Recycling 3D prints  

RE: Recycling 3D prints

Some folk put  a mixed assortments into a flan dish, and heat it in the oven, at about 220C for PLA, in order to make coasters for plant pots, and similar

regards Joan

RE: Recycling 3D prints

I've been asking about recycling scraps for some time, and so far I have not heard an answer that I like.

There's the Recyclebot and variants, but I don't have enough scraps to make a meaningful amount of filament, even of a 'suicide' color.

Our local SID's trash hauler gives each residence a special recycle bin as well as a general garbage bin.  I've phoned them and they say to throw the scraps in the regular garbage, as they can't tell what kind of plastic the scraps are and if you put it in the recycle bin they just have to pull it out and add it to regular trash.

Last I knew, there were a few companies who would accept scraps if you paid the shipping to get the scraps to them, and obviously the cost of shipping would be more than the value of the scraps.

RE: Recycling 3D prints

I have seen as metioned in the first post, videos of them used as bases for statues and background for clocks

RE: Recycling 3D prints

@joantabb

I use rectangular sponge trays, the sort intended for making rolled cakes.  The trick is to scatter contrasting coloured scraps first and then the bulk so the resulting rectangular slab has an attractive surface pattern.  The temperature is a matter of choice: At 100 degrees PLA fuses and preserves a sharp pattern BUT it remains full of bubbles.  At 200 degrees the bubbles are gone but the pattern begins to blur.

Once you have a few dozen same sized rectangular slabs visitors start to have ideas for their use...

Of course visitors are few this year so I have a bit of a backlog.

I'm experimenting with methods to incorporate an SPI  recycling code into the slabs. The simplest is to print a wafer thin label that goes on the tray first but it feels odd to print a part purely to go into scrap.

Cheerio,

RE: Recycling 3D prints

I will say upfront that it isn't cost effective.

Have a look at https://bazar.preciousplastic.com
Bought a shredder through them and added a locally acquired reducter to shred everything manually (no motor).
Also bought a FilaStruder and FilaWinder (not happy with this last one, plan on making my own)
Waiting on the delivery of an extruder motor and gears from Prusa to pull the filament at a rate controlled by a caliper.

RE: Recycling 3D prints

Also if you look here https://preciousplastic.com/universe/recycling-spaces.html you may find a collection point near you that will accept the prints for recycling.

RE: Recycling 3D prints

I checked out the Precious Plastics, and it looks like their solutions are far more spendy than the Filastruder.

I'm glad that some people are moving forward with this, even though for me, I know I would never have enough scraps of any one type of plastic to make a meaningful amount of filament.

I would be very curious to hear about how the home-recycled filaments actually print.

RE: Recycling 3D prints

Just stumbled over https://felfil.com/ the other day. Looks a bit more polished than the Filastruder, but it is significantly more expensive...

RE: Recycling 3D prints

3D Printing Nerd tested the FelFil

RE: Recycling 3D prints

Well that's a bummer 🙁 

RE: Recycling 3D prints

Another option:

https://www.filastruder.com/products/filastruder-kit?variant=323882043

RE: Recycling 3D prints

That looks like a slick little desktop size machine, but it's still quite expensive, as it looks like about US$800.  I don't think I've spent that much on filament since I got my machine.

And (yeah I know, b*tch b*tch b*tch) I sure wish that people who make videos like that would do more of a Readers Digest version hitting the high spots!

RE: Recycling 3D prints

@jsw

I thought about it also.  It is not worth it.  I am all about green, but the price is not worth the return.