into 3D printing

For many hobbyists, the ideal setup is a resin printer for figures and an FDM printer for terrain. If you only want one machine, consider the part of the hobby you enjoy most. Do you want to populate scenes with lifelike characters: or build the environments around them?

And if you would rather skip the print setup altogether, the Kickstarter Volume 7 collection shows exactly how detailed 1:64 resin miniatures and STL-ready designs can help you build more believable scenes at home.

A realistic figure can turn an empty parking lot into a late-night repair call. It can turn a bus garage into a working facility. It can give your diecast photograph a story. That storytelling power is exactly what makes the Kickstarter Volume 7 collection such a strong reference point for creators who want more life, motion, and authenticity in their builds.

Choose the printing method that helps your miniature world feel alive.

Support Us on Patreon

Enjoy practical guides, realistic miniature figures, STL projects, and behind-the-scenes updates from DoubleG Diecast?

Join the DoubleG Diecast community on Patreon and support us with recurring monthly backing. Your support helps us keep creating detailed people, accessories, and scenes for hobbyists, collectors, and diorama builders.

Every project starts with an idea. Help us bring the next one to life.