3D Printer Filament Storage

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NJturner

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Dec 4, 2006
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New Jersey, USA.
Hi all - I purchased a filament 3D printer to make different things, including jigs, organizers and parts for my pen making. I have PLA, PETG and ABS filaments that I use. The machine has a built in ABS (filament feed/storage unit) on it so I thought the filament would be fine in the ABS simply with the cover of it closed. Printer has been sitting about 30 days without being used until yesterday when I went to print some resin molds. Things didn't go well. Multiple filament breaks until the last one broke inside the printhead and I was not able to get it out. I have a spare printhead which I am going to put on, but I'm not sure about the filament. I put all my open rolls into an oven at about 140 degrees and am planning to leave them in there to dry for about 4 hours, but I'm trying to figure out what to store them in after the dry cycle. I read in a forum elsewhere that they suggest mylar bags with desiccant in the bag - does anyone do this? Any other suggestions? I really don't want to ruin another print head due to humidity issues with the filament. Thanks!!

Kevin
 
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Sounds like your filament absorbed ambient moisture. For long term storage (basically anything you aren't actively using), I've used a storage tote with a decent locking lid and some bags of silica desiccant in there to keep stuff dry.

The oven works to remedy "wet" filament decently well. Harder to do with PLA unless your oven is really nice and actually goes as low as it says it is. I ruined half a roll because it melted into one lump, turns out it the temp sensor didn't read anything below 250 very well.
 
I built this cart a months ago...I made it too large, but I did it on purpose, for when and if the totes are resized when they need replaced...the Cart is on large wheels, and the drawers are full extension to allow access to the filament easily. After the filament is opened it goes into a huge zip lock freezer type bag with desiccant in it. That bag is then put into the totes which have a gasket and snap lock for further protection. I like it a lot but have outgrown it, so now I have some of boxes with new unopened filament on top. ( they are just replacement colors)
 

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Hi Kevin,

I also use a gasketed tote, similar to @BarryE and @moke. I put every desiccant package I get my hands on in the tote.

Keep in mind that I live in Utah which is very arid. I have a whole home steam humidifier on my main HVAC system and humidify the home UP to ~37%RH.

David
 
Drewby108 said:
Sounds like your filament absorbed ambient moisture. For long term storage (basically anything you aren't actively using), I've used a storage tote with a decent locking lid and some bags of silica desiccant in there to keep stuff dry.

The oven works to remedy "wet" filament decently well. Harder to do with PLA unless your oven is really nice and actually goes as low as it says it is. I ruined half a roll because it melted into one lump, turns out it the temp sensor didn't read anything below 250 very well.
Click to expand...
I think I got lucky - nothing melted!! I put 6 rolls into the oven of mixed filaments and left it there for about 4 hours on convection bake. I got lucky when we rebuilt the house after hurricane Sandy - my wife is a really good cook and she insisted on the 'oven of her dreams' so despite the protests of using it for printer filament, it must have stayed close to the 140 degrees or so that I put it at so no melting!!!

I rebuilt the printer - had a spare printhead and made sure the bowden tubes were all free (found 3 more bits of filament in one) and then recalibrated the printer for the new printhead. I did a 3 hour single color print of some new mixing paddles for my resin casting without issue from the filament that had wrecked the printhead.

Kevin
 
d_bondi said:
Hi Kevin,

I also use a gasketed tote, similar to @BarryE and @moke. I put every desiccant package I get my hands on in the tote.

Keep in mind that I live in Utah which is very arid. I have a whole home steam humidifier on my main HVAC system and humidify the home UP to ~37%RH.

David
Click to expand...
Thanks David and all whole posted some solutions. I didn't think anything about the printer while we had some super humid days here in NJ so I got educated on what a mistake that was!! NJ and arid in the summer are not happening especially since I live a few hundred yards from the Atlantic ocean!

Since space is tight, I think the gasketed totes might be the choice. In the meantime, keeping on the kitchen theme and trying not to aggravate the wife too much, I used our FoodSaver vacuum bagger for a new project....lol. I cut a reasonable sized piece of vacuum bag and put a single spool of filament in it, then proceeded to vacuum out the remaining air and heat sealed it closed. It really gave me a good tight bag on the spool with little to no air in it. My only wish was that I had a few desiccant bags to put into the sealed bag, but I didn't have any. I figure I'll keep them in the sealed bag until I need the color and will then have to cut it open. Storage after that will be in the totes with some desiccant. Many thanks to all for the suggestions!!!

Kevin
 
moke said:
I built this cart a months ago...I made it too large, but I did it on purpose, for when and if the totes are resized when they need replaced...the Cart is on large wheels, and the drawers are full extension to allow access to the filament easily. After the filament is opened it goes into a huge zip lock freezer type bag with desiccant in it. That bag is then put into the totes which have a gasket and snap lock for further protection. I like it a lot but have outgrown it, so now I have some of boxes with new unopened filament on top. ( they are just replacement colors)
Click to expand...
Nice cart!!! I like the setup a lot! With the suggestions of using some totes for filament storage, I got a funny feeling a project like this might be in my future! I've currently got the printer in a homemade enclosure with filter fans in it on top of a commercial tool chest. It doesn't have any space for the filament storage, as it's a drawer unit, so printer parts and supplies are spread around the garage. A roller cart might be the next home! Thank you!

Kevin
 
Go for it JJturner! I certainly would not be the size of mine...that is too tall...IMO. I made it that size because they will probably change the size of the totes somewhere along the line and I should be able to adapt...but I might have gotten it too big...I have 4 or 5 inch clearance on the top of each drawer. Also used 6" wheels to go over cords...they are sure nice wheels, but add to the height...and I really don't move it over cords...so that would not be needed either.
 
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