What's in the workshop? A 3D printer!

[tc4332]

MJ
We have started to use a reel of Dremel and it is pretty crap. The fibre itself varies in fragility before we do anything with it. I purchased this reel from Box when I bought the CR10.
What do you recommend fibre wise?

[MikkiJayne]

Steadytech from Box is a good basic PLA filament at £20 a roll.

If you want something a bit nicer then Fillamentum do some great plain PLA, and some amazing metallics. Rapunzel Silver is one of my favourites.

Proto Pasta HTPLA is fantastic stuff, also in plain or metallic. This can also be annealed in the oven to increase strength.

For real wow-factor, Polyalchemy Elixir is very special.

Ziro make a rather nice marble-effect filament too.

3D Filaprint are my go-to supplier for filaments. They do Fillamentum, Protopasta, and Polyalchemy, plus many more. They also do an own-brand of cheap PLA but personally I don't rate it much as it's a pain to get it to adhere to the bed. I prefer Steadytech for basic printing. They're great for all the others though. They also have a Filament Sample Outlet which is really handy for getting filaments to play with, without having to buy a full spool.

I've found that the CR-10S can really only print PLA well because of it's PTFE hot-end which can only go to 240 degrees. PETG will print at 230, but not well. ABS will print, but warps and falls off the bed because it won't go hot enough. TPU just won't print at all with the bowden extruder.

I'm contemplating upgrading the CR-10 to an all-metal hotend like the Microswiss, but I'm going to build a Hypercube with an E3D V6 hotend which will overcome a lot of the limitations so I may leave the CR-10 as it is. TBC

[tc4332]

Thanks, MJ, for the prompt reply.
I'll be stuck until after the Xmas thing now.
I find the Dremel stuff is very inconsistent in quality. Seems good enough for small things but as soon as you try to go higher it fails, and what it does print has weak interlayer strength. That’s posh talk for splitting between layers.
I’ll follow your advice and try the 3D Filaprint people.
Meanwhile have a nice break and enjoy Christmas.



Different subject but I’ll mention it while I have your attention.
I’ve bought a Sphero mini. It is an “App-enabled Robotic Ball” The kids and the cats (especially the cats) love it. Bit expensive for what it is but hey-ho it’s fun.
Talking cats do you know about the “siliconhell.com” website. Operated by serious cat lovers.

[MikkiJayne]

Have you tried increasing the print temperature? PLA prints at 200, but its not very strong at that. I tend to print at 205 most of the time, and if I want something extra strong I'll drop the speed to 40mm/s and increase temperature to 210-220 depending on the filament. Steadytech is nice and strong at 210-215. Protopasta HTPLA can print at up to 250 for max strength according to their web site, but the CR-10 will melt if you go that high!

[tc4332]

Thanks MJ.
Will try this evening.

[MikkiJayne]

A bit of a festive laugh: The Liberbastor! A remix of a turkey baster and some 70's scifi

[tc4332]

That dates you MJ.
Shades of Blakes 7???

[steamship]

Originally Posted by MikkiJayne

A bit of a festive laugh: The Liberbastor! A remix of a turkey baster and some 70's scifi

Not the sort of thing you would like to see on the Doctors desk when you go for that next appointment! ... bend over Mr. Jones