Compatible filaments?

[Doctor Heckle]

Our filament would be considered pure PLA in that there is not any other plastics mixed in and for any post processing it could be considered pure PLA.

However there are additives that are used to get the different colors and to make it easier to manufacture as filament. The Midnight Black and the Polar White in particular have fairly high ‘filler’ to get the more opaque color. The Matural color has the least additives.

We can't wait to see how you post process yours!

You know, looking back, I think I've narrowed down my print quality issues with one post.

Using the initial 0.5kg of pink filament the printer came with, the only issue I had with the printer were wifi connectivity related. I changed filament, and now I'm getting z banding issues and adhesion issues on top of the wifi connectivity issues. Guess which colors I've been trying!

[Doctor Heckle]

Thanks for jumping in, I totally get your priorities! Is your filament "pure" PLA? Please correct me if I'm wrong but I've read somewhere that higher end "PLA" filament isn't just PLA but often mixed with something else (like the aforementioned colorfabb PLA with PHA). I'm specifically interested in this as I'm considering different post-print procedures

As someone who just learned acetone baths don't work with PLA, I too am looking at some post-print treatments to get things a bit smoother.

[hsus]

As someone who just learned acetone baths don't work with PLA, I too am looking at some post-print treatments to get things a bit smoother.

It does however work with colorfabb's PLA with PHA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEnz8CWxyjc

[curious aardvark]

only 220 ?
Well that rules out a lot of stuff. But not polyflex - I print that at 220 :-)
So you're pretty much using pla based filaments - doesn't limit you much.

[Feign]

220 puts a few of the filaments I have on order from Global FSD just barely out of range (Specifically the Porolay series is recommended to print at 225-235 degrees)

An important part for filament compatibility is how does the MOD-t temperature calibration process work? Does it run the extruder servo while slowly adjusting the heat up and down until it 'feels' the filament start to push through the nozzle at the right rate through the servo's feedback? If so then elastic-type filaments might completely throw the process off, even if they would otherwise print fine.

Pretty cool to find out that the nozzle is steel though.

[Feign]

Ethyl Acetate smooths PLA in almost exactly the same way that acetone smooths ABS.

Harder to find and a little more expensive, but significantly less toxic also.

[curious aardvark]

Ethyl Acetate smooths PLA in almost exactly the same way that acetone smooths ABS.

Harder to find and a little more expensive, but significantly less toxic also.

Overexposure to ethyl acetate may cause irritation of the eyes, nose, & throat. Severe overexposure may cause weakness, drowsiness, & unconsciousness.

You still need to take sensible precautions :-)

[Feign]

Well, there is a pretty long distance between "less toxic" and "non toxic".

[hsus]

Has anyone tried LayBrick? Seems to be the most beautiful filament for ornamental objects, read up on it here http://www.extrudable.me/2013/08/13/...with-laybrick/ and now I'm curious if this (or any other stone/cla/brick etc) is printable with the mod-t?

[curious aardvark]

they should all print as they're all pla based so don;'t have high extrusion temps.

One thing to bear in mind. Filaments like copperfill and anything that's conductive or states it has carbon fibre will wear the nozzle.

If you want something with a stone like finish. Then the best thing I've used is bronzefill. Unsanded, polished etc it looks and feels like rough stone/ceramic.

I printed a rather nice ganeesh that looks like it was carved from a piece of rock.

It's probably abetter use for bronzefill than all the post processing to make it look bronzy.

If you want abronze finish get some of the reprapper tech bronze filament. Doesn't need post processing.