Silver ABS recomendations?

[jediknight0]

I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions for a 'good' silver ABS filament? I'm looking for something that extrudes cleanly and looks good (and actually, you know, silver) after cold acetone vapor smoothing.

I purchased some eSun silver ABS online and had lots and lots of problems. The filament (despite being vacuum sealed with desiccant) seems to have moisture. When I first used it, it was popping / hissing / smoking, not to mention lumpy on extrusion. I tried drying it in the oven (a couple times @ 190F for 2 hours) and the popping / hissing / smoking went away but the extrusion is still lumpy. After vapor smoothing, some of the filament turned to a dark grey while other strands stayed silver. Overall inconsistent. It's an interesting effect, but not what I'm going for.

I then purchased some MG Chemicals silver ABS locally (from Fry's) and the extrusion is smooth. The overall silver look is minimal though and after smoothing it's just light grey, not silver (but it is consistent).

After $50 or so down the tube on a couple tries, I'd like to get some advice before sinking more money into this... any suggestions?

[tpete61]

Amazon sells a Hatchbox brand in Silver. I have some and would say it is pretty darn close to silver. Some people might think it looks gray though. It extrudes quit nicely.

[richardphat]

Affinia silver filament, works like a boss.

https://store.afinia.com/ABS-175-mm-...ver-_p_21.html

[raysspl]

Which FRY's carries MG Chemicals filament? I don't recall seeing any filament last time I was at Fry's, with the exception from Makerbot.

Curious to hear more about any ABS filament problems from varying manufacturers

[richardphat]

I have used only the natural ABS from reprapper, it was nice, easy to print. I could even bring the temp down to 220 and it still adheres good to other layers, unlike most ABS that is much more suitable above 230.

The natural ABS from reprapper was also extremely nice when it comes to acetone vapor smoothing.

[jediknight0]

Which FRY's carries MG Chemicals filament? I don't recall seeing any filament last time I was at Fry's, with the exception from Makerbot.

The one in Campbell, CA has some but the supply is dwindling. I've seen it in other Frys in the bay area as well though.

[curious aardvark]

I got a couple of rolls of esun pla with my knp - probably the worst filament I've yet used.

Reprapper tech co ltd - definitely makes my favourite pla.
Abs, just don't like it lol

As for an actual silver filament. All the one's I've tried turn out to be various shades of grey.

Best advice - print in any old colour and spray paint it silver :-)

[raysspl]

The one in Campbell, CA has some but the supply is dwindling. I've seen it in other Frys in the bay area as well though.

Are you referring to Octave? We have Octave filament in stock.

[jediknight0]

Are you referring to Octave? We have Octave filament in stock.

The box said MG chemicals.

The spool itself doesn't say much... just:

ABS - 1.75mm
Silver
DF12011-S10

The odd thing is that it's somewhat resistant to cold acetone vapor smoothing. I have to leave something printed with this filament in the paint can twice as long to get the same level of smoothing as all the other ABS I've tried.

[curious aardvark]

Actually the new reprapper aluminium is a very good metallic silver. I've got pla version.

What they've done different to colorfabb is to use less metal in the filament but a much much finer powder. So the metal is working as the main colourant rather than just big lumps that need to be sanded and polished.

Both the aluminium and the copper do look like metallic filament.