Revolutionize Your 3D Printing Game with This Surprising DIY Filament Trick!
Are you tired of spending a fortune on 3D printing filament? Do you wish there was a cheaper solution to your filament needs? Well, you’re in luck! We’ve got a surprising DIY filament trick that will revolutionize your 3D printing game. Get ready to say goodbye to expensive filaments and hello to brilliant creations!
What You Need
Before we dive into the DIY filament trick, let’s go over what you’ll need to get started. Luckily, you only need two items, and they’re probably sitting in your house already. All you need is:
- Plastic shopping bags (preferably colored ones).
- A paper shredder or scissors.
The DIY Filament Trick
Here’s where things get exciting. By following this DIY filament trick, you’ll be able to create your own filament at a fraction of the cost. Here’s how to do it:
- Start by collecting as many colored plastic shopping bags as you can find. The more bags you have, the more filament you’ll be able to make.
- Use a paper shredder or scissors to cut the bags into small strips. Be sure to make the strips as thin as possible, as thicker strips will be more challenging to melt.
- Once you have your strips, you’re ready to start melting them down. You can do this in one of two ways. The first is to use a heat gun or lighter to melt the strips down until they’re hot and sticky. The second is to use an oven. Place the strips on a baking sheet and bake them at 175°F for around 15 minutes.
- If you used the heat gun or lighter, you can now start to roll the hot and sticky plastic strips into filaments. If you used the oven, wait for the plastic to cool down before rolling it out.
And just like that, you’ve created your very own DIY filament for 3D printing!
Benefits of DIY Filament
Aside from the obvious benefit of saving money, there are several other benefits to using a DIY filament for 3D printing. These include:
- Custom colors: Since you’re using plastic shopping bags, you have access to a wide range of colors. Experiment with different colors to create unique creations!
- Eco-friendly: Using plastic shopping bags for filament is an excellent way to recycle and reduce waste.
- Versatility: The DIY filament can be used with virtually any 3D printer that supports the same type of plastic.
Final Thoughts
Revolutionize your 3D printing game with this surprising DIY filament trick. Not only will you save money, but you’ll also have the freedom to create unique and custom-colored creations. All you need is some plastic shopping bags and a bit of creativity. Get started today!
This article explains how to make your own filament for 3D printers using a filament extruder.
What to Know
- Sort failed prints by color, then put large pieces into a bag > with rubber mallet, break into smaller pieces.When extruder is heated up, fill hopper halfway, then add more material.As the filament exits from nozzle, gently guide into a coil. Avoid touching filament.
Use a Filament Extruder to Make Your Own Filament
Along with a filament extruder, you’ll need heavy-duty scissors and a rubber mallet. The exact process depends on the extruder you use. Here’s a look at the general method.
- Gather and collect your failed prints and sort these by color.
- Only recycle parts that are clean and free of solvents and adhesives.
- Put large pieces into a bag and, with a rubber mallet, break the pieces into smaller pieces. The smaller the pieces, the better.
- PLA material tends to turn into a powdery state. ABS material grinds down into a mulch-like state.
- Depending on the extruder, attach the nozzle firmly and securely. Follow the particular extruder’s instructions.
- Consult the extruder’s documentation to set the correct melting temperature. The temperature only has to be hot enough to melt the plastic.
- Setting the right temperature with the kind of plastic material you’re using is a trial-and-error process.
- When the extruder is heated up, fill the hopper about halfway with plastic scraps.
- Make sure not to overfill the hopper.
- Add more material as the extruder turns the plastic into filament.
- The filament exits from the nozzle. Gently guide it into a coil as it comes out so you can spool it. Avoid touching the filament.
- When you’ve made enough filament for your project, turn off the extruder and spool the filament. Your DIY filament is ready for your 3D printing project.
What Is Filament?
3D printers use various plastic printing materials, also called filaments, with an array of technical names and acronyms, such as ABS and PLA. Filaments are plastics, also known as polymers. Filaments are a common 3D printing material because these materials melt when heated rather than burn, and can be shaped and molded.
Gather and collect your failed prints and sort these by color.
Only recycle parts that are clean and free of solvents and adhesives.
Put large pieces into a bag and, with a rubber mallet, break the pieces into smaller pieces. The smaller the pieces, the better.
PLA material tends to turn into a powdery state. ABS material grinds down into a mulch-like state.
Depending on the extruder, attach the nozzle firmly and securely. Follow the particular extruder’s instructions.
Consult the extruder’s documentation to set the correct melting temperature. The temperature only has to be hot enough to melt the plastic.
Setting the right temperature with the kind of plastic material you’re using is a trial-and-error process.
When the extruder is heated up, fill the hopper about halfway with plastic scraps.
Make sure not to overfill the hopper.
Add more material as the extruder turns the plastic into filament.
The filament exits from the nozzle. Gently guide it into a coil as it comes out so you can spool it. Avoid touching the filament.
When you’ve made enough filament for your project, turn off the extruder and spool the filament. Your DIY filament is ready for your 3D printing project.
There are many types of 3D printer filaments to buy, ranging in price from $15 to $40. But serious do-it-yourselfers might be interested in making filament using discarded or failed 3D print projects.
Filament Extruders
Filament extruders are machines you can buy or make that turn shredded plastic into filament to use in 3D printers. Filament extruders recycle failed 3D printing projects and leftover scraps by crushing small shredded pieces of plastic and then extruding it into filament for use in another 3D printing project.
Filament extruders come in many sizes with different features, but the basic functionality is the same. Push plastic pieces through a heated area. The plastic melts into liquid plastic, which is extruded through the machine’s nozzle as a strand of filament.
If you’re interested in making 3D printing filament, filament extruders such as the Filibot, the Filastruder Kit, and the Felfil Evo will do the job.
You can also make low-cost filament extruder.
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