Austin Wilson and Neil Underwood from Fablocker in NC, USA developed a more effective (in terms of both cost and output) way to finish ABS-based parts. The method includes vaporizing the acetone to let the gas penetrate the surface better, without causing any visible damages. Please do not experiment or apply without being positive you can handle every safety issue.
In their method, Wilson and Underwood heat the acetone in a glass jar on a heater. They use their printer’s heated bed, a tool you would already have if you are printing ABS-based parts yourself. They heat the bed up to 120°C, and adjust the heat to 90°C after it is completely heated. By placing the part on a piece of aluminum foil (James and Bracken from So Make It tried using wood instead of foil), they put the part in the jar and leave it for a couple of hours. The result is exciting:
According to Wilson and Underwood, the cost of applying this method was below $5, without counting the printing bed. Moreover, if the jar is closed with a cap, the acetone would not evaporate but can condensate to be used again.