cheap pla and PETG is it safe?  

RE: cheap pla and PETG is it safe?

Posted by: @dogosforeverdad

would like to buy some off ebay and amazon 

but  a bit wary of buying something that would damage the printer

It is hit or miss.  Likely safe, quality is a hit or miss.  

RE: cheap pla and PETG is it safe?

I find there are plenty of inexpensive, reliable brands available. Inland from Microcenter is usually about $18. Many of manufacturers of quality filament have sales and specials. I can find 1Kg of PLA for under $20 regularly.

I have tried some no-name stuff, but some of it reeks to the point I think it has to have contaminants. Printing in an open office was miserable. It's also often very irregular, so savings are eaten up by failed prints. 

Think of buying lousy filament like buying cheap craft paint to paint your masterpiece. You're putting in all that effort up front only to risk it to unknown supplies.

RE: cheap pla and PETG is it safe?

Make sure you don't get confused between PETG and PETN, the latter definitely isn't safe.
😉

(PETN is an explosive with 1.6 times the destructive power of TNT.)
😜

RE: cheap pla and PETG is it safe?

I have taken the approach of trying a brand - and building trust.  I currently have had good experiences with 3DSolutech and Overture, as well as Sunlu PLA.  I was hesitant about the Sunlu at first - but they had a 25% off sale so I took the plunge and haven't had a problem.

What I have learned is every new filament needs me to adjust to it.  Mostly live Z.  Sometimes change the temp at the head.

RE: cheap pla and PETG is it safe?

I've found that the so-called name brands (Hatchbox, Overture, Paramount, etc.), at least here in the States, are about the same as in total cost to the door, as any off-brands.  My big gripe is that many of the brands in certain colors are in short supply, at least during the pandemic, and I like to keep consistent in color.

I have yet to find a filament that I could not get to print reliably.  The only one I don't recommend is the eSolutech, and the reason is that they obviously do not use as much pigment in their filaments as the others, and the prints are correspondingly more translucent.

RE: cheap pla and PETG is it safe?

@jsw

I have to agree.  I really like Atomic.

RE: cheap pla and PETG is it safe?

Posted by: @cwbullet

@jsw

I have to agree.  I really like Atomic.

What I would like to see here (Moderators: **HINT!**) is one sticky thread containing nothing but reviews and comments about the various brands of filament.  I've used Overture and Paramount due to recommendations here and like them both.  I also learned of the Stateside second source of the Prusa silver-gray that comes with the printers (Filament PM) from discussion here.