Water in filament - 3D printing

[blueskydriver]

For the 3D printer folks, have you run across the water in your filament issues yet? I did on my last print and got the rough layers and hair/stringing. Heard popping and hissing sounds from the extruder.

So, went to Walmart last night and purchased two Mossy Oak Dehydrators for $42 each. Then, I modified the trays in order for one spool to fit. From there I dehydrated a spool of PLA Wood Filament for 4 hours, but did not use it right away, so I will give it another 4 hours and use it.

If you watch videos about an actual filament dryer unit, you'll see that most hydrators will work the same as long as the spool fits. Here is the link for the Mossy Oak model:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mossy-Oak-GameKeeper-4-tray-Electric-Dehydrator/552666446

Also, I purchased some totes that I'll add some rubber stripping under the lids to seal them better, and then I am going to try adding vacuum sealing valves to them, so I can use a handheld vacuum pump to suck the air out...removing the moisture along with it.

Once I do this, I'll post some pics along with the results of the 3D prints...

John

[iwik]

John,
I store my Filament in an airtight box with a "Ever-DRY" renewable dehumidifier and as yet
have had no trouble with wet Filament.
https://www.eva-dry.com/product/e-333-renewable-dehumidifier/
Les

[blueskydriver]

Thanks Les! Exactly what I need...AWESOME!

[Joe Lavery]

John,

I bought some of those plastic zip top bags and popped the sachet of silica gel that usually comes with the filament to each one. So when I've finished printing I put the filament back into the bag, then store it in the box it was supplied in. I've not had any issues so far but I've not been printing as long as you have.

Joe.

[blueskydriver]

Where did you get the silica gel packs from Joe?

On a related note, I received my CR-10S5 yesterday and took it out of the box...IT'S HUGE! No really, much bigger then what the sales pics show it as. Gotta find a place to put it with the overall sizing of 24"x32" 

John

[Joe Lavery]

Most of the filament I've bought have  come with a small packet in the box  so I've kept them to keep the moisture down.

[blueskydriver]

Figured some things out about 3D printing. First, if you get stringy prints it's likely the filament being wet from humidity. I purchased two food dehydrators and put two spools in them that were stringing big time. I left them in for 12 hours each and now, no stringy material or small bumps on the prints, as they're both printing as I type this.

Second, filament either comes in a vacuum sealed bag or it doesn't, but I've opened both types to only have both spools print stringy. I would have to dehydrate them and then they were perfectly fine. In other words, don't expect the filament to come dry from the dealers.

Third, buy a cheap food vacuum/sealer bag machine and seal your filament spools after using them. Throw in the silica paks with the spool, even when vacuum sealing. The most important thing is to remove the air.

Last, if you dehydrate the spool, use them right away all nice and warm. By pre heating it'll save your extruder from having to do all the work.

Now that I figured all these things out, I decided to buy another Creality 3D printer. This time it will be the CR-10S4 model. Then, I plan to buy the CR-X dual color model that recently came out. Why have 5 printers? Well, I got friends and family all asking for me to print things...with 3 running I cannot keep up, so 2 more should make things easier. Also, my eventual plan is to print flight simulator items, so 5 printers will help with that, but I got a lot more to learn before doing that.

John