Silly question re remaining filament on roll before printing?  

Some manufacturers list the weight of an empty spool in their data sheets - check the website.

or, when you have emptied your first spool from a range you have an sample you can weigh.

Then, with a good set of scales you can make a reasonable estimate.

,... and some spools have a crude length scale on the side, less accurate but better than nothing.

Cheerio,

RE: Silly question re remaining filament on roll before printing?

Get a 2nd roll of matching filament. You didn't say what printer you have but I think most have filament sensors that will detect the end and allow you to swap the spool and resume. Prusa definitely has that feature.

RE: Silly question re remaining filament on roll before printing?

Get a 2nd roll of matching filament. You didn't say what printer you have but I think most have filament sensors that will detect the end and allow you to swap the spool and resume. Prusa definitely has that feature.

RE: Silly question re remaining filament on roll before printing?

I'd get a second roll of filament before you even start the long print job. As mentioned above, the filament sensor should trigger and you can load the new spool before continuing the print. I've seen a video online where someone finished a spool and left the job paused for several days while a new spool was delivered, then loaded it and the printer continued the job as normal! lol

Be aware, however, as the plastic cools you may get a slight banding or a different shade between the new and old spools - even if the print pauses long enough for you to immediately load a fresh spool - you'll see it on the outer surface of the model. 

I generally run a print job when I'm around, so in the past I've been close enough to notice when one spool is running out, and I wait for it to almost finish, and immediately push the new spool directly behind the old as it goes down the tube - keep lightly pushing until the extruder has the new filament, and then release. This way the sensor does not notice any break in filament at all and the printer continues as though nothing has happened, and you'll end up with a clean model.

On the other hand, you can purchase an auto switcher if really needed - depends what your're printing and whether you want to go to that extreme TBH : https://infinityflow3d.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooeKHqgEMVojhV4Jd7eOvTF0H72M6vRejbqS_9CUBbkCn6OXoYR

RE: Silly question re remaining filament on roll before printing?

A habit I have gotten into.  Weight each new roll of filament and then log it in a spreadsheet.  Every once in a while, check the weight and enter current mass into the spreadsheet.  If I am doing a big job, I weigh the mass and then decide if there is enough filament on the spool for the job.

It also helps if you want to dry or check moisture absorption of the filament.

I have started jobs where I knew I had to change filament during the job.  My MK3+s did call for a change and it worked as if there was nothing wrong.  Just had to watch the time to ensure I was there when the filament ran out.

RE: Silly question re remaining filament on roll before printing?

Posted by: @iftibashir

I've seen a video online where someone finished a spool and left the job paused for several days while a new spool was delivered, then loaded it and the printer continued the job as normal! lol

I would be interested in seeing that video if anyone has a link? I was just talking with the tech guys and I know they said the core one will pause but it would be nice to see a video of it. 

RE: Silly question re remaining filament on roll before printing?

Posted by: @michael-kuran

 

Posted by: @iftibashir

I've seen a video online where someone finished a spool and left the job paused for several days while a new spool was delivered, then loaded it and the printer continued the job as normal! lol

I would be interested in seeing that video if anyone has a link? I was just talking with the tech guys and I know they said the core one will pause but it would be nice to see a video of it. 

I'll see if I can find it again. It wasn't a dedicated video on this, just something within another topic - if that makes sense. Not sure which specific printer it was either. But I recall the filament ending through a large print, and he left the heatbed at temperature to maintain adhesion while he purchased a new spool, waited for delivery, and was surprised to see it all continue as normal! lol

RE: Silly question re remaining filament on roll before printing?

Thanks for the responses and mentoring.   Regarding the video mentioned above, I was able to find it in 5 seconds using google.com AI mode search:

QUERY:
Can you find a video that is using a Prusa 3D printer. The video should cover running out of filament, pausing, and installing a new spool of filament, then continuing with the print job.

RESPONSE:

The following video demonstrates the exact process of a Prusa i3 MK3S+ running out of filament, pausing, and resuming after a reload:
How to Change Filament when you run out while printing on the Prusa MK3S Plus:

This video shows the printer automatically pausing when it runs out of filament, maintaining heat while waiting, and the step-by-step process of unloading the remaining stub and loading a new spool to continue the job.

Key Steps in the Process

According to the demonstration and Prusa Knowledge Base, the workflow is as follows:

1. Detection and Pause:  The filament sensor detects the end of the spool. The printer automatically pauses, unloads the remaining few centimeters of material from the heatbreak, and moves the print head away from the model to prevent damage.

2. Unloading the Stub:  The LCD screen will display a message such as "Filament runout during print, please insert new one". You typically confirm the "unload successful" message before proceeding.

3. Installing the New Spool:  Place the new spool on the holder.  Cut the tip of the new filament at a 45° angle to ensure smooth feeding into the extruder.

4. Reloading:  Select the "Load Filament" or "Yes" prompt on the screen. Insert the new filament into the extruder; the printer will pull it in and begin purging the nozzle.

5. Purging and Continuing:  The printer will ask if the extruded color is correct. If the previous color is still visible, select "No" to extrude more. Once the color is pure, select "Yes" and the printer will automatically return to its last position and resume the print job. 

While the above is not for a Prusa Core One printer model, it gives an overall example of how the process works.