Rainbow filaments

[Evavoo 5]

I know it's a bit of a craze, but I would like to try out some gloss rainbow/gradient filaments, but I have been pretty much unable to find any in 2.85mm size.

 

Has anyone else come across any, ideally availible in the UK.

 

 

 

[kmanstudios 1,120]

You can make your own with nylon filament.

 

Follow from there. I know it is not gloss, but you can always put on your own gloss. This way you can create your own colour schemes.

[geert_2 556]

18 hours ago, kmanstudios said:

You can make your own with nylon filament.

 

Follow from there. I know it is not gloss, but you can always put on your own gloss. This way you can create your own colour schemes.

 

I was going to say this, but you were first.   :-)

 

These models came out very well. On Youtube I have also seen videos on which colors/pigments to use, and the whole coloring procedure. If I remember well, some people used food-colors.

 

[Evavoo 5]

I run a 3D printing facility and this method wouldnt really make sense for the scale and quantity of prints id be interested in using the filament for.

[kmanstudios 1,120]

1 hour ago, geert_2 said:

some people used food-colors

Food colours are not light-fast, i.e. will fade. I can only remember seeing Rit Dye used.

 

1 hour ago, Evavoo said:

I run a 3D printing facility and this method wouldnt really make sense for the scale and quantity of prints id be interested in using the filament for.

Yeah, you are right about that.

Edited April 8, 2021 by kmanstudios

[orlin278 14]

I stumbled across two companies now when i looked for other stuff and maybe it helps.

 

First Extrudr, which has 3 different types. They seem to be in Austria.

Second Unicofil (never heard of them before), which seems to have exactly what you want. They are from Germany. 

 

But maybe you can get it somewhere shipped to UK.

Greetings

[geert_2 556]

Something I just thought about: depending on the job, and if you would only need 2 color bands, maybe it might also be possible to do the coloring trick after printing? Then you can adjust the height of the color bands by dipping it deeper into the water? I think with pre-colored spools the outcome is always going to be a bit unpredictable, and variations in surface area are going to cause variations in color band height.

 

@kmanstudios: I have no experience with food colors myself, but a friend uses them a lot for cupcakes. But they are not left long enough to fade...   :-)

 

What about textile colors? They can easily be found in supermarkets here, and should be reasonably stable I think. They work well for cotton and bamboo, but I don't know if they work for synthetic stuff like nylon? I don't even know if they are pigment particles or inks?

 

[kmanstudios 1,120]

4 hours ago, geert_2 said:

a friend uses them a lot for cupcakes. But they are not left long enough to fade...   🙂

😂😂

 

4 hours ago, geert_2 said:

What about textile colors?

Rit Dye is a textile colour dye, so yeah, I would think so.

[Evavoo 5]

On 4/9/2021 at 12:17 PM, orlin278 said:

I stumbled across two companies now when i looked for other stuff and maybe it helps.

 

First Extrudr, which has 3 different types. They seem to be in Austria.

Second Unicofil (never heard of them before), which seems to have exactly what you want. They are from Germany. 

 

But maybe you can get it somewhere shipped to UK.

Greetings

 

You are a superstar, thank you!

[gr5 2,070]

@Evavoo I'm amazed how many people claim they can't find filament in 2.85mm or 1.75mm.  Every manufacturer (except maybe Prusa) sells both sizes.

 

1) Try searching for "3mm" as some sellers still call it 3mm or 2.9mm (even though the actual size is 2.85 or 2.9mm).

2) Try a little harder.  If you can find a filament in 1.75 then the same store will have the same thing in 3mm.

 

I have had MANY customers with the same complaint as you and it took me all of 5 minutes to find what they needed in the country or region they were in.

[Evavoo 5]

9 minutes ago, gr5 said:

@Evavoo I'm amazed how many people claim they can't find filament in 2.85mm or 1.75mm.  Every manufacturer (except maybe Prusa) sells both sizes.

 

1) Try searching for "3mm" as some sellers still call it 3mm or 2.9mm (even though the actual size is 2.85 or 2.9mm).

2) Try a little harder.  If you can find a filament in 1.75 then the same store will have the same thing in 3mm.

 

I have had MANY customers with the same complaint as you and it took me all of 5 minutes to find what they needed in the country or region they were in.

 

Thanks such helpful comments.