Until now I have been 3D printing with PLA. This filament is made from Corn Starch and other vegetable matter and is biodegradable. For most projects it is perfect but it does have one disadvantage it has a relatively low melting point, for example at about 60°C it starts to soften and may start to deform if it is under any pressure.
Most of the time this is not a problem as they will never get anywhere near that temperature BUT obviously something used outdoors or in a car may well get to that temperature.
You may recall a project that I made a hook for a tent to attach to a car
I only printed out a test piece in PLA to prove its sizing but PLA, for the reasons set out above, is not really suitable for this thing.
Now I have just received some PETG filament, yep that is the same stuff as your plastic drink bottle is made from. This is real plastic for the plastiphobes out there.
PETG costs a bit more than PLA. PLA is suitable for most things except where heat is encountered or hard wear.
There is also ABS which has better wear characteristics.
I am not an expert on this and am still learning. Now I have the high temp nozzle I might also buy a roll of ABS filament to try. (my printer is totally enclosed so fumes shouldn’t be a problem.) For most things PLA will remain my main filament.
Best Use Cases
PLA is best in applications that don’t have any specific functional requirements.
ABS is often used in functional items that see lots of use or simply need to be durable – the frame of a drone, for example.
PETG is a good option for items that will come in contact with food or drink. It’s also a great contender for functional parts.
The full information is here:
I just looked on Amazon for prices to compare one brand for a 1kg roll
PLA = $30
ABS = $33
PETG = $38
This a good brand (eSun) but there are prices higher and lower in all types
I had a bit of a nervous moment today. I finally got round to changing the nozzle to the new 265° one but after calibrating the level I tried to load the filament but the temperature didn’t change. In desperation I turned it off and on again and thank gawd it came good.
At the moment is printing out a test piece in PLA but if that is successful will load the PETG and try printing out another test piece then building a couple of my hooks.
BTW this morning I ordered a roll of ABS to try later.
Installing the new nozzle wasn’t as straight forward as it should have been. The problem referred to in my previous post were because it wasn’t properly home and the first time I tried printing it failed and was pushed out of its holder. It was only when I put the old nozzle back in that I realised the problem. The clips holding the nozzle in were not clicked into place because the new nozzle was not fitting as easily as the old. Anyway with a lot of pressing and fiddling with the clips I finally got it in place - I have complained to the manufacturer about poor QC.
Then I printed out the hooks that I bought the PETG for and all seemed to be going well for a 4 hour print however when I returned in the morning I found the print had moved.
The print is 100% plastic with no infill - I assumed that would make it stronger. This time the print was OK, not perfect but good enough however there are many parameters I can change to make it better but for this job it is good enough.
I will print out another vent for the petrol cap for my generator out of this material as it is more durable and UV resistant, you may recall this:
