Filament Selection Back in the Saddle  

RE: Filament Selection Back in the Saddle

Check out https://help.prusa3d.com/en/materials. It has links to all the different filaments with a boat load of information. 

RE: Filament Selection Back in the Saddle

I get a 404 on that link.

Hatchbox is one of my go-to filament brands, but supply has been spotty since the pandemic hit.

Others I have good luck with include Overture, RepRapper, Paramount, IEMAI (sp?), Rohs, 3dFilaments, and (really) most Amazon Basics filaments.

RE: Filament Selection Back in the Saddle

This is the correct URL https://help.prusa3d.com/en/materials/ (note the ending slash)

RE: Filament Selection Back in the Saddle

Looks like there is a stray trailing period on the first URL that I reported as bad.

RE: Filament Selection Back in the Saddle

For strong and temperature resistant replacement for ABS, the current rage is for ASA.   ASA tends to be a bit stronger, a bit more temperature resistant, is much more UV resistant, warps less while printing and is generally considered a good replacement for ABS.  It does need a good bed surface and higher printing temperatures than ABS but your MK3 can certainly print ASA well.  I find that a smooth PEI sheet works best as ASA doesn't seem to stick well enough to the textured or satin sheets.  My entire MK3s extruder is printed from ASA and it works well.

Another option is PC, or Polycarbonate.  This is extremely strong and very temperature resistant but is difficult to print needing much higher temperatures. It is also hygroscopic, which can lead to stringing.  I have only made small parts like my MK3s cooling fan shroud with PC, and that took a few tries.

And don't overlook PETG.  PETG is almost as temperature resistant as ABS, is about as strong and is much easier to print with little warping and only moderate temperatures needed.  It sticks to a PEI sheet far too well but works great with a textured or satin sheet.  On the downside, it is hygroscopic and difficult to paint or glue. 

Happy Printing!

RE: Filament Selection Back in the Saddle

How is the smell and toxic affects compared to ABS?  ABS is real bad and I need to vent it to the outside. 

  That's a good point, what filament should be vented to the outside.  PLA and PETG weren't bad as long as I had good ventilation.  What is everyone else doing for smell and health related concerns?

RE: Filament Selection Back in the Saddle

ASA is regarded as a plastic that releases potentially toxic fumes. It seems less smelly to me than ABS.

But that said, all 3D printing should have ventilation! We are heating plastics to the melting point, after all.  It seems that SLA printing is much more toxic though.

I am a bit cautious and do 3D printing near an exhaust fan.  I'm not especially susceptible to fumes as my job environment is pretty toxic with fumes, particles and chemicals so my concern is not noticing buildup of fumes.