Complete Guide to Filament for FDM 3d Printers

[@garyhardman8369]

I have just found your channel. As a 3D printing novice, at the age of 62, I find your videos to be very helpful. Thank you Sir.

[@robertlongoria765]

Thank God you made it back. Your story is an inspiration and your life will continue to be an example of grace and gratitude. Best wishes.

[@eviltux65]

For some reason I could listen to you for hours. Great talking voice and narrative skill

[@woodwaker1]

I learned more about filament watching this than I have picked up in a year watching all of the other channels. Please keep up the informative videos. Are you sure you aren't a Dr of education?

[@MakeWithTech]

Thanks.

[@bobbyjorge485]

instablaster...

[@johnkelley9877]

Thanks for sharing this tutorial Dr. VAX. It was very helpful indeed! I had wondered if I should use the PLA or the ABS but your review of the types of filaments has convinced me that for my purposes the PLA is best. This channel has provided me with a great deal of information on 3D printing and I cannot tell you how much I have learned from your tutorials.

[@MakeWithTech]

Thanks John.

[@billk2381]

Great review of filaments and their characteristics. Clear explanation and very useful. Thanks!

[@MakeWithTech]

Thanks for commenting.

[@lovely31bluprint]

I have asked God to lead me to the right people. I'm glad I seen your channel. I have learn so much from your channel. Peace and blessings.

[@dreamsprayanimation]

Hail Satan.

[@TaitGuy]

Thank you Dr Vax, I just started 3D printing my first print yesterday 1/09/21 and I'm already hooked... Great information, thank you sir!

[@CJICantLie]

Good early print is filament clips. Helps with limiting the wasted filament from bending it through the provided holes on the spool.

[@MakeWithTech]

Great idea.

[@coffeeisthepathtovictory1290]

Learning how to use my new 3D printer, love this channel. Subscribed.

[@JJones-gw9vy]

Great explanation of the different fillaments. Thank you for doing a detailed video for us beginners. Solid information.

[@Jcarr62]

Thanks you for all the research and time you put into this for us. could you put your charts in the description section for us to download as a reference guide. We love your video and learn something new each time please keep the coming.

[@MakeWithTech]

Here is a link to my Google Slide deck. Hope this is helpful. docs.google.com/presentation/d/1uZKQx-O8cPbU4D8ts19dsw2odmqThyKOMvt0h8LfqOE/edit?usp=sharing Irv

[@gggxxl]

Thanks for all the useful tips and classes, Dr Vax!

[@devonhansen1831]

Nice to see some real concrete info for once. Dunno why that's so hard for people. Thanks.

[@MakeWithTech]

My pleasure. I try.

[@hag403]

Thanks Dr Vax for another great video ! best Regards from Germany

[@RetropUk]

Love the way you do things. Very informative. Thank you.

[@cdreid99999]

This is so nice video but you're backwards on strength. Ela is very hard and brittle but it is not strong. APS is much much stronger than pla it isn't as hard though. And nylon and polycarbonate are stronger than either. For cosmetic items that won't be going into really hot places you should use pla but for anything that requires strength you should use ABS or nylon or whatever.

[@CrimFerret]

Thank you. I now understand why the recommendation to print any parts for use inside the enclosure of an enclosed printer out of ABS because they won't soften up. I suspect PETG would do just as about as well with everything except maybe Nylon. I have a friend who prints in carbon fiber filled nylon on an Ender 5. Needless to say it has had some upgrades.

[@cameronsparks6994]

Your videos have been crucial to my success in my 3D printing journey. I'm new and I wouldn't haven't even known where to start without the information in your videos. Thank you so much for taking the time to explain even the smallest of details in a way even a beginner can understand. Please keep them coming!

[@MakeWithTech]

My pleasure. Thanks for the comment. You can continue learning from DrVax viewers by joining the discussion group at https:/forum.drvax.com

[@swamihuman9395]

Another great video! Thx. I'll be sure to share it w/ my fellow makers, and students...

[@JMAlist]

Hands down this is the best filament comparison video I have seen and ive watched a lot of them. Great job! And very easy to understand without going to much into detail

[@cad3175]

..great quality video, well done, you'll do well if you maintain that standard, thank you very much

[@MakeWithTech]

Thanks for the comment.

[@3dPrintingMillennial]

Wish I would've seen this when I took up this hobby long ago. Great, consolidated info!

[@MakeWithTech]

Thanks.

[@eviltux65]

So what's PLA+ that everyone is seling now?

[@skandranon314]

Besides Amazon, what are good sites to buy filament in the US?

[@MakeWithTech]

I am a fan of MatterHackers.com

[@igordekiparis]

Great video!

[@MakeWithTech]

Thanks.

[@swamihuman9395]

"Soft PLA": nice tip:) Thx.

[@daabomb114]

What nozzle/size do you use for the Wood filament PLA?

[@MakeWithTech]

.40 works fine.

[@peterwolfik5827]

As a chemist, let me tell you, it’s the biggest lie that PLA is biodegradable. It degrades only under very, very specific conditions which are not present at a landfill. Before it biodegrades, it is shredded into micro plastic particles and does the same damage as any such particle.

[@MakeWithTech]

Thanks for sharing this information.

[@peterwolfik5827]

@@MakeWithTech , welcome. Concerning ABS, the fumes are toxic because they contain the monomer Styrene. A good ventilation is highly recommended.

[@MichelBricole]

I just discovered your channel and I think you deserve at least 10 000 subscribers! I'm sure I will learn a lot with you =) Btw I love your voice :)

[@roadstar499]

Question ...lets say i print and sell various 10-15'' statues to customers via ups..can i use PLA?...or will they melt during shipping? would special packing method prevent issues... ? thanks for the great instructional video

[@MakeWithTech]

The glass transition point for PLA is between 50c and 65c which is 122f to 149f. I would expect this would be fine for traditional shipping methods. You might want to email your shipper and ask about these temperatures. The glass transition point is the temperature where the material becomes rubbery. At cooler temperatures the material will remain in the same stand it was at after your print cooled.

[@georgekatsinis5224]

Shipping to the southwest in August??? Yup, there's a problem.

[@michousamuelson4094]

PCL: I want to only use pcl ( odorless and safer) temp: 100 c and the bed 35c. I have just bought an Ender 3 and nobody knows how to set a profile in Cura. Is it possible to print this filament with an Ender 3?

[@R_Forde]

I know this is an off topic question but what does the text on the bread knife mean. The translation app on my phone gave the literal meaning but didn't make sense.

[@MakeWithTech]

It is Hebrew for Sabbath Peace. The day to day meaning is have a good sabbath. It is a standard greeting from Friday night at sundown until Saturday night at sundown.

[@R_Forde]

@@MakeWithTech Thanks

[@John-NeverStopLearning]

Great video 👍 . I print TPU 95A on a stock Ender 3 PRO, no issues. Prints as easy as PLA. I use standard setting in Cura slicer.

[@bernhard8540]

the overture PLA is very flexible actually.. cause i ordered some not knowing and everything is soft and flexible like a rubber coaster or etc.. its not hard and breakable

[@joseguevara184]

So you prefer Bowden or direct extruder? I own a Tronxy Xy2 pro printer basically an improved Ender 3. Thanks in advance.

[@donaldhollingsworth3875]

What is the best filament for a great surface finish? Something like a 63 surface finish you would get when machining a part?

[@PatJones82]

Great Video! Thanks!

[@scotthammond4327]

MatterHacker’s page for ColorFabb Xt Transparent says it is Petg. Did you mean to say Ht? Could you post a link to what you used for that vase? MH has a variety of clear filaments in different materials to choose from. Perhaps a clear/translucent/transparent filament roundup is a good topic for a future episode.

[@MakeWithTech]

Nope. I used ColorFabb XT which prints at a higher temperature than traditional PETG.

[@braininavatnow9197]

I love the smell of abs. Sometimes I sit around and just burn the filament with a propane torch filling the house with its delicious styrene aroma

[@NevReign]

Brilliant and informative. I commend you, sir. Thank you!

[@paporod321955]

Great information Irv. I’m planning to use my Prusa printer to make RC airplanes.

[@whiskeybanger]

Thanks for the breakdown! Was wondering what the melting points and can and cants of all of these so I know what I need to do incase I need to print in one of these filaments! Keep up the good work!

[@MakeWithTech]

Thanks for commenting. I really enjoy decoding complex terminology and try to make it understandable.

[@rosedonnapur]

I got a printer from eBay next to new and it came with a bage field with lots of different pla abs and in lots of colours so this video was super helpfull

[@nunopenaspt]

Your videos are so useful and inspiring, thank you for everything. Cheers

[@robertavery8897]

You know there are people that can teach and there are those that can’t. Boy ... you got it. Take care

[@joenasello6067]

Perhaps the best overview of filaments IMO.

[@thebeststooge]

All of the PETG I am buying these days seem to be 260c to print including Hatchbox. Originally they were 230c so I had to switch out to an all metal hotend on all of my printers.

[@MakeWithTech]

Interesting. I have some unopened PETG from a couple of vendors. I will take a look.

[@georgekatsinis5224]

AWESOME INFORMATION. Thank you.

[@carlosalvarez9521]

how i can print the table of the filaments, would like to have in the shop as reference.

[@rbrown2925]

Great video, thanks. The only thing I wish had been included was outdoor use. I'd like to print some gizmos that will be outside and I'm wondering what filament would not become very brittle and crack thanks to UV exposure and an annual temp range of -20 to +30 C. I don't care about color fading this time around but it would be nice to know for future reference. Thanks for any tips!

[@MakeWithTech]

Good idea for a video. The problem is testing. I rarely have the patience to do videos where I have to take months to test a print.

[@LScott97]

Fantastic video! Thank you! 👍👍👍🤠

[@andrzej2501]

So far I get best results using ASA. PET-G looks cool but is extremely stringy and I think it needs even higher temperature not to split then ABS.

[@MakeWithTech]

I have not tried ASA yet. In general I get excellent results with SUNLU Petg.

[@qbitsday3438]

So nice to listen and watch your Video Lessons!

[@rileylong1283]

I'm trying to 3d print rock climbing holds. I know that we use PU to make climbing holds. I was wondering about the property differences between polyurethane and thermoplastic polyurethane?

[@rbrown2925]

Sounds scary given the strengths of many plastics. I doubt an insurance company would approve.

[@rileylong1283]

@@rbrown2925 thats why I'm trying to understand the differences between the two. they use to make climbing holds out of ceramic. I'm a very experienced route setter and I'm just trying to have some fun on my home climbing wall. not for commercial use.

[@trailcrawler2038]

I'm looking to print parts for my RC Scale trucks. I'm completely new to 3D printing so I'm looking for a beginner printer. I'm thinking PLA and TPU would be my go to for scale accessories. Would the Monoprice Cube or Mini be my best bet for a starting printer? I'm considering once I get a deeper understanding of 3D printing, I'd like to print my own RC Car bodies (possibly Nylon or ABS... unsure). You do a fantastic job on your channel and I give you 2 thumbs up. It just seems the more I learn, the further away from a decision that I am for my first printer.

[@MakeWithTech]

Are your comfortable with a printer you have to assemble? The Monoprice Cadet can only print PLA. For Nylon you will need a much higher end printer since it prints at a higher temperature. ABS has a different set of issues because you will need a well ventilated area. Why are you considering ABS?

[@trailcrawler2038]

@@MakeWithTech I read that people printed in ABS for RC bodies, but if PETG or Nylon is better, then I'm all for that. I run crawlers so they take tumble abuse. As far as assembling the printer, I'm sure I can do that (I build all of my RC cars from kits).

[@whitebelt2905]

Thanks for the great content. I wanted to print toys for my 10 month old. He loves to out everything in his mouth. Which filament is safe for him?

[@MakeWithTech]

DIfficult question. Since 3d prints have gags and are not completely solid like injection molding they are much harder to clean completely and probably not appropriate for very young children.

[@MolecularLevel]

been using quite a lot of that "CC3D" filament lately, prints pretty good and is very cheap!

[@MakeWithTech]

I am a big fan.

[@mechtheist]

Hi DrVax, I just found your videos, they're a great resource, very informative and helpful, thank you. Sorry for this being a bit picky but I can't help myself sometimes, saying '50% higher temperature' based on degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius is really not a good way to think about such things, you're dealing with arbitrary zeros with those scales. To specify a percentage in temperature, you really need to go to the Kelvin scale, so going from 50 to 75 Celsius is really going from 323 to 348K, or less than 8 percent. This might seem an annoying quibble but you can get the wrong idea about what to expect in a lot of situations when you don't consider where zero is, e.g., is 2 Celsius really twice as hot as 1, if so, then 35.6 degrees F is twice as hot as 33.8 F.

[@CapuletPoeChannel]

The best filament video around

[@edcbabc]

Very interesting. I am looking to use PETG, possibly with carbon fibre filler, for quadcopter frames. Something I have read is that PLA, whilst strong, has poor interlayer adhesion, so a cube may be strong in the X and Y dimensions (due to crosshatching while printing) but poor in the Z. I've read that PETG is much better in this respect (and a corollary to that is the need for gluestick etc on the bed to get it off - it sticks too well). It also appears that PETG is hardly hygroscopic at all, less than PLA, much less than nylon. Do you agree with these points?

[@philprosser8800]

Doc these are some of the finest videos on all of KZbin.

[@MolecularLevel]

How durable is PETG? PLA shows "creep" over time as i've seen in other videos; however i want more durable items, how's PETG in that aspect?

[@robertavery8897]

Another great video. Thanks. You keep going the way ur going ... you’ll set the standard for KZbin videos.

[@RaddIndustries]

I'm trying my luck at TPU. Luck is not on my side

[@Mikegaming202]

Hi! I have been thinking about getting a 3d printers for a bit now, I got some questions for anyone willing to answer. 1. What I want to print needs to be flexible and you can stretch it a bit without it breaking. To create for example a case for an earbud, where I can expand it, put the earbud in and it will close and stay in the case. 2. What printer do I use? I'm not planning anything huge at all max is 1.5 inch by 1.5 inch things.

[@joferusa]

Excellent video, very well explicit, the way to explain it keeps the viewer with the same interest from the beginning to the end Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge

[@cutnpasteking8281]

Stumbled on one of your vids, searched for you here. I appreciate your direct & clear information. Thanks a bunch.

[@Gadget_Angel]

Would like to see a video on PC filaments, otherwise very informative video

[@MakeWithTech]

I will add it to the list.

[@obe22099]

Thank you sir for this video

[@larcoal2963]

Nice review, thanks!

[@mcorrade]

Hey great vid Dr. where can I fine that filament chart you shared

[@MakeWithTech]

The data came from a range of manufacturers websites. Here is a link to the deck: docs.google.com/presentation/d/1uZKQx-O8cPbU4D8ts19dsw2odmqThyKOMvt0h8LfqOE/edit?usp=sharing

[@mcorrade]

@@MakeWithTech Thanks Doc

[@domiart6758]

merci beaucoup. c'est tres interessant.

[@JohnHavord]

Excellent video. Thanks for taking the time to share.

[@MakeWithTech]

Thanks for commenting.

[@satoshisaito842]

omg watching this high is very strange it takes forever and dude's smile is very awkward

[@smileyleaves3066]

He has voice of Tommy Chong

[@MakeWithTech]

Not sure if that is good or bad. I am old enough to know who Tommy Chong is 😂

[@smileyleaves3066]

@@MakeWithTech well... if the cops bust your door. You say IM NOT HIM... IM THE OTHER GUY, 3D PRINTING GUY 😁🤪

[@michaelphillips-nxs]

READ, caution! :According to a study conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), lung cells which were exposed to FDM 3D printer emissions coming out of ABS and Polycarbonate filaments showed signs of damage after exposure for around 3 hours. In some cases, cell death was observed and in some others, chemicals associated with inflammation were known to have been released. This study demonstrated the damaging effect that the inhaling of fumes can cause on the lungs. The best precaution that one can take to minimize a user’s exposure to these fumes is by placing the 3D printer in an area which is well-ventilated. You can also look at printers which are deemed to be safer than others. Most people focus on specs and technical qualities of the 3D printer when purchasing one. However, if health and safety are a priority, then looking at safety features are also equally important. the truth is we dont know all the chemicals that can be in filaments, continuing additives arfe added to make ones better than anothers and so full danger would be unkown

[@MakeWithTech]

I agree which is why print almost exclusively PLA and sometimes PETG. My printer area has an exhaust fan vented to outside and I have an air quality sensor in my printer area.

[@freakent]

So PETG next then...

[@avejst]

I miss PC in this chart Thanks for sharing👍😀

[@MakeWithTech]

Yep. Haven’t printed with it yet so no personal experience.

[@Gadget_Angel]

Can you do a video on PC?

[@010falcon]

PETG for life It really is impressive how good PETG is

[@MakeWithTech]

I agree.

[@010falcon]

DrVax wow didnt expect an answer (appreciate this) your channel is great and i learned a lot only from this video Please dont take this to personal (more of constructive criticism, i am the type of guy that says what he thinks, else people cant change if no one tells them what to improve) I can recommend maybe a bit more movement It makes you look more natural, you sometimes seem like your in a script (only my opinion) Another recommendation not for the video but for printing When you measure filament, apply as little force on the filament with the calipers as possible, else the filament will get squished a bit and you get wrong readings. Also one thing: yes i also dont like ABS A question Will you make a video about the hemera?? I am thinking about upgrading my ender 3 Do you recommend this? A positive thing (one of many, but the one i love the most): You explain everything very very clearly, so everyone understands All the best from Switzerland (sorry for the huge essay)

[@soneralpay7565]

Thanks Sir..

[@ZevangBSB]

Very helpful!

[@NhatHoa-oh7vk]

very good!

[@preeteshsawant1606]

Hey. Can a thermoplastic material in powder form can be used instead of thermoplastic filament? If yes then how and what should be assembly be.

[@MakeWithTech]

Yes there are printers that use power instead of filament but it is a completely different design and the printers are quite a bit more expensive. For example most printers that print metal use lasers to sinter (melt) metal powders which include a binder layer by layer in place.

[@preeteshsawant1606]

@@MakeWithTech Can there be any parts that can be attached to extruder of the 3D printer in order to extrude thermoplastic material instead of filament that will melt and extrude of the nozzle and get printed simultaneously.

[@MakeWithTech]

I am not aware of any. Doesn’t mean they do not exist. The extruder would have to be completely different and retraction would not work.

[@preeteshsawant1606]

@@MakeWithTech ohk...thank you very much for sharing your valuable info..

[@francisdaoust5862]

@@preeteshsawant1606 yes there is some pellets extruder, search for that name. It work for pellets so they may work well with powder

[@-robo-]

HDPE?

[@MakeWithTech]

Thanks for mentioning HDPE. I have not used it yet but it is a good example of material made from recycled plastic.

[@venko3211]

Excellent Sir I willto printing continues one by one.how to edit the g code

[@bett0diaz]

Great video! I appreciate the time stamps for each topic :)

[@MakeWithTech]

My Pleasure.

[@stuartmotorsports]

Where are the time stamps?

[@MrBrechtD]

So many video's about filaments, but none cover POM? I bought a spool of POM but had little success printing with it due to warping forces. Lots to find about injection molding with POM, but this is a spool of filament whitch makes me think it has to be printable. The seller never responded when I asked about it. I even tried to customize the direction of the layers to spread out the warping.

[@MakeWithTech]

I am not familiar with POM. What are it’s advantages?

[@MrBrechtD]

@@MakeWithTech It is mostly used in engineering applications because it is very stiff. For example, the wheels that ride on the aluminium extrusions of the ender3 are made of the stuff. Also, it is temperature resistant up to a little more than 100°C

[@iandawkins2182]

Always weigh your filament to make sure you are getting what you paid for. Have purchased filament from eBay that says it's 1 Kg of filament but was actually a total weight of 1Kg, they included the spool. Only got about 800 grams of filament so a total rip off. Buyer beware !

[@MakeWithTech]

I tend to stick to well establish brand names. While this is not a guarantee you will get what you pay for it does improve the ods. The brands I like best are Hatchbox, MatterHackers, CC3 China, SainSmart, and Colorfabb.

[@iandawkins2182]

I totally agree, but as I print functional parts rather than models while I am prototyping a cheap Chines eBay brand is OK and then when I am ready for the final print I will go with a branded filament. Getting reliable supplies of branded filament in the UK can sometimes be really challenging.

[@bernardtarver]

4:20 is a transgression of workmanship. Liken it to Steve Jobs' story of making a chest of drawers, and not sacrificing quality or aesthetic on the parts that you don't see..."For you to sleep well at night, the aesthetic, the quality, has to be carried all the way through."

[@MakeWithTech]

While I fully understand your comment, design decisions need to balance many needs. For example if you look at the disassembly of an iPhone you will see that some areas are full of glue -- not very pretty -- but they help support other design decisions such as making the device water resistant. I stand my my recommendation to match layer height to the needs of the design balanced by the time to produce the part.

[@bernardtarver]

@@MakeWithTech iPhone's interior is pretty clean kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5qQdqima7usfNk

[@woodwaker1]

I think I saw some information that using thicker layers produces a stronger print. I may be wrong but having fewer thicker layers would produce fewer places for the layers to separate. I know that strength is affected by layer orientation, which can make big changes in appearance. Often times I am building parts to use, not as works of art and need to balance time and surface quality and strength all in the same equation.

[@MakeWithTech]

In fact, layers over .20 with a .40 nozzle are not as stronger as smaller layers. I know, this does not seem to make sense but this outstanding video at CNC Kitchen tests this issue: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJO2gqmAf8-qaLM I also have a detailed video about layer orientation. This does make a significant difference. Take a look at this video "How to Printer Stronger 3d Parts"? kzbin.info/www/bejne/oGKqfZ98ecdqrac

[@tovaperl2703]

Nice vibs

[@michaelphillips-nxs]

such fumes can be hazardous. ABS and Nylon, in particular, can be very harmful.such fumes can be hazardous. ABS and Nylon, in particular, can be very harmful.

[@MakeWithTech]

You are correct. I recommend home based using stick to PLA and PETG with good ventilation.

[@NorthernForester]

Watch at 1.5 or 1.75 to keep your sanity

[@devinpounds1192]

Another great video! You have been extremely helpful with starting out with 3D printing! Just ordered my first printer, and looking forward to putting many of the things you talk about to practice!

[@davidjones-ul3dt]

where do you get CC3 China filament

[@MakeWithTech]

I buy it at amazon. Here is a link. The correct company name is CC3D China. I sometimes misstate it as CC3 China. amzn.to/2Hq3eJB

[@trampkiller666]

Rate of information delivery worked nicely for me. Thanks Doc.