Best storage for filaments  

RE: Best storage for filaments

I've never heard of filament going 'too wet' in only a few days.  What's your relative humidity like?

I have basically two categories of filament.  First is those I use regularly and use up regularly, meaning several weeks to a couple of months.  For those, I keep them out on the spool rack above the printer, and I have not noticed any difference between a new spool and one that's been out a couple of months.  The RH in the home office is typically in the low 30 percent range.

For those filaments I don't use regularly and want to keep dry, I have two, soon to be three, dry storage boxes made out of generic Home Depot storage tubs.  Each one has an el-cheapo humidity gauge (roughly US$10-ish) and four of the silica gel dry packs.  When the internal humidity starts creeping up to the high 20 percents I take the dry-packs and bake them in a warm oven.  I do not open these often, only to remove/replace spools that I use only occasionally, as each opening introduces room air into them, out of which the dry-packs have to suck moisture.

That's the way I do it, others do it different ways.

RE: Best storage for filaments

@jsw

I guess I was imprecise with my time estimates. My Ziploc bag was unzipped for about 2 weeks, not a few days, for the filament I had trouble with:after that time I heard distinct popping upon extrusion and adhesion troubles. You wondered about RH and I should explain that I am at my summer lake property where RH is anywhere from 60 to 95% inside our unconditioned house. Under these conditions I think the moisture did affect my filament;maybe my tubs and lids solution will be overkill when I return to my airconditioned/dry city home? 

RE: Best storage for filaments

Posted by: @bcdoody

[...] Under these conditions I think the moisture did affect my filament;maybe my tubs and lids solution will be overkill when I return to my airconditioned/dry city home? 

There's no such thing as too dry. If you've got room for the buckets, it's a great solution for longer-term storage. I've had PLA get very stringy in a matter of days under the right conditions. Just keep a good inventory of what's in what container so you don't end up with duplicates.

RE: Best storage for filaments

I have used large containers and smaller ones.  I am more partial to single role storage.  I like the PrintDry Spool Containers or the Rubbermaid 21 cup Containers.  

RE: Best storage for filaments

@bobstro

That is what I did last weekend - an inventory list - there comes the point you loose control of what filaments do I own (and where they are).

Best regards, Clemens

RE: Best storage for filaments

@clemens-m

Isn't that the truth.  I have too much filament.  

RE: Best storage for filaments

@charles-h13

You're probably right about single spool storage but unfortunately I couldn't find an easy or low cost supplier of your recommendations in Canada and the three-spool tub approach was only C$12 (US$9) or C$4/spool. Can't beat that anywhere. 

RE: Best storage for filaments

Posted by: @charles-h13

Isn't that the truth.  I have too much filament.  

I'm getting quite the collection too.  I am making a third drybox in which to store a number of 1/4 to 3/4 spools left over, mostly in oddball colors such as 'Castle Limestone Gray' and 'Primordial Earth' and a few solid colors such as blue and yellow and others.  It seems like I use up the blacks, whites and neutral gray (and the Prusa-equivalent silver-gray) regularly but I have quite a bit of left-overs.  I've also barely touched that Amazon Basics sample pack (originally 20-some colors, IIRC), which I spooled on smaller spools and which fills the better part of one of the dryboxes.

RE: Best storage for filaments

@charles-h13

I would say it is the same with the number of printers - I own 3 and 1 would be enough to fulfill all my needs. Maybe that is the problem with a hobby - you don´t need all these things, but you want all of them.

Best regards, Clemens

RE: Best storage for filaments

@clemens-m

If you run Octoprint, there's a new plug SpoolManager that might help.

RE: Best storage for filaments

@towlerg

It is ok.  It is not as feature rich as the old filament manager.  My son has it running and I use a central database to manage my spools.  I am Not certain that spool manager can do that with multiple printers and PIs.  

RE: Best storage for filaments

@charles-h13

Exactly my problem 👍
Best regards, Clemens 

RE: Best storage for filaments

@clemens-m

Do you think there is interest in the filament manager plugin continuing.  I can talk to him about maintaining it.  He is a professional programmer.  

RE: Best storage for filaments

@charles-h13

It would be a nice feature to have somewhere a database, which could be used from two ore more octoprint instances to track filament consumption on a specific spool and to know how much material is left. I would like to have something like that, but I am not able to do that.

Best regards, Clemens

RE: Best storage for filaments

@clemens-m

I will discuss it with him tonight/. 

RE: Best storage for filaments

@charles-h13

I am very interested in your feedback!

best regards, Clemens