Weather resistance of Bronzefill

[TMicke 23]

I'm playing with the idea of printing some kind of gargoyle with bronzefill and put on poles along the road to my house, but how would they hold up if left outside all year around?

[geert_2 557]

Probably like other PLA? Maybe a little bit longer if the bronzefill would be less transparent to UV light than plain light coloured PLA? So, expect it to get a bit duller, harder, and brittle in a year time. But it shouldn't crumble apart (or maybe after several years?). The worst might be the heat: the models could deform severely in summer, especially if it is a summer like we have this year in Europe, really nice and warm.

 

I would suggest that you just try it, and give feedback. This would be a very interesting experiment.

 

[yvest 18]

When it comes to weather resistance, I really had a very good experience with ApolloX material (Formfutura). It's not available in that many colors (no bronze ? ) but in terms of weather resistance it's great. I had to print some adaptor for my video doorbell which can get heavy sun / rain / ... I first printed it with regular PLA but that didn't last for 2 weeks due to the heat. With ApolloX it's been there now for more than a year and I can say it still looks just like it was day 1.

[TMicke 23]

6 hours ago, yvest said:

ApolloX material (Formfutura)

So I just read about it now and it is ASA, from what I remember it’s described as as tough as ABS and as easy to print as PLA?

What temp do you print at, what speed and how does the surface look?

[yvest 18]

The surface looks pretty much like PLA although printing is not exactly as easy as PLA, although would say it's easier than ABS. I did experience little warping (used adhesive spray), although not that much. The object is pretty straight so not sure how overhangs / more complex parts would go. I printed with a printing temp of 240°, build plate temp of 90° and print speed of 60mm/s. Added some pictures of the print (you might see a crack in it which has been there from the start, some screw was little too big for the hole but felt it was still ok and not worth reprinting).

[TMicke 23]

Thank you for pictures and info, I’ll keep this ApolloX in mind. It seems as a good candidate. 

I miss that there are none that has any kind of life span info about their filaments.

[yvest 18]

True, already thought about it, should actually print same item in couple of materials and put it outside for weeks, months, years, ... regularly taking a picture. Would be a nice test.

[TMicke 23]

Yeah, you can do it your self, I put some printed PLA in the garden last year but we bought a new house and moved this spring so I have to do it all over again ? 

If the manufacturers of filaments had/showed this data it would be an good starting point though.

[phantom 17]

Try PETG, it's heat resistant to about 88c degrees, and weather resistant also, ever seen half a coke bottle outside deteriorated from the weather?