Old Brittle Filament

[Firepower]

I understand that old brittle filament can be put in an oven to dry it out but wondered if the prints from brittle filament is worse than with new filament.

I can not tell as most of mine have a rough surface. Some are quite good. But wondered if the prints are better with new filament?

Thanks

[Firepower]

1800 views and no comments seems strange.

Just wondered what the disadvantages are in using old brittle filament? Maybe none.

[LePaul]

Honestly when I have material like that, I toss it. The cost of materials isn't super high and while there are some ways to "freshen" your brittle filament, I haven't used them. I would forever wonder if I can trust it to complete a print without issue

Everyone has their preferences, favorites and budgets....I pay extra for better quality materials (ColorFabb, etc)

[Firepower]

Thanks for the reply. Sorry I did not see your reply earlier.

[Roberts_Clif]

1800 views and no comments seems strange.

Not really there are so many posts on this subject most already know all the information


My enclosure is heated.

With the air heated the filament temperature is higher making my filament more flexible so I do worry about filament breaking during printing.
I have not experienced any notable problems using any older filament,

Note all my filament is about 3 years going on 4 years old it is kept in a storage containers with dollar store moisture eliminators.
Before you ask I bought the filament for really good prices on a going out of business sales. And really believed I would print it all by now.
Currently have 24 rolls of PLA in various colors an have 11 rolls of ABS in various colors . I would find a way to save this filament.

Looking the Electric Food Dehydrator Machines each tray makes the wall higher this may not work without destroying the Dehydrator.
Unless you can find a clear pipe the same size as the Electric Food Dehydrator trays that will fit the Electric Food Dehydrator Machine.
The Stove might work if you place it on the lowest temperature, though a toaster oven $19 will work an can be set close to the printer..

Filament.jpg (13.04 KiB) Viewed 21479 times

[Firepower]

Roberts_Clif

My filament is about the same age as yours and a couple break if I leave them in the printer over night but do not break when I use them.

I just bought a SUNLU Filament Dryer S1 and started a new post as this post was getting old and not many comments. In that post I asked does a filament dryer fix brittle filament. Seems like filament dryers do not fix brittle filament that easily breaks.

The Sunlu dryer only does from 95 F to 131 F. From the list you mentioned PLA is suppose to be at 65F which is lower than my dryer goes to. I guess your list is in fahrenheit.

I see some people run the filament straight from the dryer but seems pointless if it gets cold before it gets printed. Guess I am missing something there.

Thanks for your previous reply.

[Lez0]

I have my printer in an enclosure although I don't use ABS anymore. I have had a couple of rolls break during printing.
So now when it's cold I heat the bed to 60°C and leave it to warm up the inside before printing, it seems to work on old filament.

[Firepower]

Thanks for the reply Lez0. Just a bit slow at seeing it.

Just to update this thread about Brittle Filament, following is what I posted in SUNLU Filament Dryer S1 thread started on 28 December 2020.

"Yahoo. The Sunlu actually works. I put it on for 6 hours at 55 degrees centigrade. It may not need that long.

Before I did the filament I could bend it once and it would break. After heating it, I just bent some over 40 times before it broke.

I just bent over some twice and first time broke at 15 bends and next one at 68 bends.

So not a wast of money after all. Looks like it works good.

Not sure if it will print any better as it was printing OK before I did it."

I noticed some say it does not heat the filament up evenly so I guess next time I'll have the filament through the hole and give it a couple of turns as it is going.

[GrueMaster]

I store all of my filament in plastic totes under my printer desk (they keep warm from the furnace vent and uninsulated wall with direct sunlight behind them). When I get new filament, I keep the desiccant packs and toss them in the totes as well. Sometimes I forget and leave a spool on a printer for a few (days, weeks, etc) and it usually snaps right at the extruder feed. I just put the spool back in the tote it came from and leave it for a while. Prints fine when I pull it out and print again. Never had an issue, but then I am usually printing something solid (camera tripod mount adapters or brackets of some sort) and not printing delicate pieces like miniatures.

[Firepower]

GrueMaster - Thanks for the reply.

As the SUNLU Filament Dryer is working I also have bought plastic food containers with a lid that seals from the grocery shop.

I have put the desiccant packs in the containers so I guess I am all set now for some good printing.

[LePaul]

This one is for larger spools and looks very interesting too

https://amzn.to/3CPvNdU