Unpainted Resin Miniatures: What To Expect

January 7, 2026

If you’re used to plastic model kits, unpainted resin miniatures can feel different on the first order. Miniwaves Scale Models makes resin 3D printed military vehicle miniatures designed to be primed and painted by hobbyists. This guide explains what you’ll receive, what’s normal, and how to get the best results.

We ship models fully washed and fully cured, with supports removed. Most models only need very light cleanup before primer.

What “unpainted resin miniature” means

“Unpainted” means your model arrives in its raw resin finish. You control the final look:

base color and camouflage
markings/decals
weathering (mud, dust, chipping)
diorama basing or tabletop presentation

If you’ve painted miniatures before, the workflow is the same: prep → prime → paint → seal.

What arrives in the box

Miniwaves models are resin 3D prints, typically shipped as multi-part miniatures for better detail and safer packing:

Hull + turret (common)
On some large artillery pieces: hull + turret + separate gun (for strength and fit)

This is normal for military vehicle miniatures and makes painting easier because you can reach tight areas.

Supports, cleanup, and what to expect

We remove supports before shipping, but resin printing can leave tiny contact points where supports touched the surface. That’s normal.

You should expect:

small support nubs in a few areas
very minor surface marks that disappear under primer
a few minutes of light sanding or scraping in isolated spots

You should NOT expect:

supports still attached
major rough surfaces everywhere
missing major parts

Resin 3D prints vs plastic model kits

Plastic kits are mass-produced and built for large assembly workflows. Resin 3D printed miniatures are popular because they can capture:

sharp edges and fine detail
unique vehicle variants
smaller-batch models you don’t always see in mainstream kits

The tradeoff is that resin prints can sometimes need minor finishing before painting. If you want the best final result, don’t skip prep and primer.

Returns and damage policy

If your order arrives damaged, contact us with a photo and your order number. We offer 30-day returns for items that arrive damaged. (Keep your packaging until we resolve it.)