Rainbow Silk PLA - objective evaluations  

RE:

I don't think the colour matters, all foaming/expanding filaments cause problems especially as many new users don't realise they are compromising accuracy and strength for cosmetic effects.  Usually it's better to use plain filament and post process with filler, abrasives, primer and several coats of old fashioned paint.

Cheerio,

RE: Rainbow Silk PLA - objective evaluations

I've printed a lot with rainbow silk recently with good results. Most of it has been Sunlu but also one reel of Eryone which I had never heard of before. Filament has been in my drybox for a couple of weeks feeding via mmu to mk4 using the standard generic pla configuration, only stringing I've had is when the print finishes and the head moves to the park position. The results have been great, I was trying to build some stock for a Christmas fair I'm doing but friends keep buying it because it has come out so well.

I would just buy the colour you want, make sure it is dry and print with it.

RE: Rainbow Silk PLA - objective evaluations

Just printed the Scanic vase using e Sun rainbow, no issues.

John

RE: Rainbow Silk PLA - objective evaluations

John... That looks nice.

I'm trying for a shinier, brighter look for an articulated  dragon I found on Thingiverse.

I PM'd the creator to ascertain which PLA brand they used but I didn't get a reply.

Hey, it was super cool the shared that file for free!

So appreciative.

Thank you!

RE: Rainbow Silk PLA - objective evaluations

Hi JP.... Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. I've never heard of the 2 PLAs you mentioned but I'll now investigate them after hearing of your success. Thanks again for your help.

RE: Rainbow Silk PLA - objective evaluations

Eryone filament I have used in the past and is OK.

Sunlu and Geeetech are also reliable filaments when coming to the end of rolls or been in my store for a long time.

 I tend to stick to filament manufacturers that I have had good success in the past for the different types and colours.

I buy all from Amazon,es (Spain) normally 1 - 2 day delivery and for shipping I pay €4.85 a month for any deliveries. Also they will deliver here on a Sunday

I recently bought on of the Sunlu filament joiners, what a clever piece of kit, they do not recommend welding together

different colours or brands but it seems to work for me, Certainly I have not tried welding different chemical specs, that would be a disaster. LOL.

As I print many different boxes with lids, I almost 100% print off a heated glass, a much better finish and no issues with engraving and

use the aforementioned brands of filaments.

Attached photos of a odd shaped box, I designed to fit a 150 mm milling circular table. The handwheel bolts to the top surface for compact storage only.

Total major length and width 310 mm x 270 mm. So I printed box and lid in 8 pieces and with designed jigsaw and carpenter type tenons it all snapped together.

Hope of interest.

RE: Rainbow Silk PLA - objective evaluations

Attached screenshots of typical jig saw and tenon slots for joining large parts together.

Base and one quarter of the lid

Very little  gluing required. Snap fit.

I hope of interest.

RE: Rainbow Silk PLA - objective evaluations

John... Nice job! Ddi you create that form scratvh? Did you use OnShape?

Thank you for sharing those filament brands.

Have you ever used Goto-Guard?

I was considering the Rainbow Silk 5 color PLA for an articulated dragon.

Thank you kindly.

RE: Rainbow Silk PLA - objective evaluations

Jigsaw looks like a neat fit!!

I'd love to learn how to create that from scratch.

Some have liked Fusion 360 but others say OnShape is a netter tool.

Did you use propriety 3D modeling software to create this?

Thank you so much for sharing that good work!

RE: Rainbow Silk PLA - objective evaluations

I use for drafting/design Mastercam version is 8.1 and initially Windows XP. 32 byte. my version dated 2002.

I managed to load this programme onto my Win 11 64 byte system.

This is a complete CAD CAM package and reads and writes into STL, DWG Dxf, Iges, Step. etc etc.

I also have a mini mill and lathe which I converted to both full on CNC, therefore 

Some 3D metal parts then I produce using CNC  But now initially print in 3D print for "form fit" functions, if OK then using the same

design I can produce g codes for the metal cutting machines.

Basically a one stop shop.

I have Solidworks but very rarely use this. 

My hobby and small business is the repair of musical instruments, so if a key is broken for example off a saxophone, I make new using brass bar and

shape the curvatures etc using 3D CNC., but 3D print prototypes first, much less expensive this way .

Hope of interest.

RE: Rainbow Silk PLA - objective evaluations

John... I wished I lived closer to see your shop! Sounds better than the Willy Wonka factory.

My former library was destroyed by Ian but we had, for a short time, a dual nozzle on an old Lulzbot Taz 6 so we could print metal PLA.

I only printed a couple of easy creations as the PLA (then) was $$$$ for a small, public library.

I'm at a different branch  now with a different Lulzbot Taz 6 and a Prusa MK4 which both just print PLA.

I'd like to experiment with ABS or other flexible filament just haven't had much time with programs I create and dodging hurricanes.

Our Friends of the library got us an audio interface Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 so patrons (and/or music teachers) could connect their electrical instrument (e.g. guitar, keyboard, etc.) and record their music. We played around with Cakewalk for a but but that seemed unduly complicated for our patrons so we just record and edit with Audacity (my favorite software - free, many featured and intuitive).

What have you found helpful to record and/or edit your audio?

Please forgive y ignorance as I'm self-taugth re: 3D printing using my half-hour break each day to learn to use simpler modeling like Tinkercad.

It seems Mastercam is to control prints on machinery - do you also create designs from scratch with Mastercam?

I'm trying to learn 3D modeling beyond Tinkercad so I've read some prefer OnShape while others still use Fusion 360 to create a 3D design form scratch.

Great conversation and so appreciated!

Thank you!

RE: Rainbow Silk PLA - objective evaluations

Contact me e mail   [email protected] for off topic conversations

Cheers

John

Spain

PS I have been using ZIRO carbon fibre PLA filament. A bit more expensive and only 0.8 kg per spool but quality of prints are good.

A lantern from prusa printables, added a new base and 6 x internal flickering candle LED´s

RE: Rainbow Silk PLA - objective evaluations

I print almost exclusively in silk.  You have to have your settings dialed in.  The temperature you print at directly affects how "shiny" it is.  I have had good luck with TTyt3D, ISANMATE and Ereyone.   I don't like AMOLEN at all, it doesn't stick to itself properly and even small overhangs look horrible.  Maybe I just had a bad spool.  I keep all my filaments vacuum-sealed with a center core desiccant holder.  If I pull it out at the desiccant hasn't really changed color much I will go ahead and use it, otherwise I run it in the dryer first. 

Here is what I use https://www.printables.com/model/801043-parametric-superior-filament-spool-desiccant-conta

RE: Rainbow Silk PLA - objective evaluations

Thank you for sharing yoru specirns, PLA used and that link.

So Appreciated.

Have you ever tried ..... https://www.amazon.com/Goto-Guard-Filament-Multicolor-Changing/dp/B0D69TV3YS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&th=1

I have 4 small dual-color Amolen reels and they all printed well. I the blue black looks like a gem and people love it.

I think of lot of 3D printing can be a "c**pshoot"

I've struggled with a Zucker .stl file from Thingiverse while a friend had no trouble printing it on a glass bed.

I do find others insights insturive so I will heed yours.

If I want the silk PLA to be very shiny have you found 230 degrees temp to be best?

I usually print at 215.

Thank you again.

RE: Rainbow Silk PLA - objective evaluations

I print much lower than that, if you haven't done a temperature tower I would recommend that.  You need to control stringing while getting the shine you want.  In general, As the temps go UP the shineyness goes DOWN.  On a Prusa MKS3+ with a standard nozzle I was using 200C after the first layer. I went to 205-210 after installing a Revo.  Bear in mind that the printer brand and heater/thermistor setup will vary so none of our temperature settings are really absolute.  I run it higher on the bambu X1C, typically around 215-220. 

Both printers I use have heated beds, but that shouldn't be a factor.  On the Bambu, I have to slow the print speeds way down.  For vase mode depending on the shape of the object I sometimes have to slow down the prusa.