Self-adhesive one-way valves for vacuum-seal bags?  

RE: Self-adhesive one-way valves for vacuum-seal bags?

It would be helpful to know what country you are in before making suggestions. Put it in your profile so you don't have to think about it in the future. (For example, if you look in my profile you can see that I'm in the US and my time zone is New York (EST/EDT). That's about as specific the Prusa profile gets unless you write it in your "About Me" or "Signature" text blocks, not nearly specific enough to worry about self doxing.)

That said, I did check Amazon (here in the US), and either my search terms were all wrong or they don't have what you are looking for. All I could find were replacement valves as part of a kit that includes sous vide bags, likely the wrong size for filament spools. But no valves by themselves. I also found a reddit thread asking the same thing, coming up with as many answers as I've been able to provide here. (I.e. no answers for plastic bags.) You may find more info with more creative searching that my quick checks.

RE: Self-adhesive one-way valves for vacuum-seal bags?

Good point - I’ve added my location (UK) to my profile. 

I think I found the same Reddit discussion when I looked before posting. There are a few alternatives (e.g. coffee bag valves), but like you I haven’t found a source for the 3D filament bag valves. I’m hoping someone here either has a source, or has some experience with an alternative. 

RE: Self-adhesive one-way valves for vacuum-seal bags?

I have always used Geeetech spool vacuum snap bags for many years.

They last for many years.

They used to come with humid paper level checkers.

I use a mini Henry vacuum cleaner for sealing, all works out very well.

Hope this helps, don´t reinvent the wheel when not necessary. LOL.

RE:

Yes, I'm quite familiar with the bags that are made for the job.  I've been using eSun bags for several years.  They used to come with a hand vacuum pump and bags that had a simple self-adhesive disc valve over a hole in the bag.  The last set I bought came with a USB-powered pump and the bags had an improved plastic valve, but I've found that the pump works perfectly well with the old style bags.

So it's not a case of reinventing the wheel - it feels wasteful whenever I discard a perfectly serviceable resealable bag to replace it with one that has a vacuum valve already fitted.  It would be less wasteful if I could just fit one of those self-adhesive valves to turn the re-sealable bag into a vacuum bag.

EDIT: It would be even better if the filament manufacturers could fit such a valve to the bags they ship their filament in, but I realise that may be too much to ask.

RE: Self-adhesive one-way valves for vacuum-seal bags?

I bought some coffee bag valves from Ali Express and designed a suitable holder, then printed it to stick on a hole punched in the bag. Still perfecting the holder will publish when happy with it