Newbe requires material diameter advice

[nick-s 0]

Hello everyone, from a total beginner.

After a great day at the 3D Print show in London last week and after having reviewed the vast number of available printers, I have decided to purchase the Ultimaker 2 - probably at the TCT show in Birmingham at the end of the month.

One confusing issue that I have is about material supply. I will need to use ABS as well as PLA and possibly woodfill. The Ultimaker specification states that it needs 2.85mm dia filament. But apart from Ultimaker its self, all the other suppliers only seem to do 3mm dia.

Will 3mm dia ABS etc work on this machine? I do not want to be stuck with only buying from Ultimaker. Can you recommend any other UK suppliers?

Apart from a guarantee of the second print head being available some time soon, this is the only issue concerning me about my impending and much anticipated purchase.

Many thanks for your advice. I really need it :cool:.

 

[IRobertI 516]

Even though most manufacturers call the filaments "3mm" they are actually less than that, usually around the 2.85mm that Ultimaker sells. Check the fine print or ask the seller directly about the true diameter. Since you're in England I would recommend Faberdashery who make excellent filament (my personal favourite).

The Ultimaker can handle true 3mm filament, if you're lucky. But I wouldn't try it unless you absolutely have to for some reason. Filament that is truly 3mm is the exception rather than the rule so 99% of the time you don't have to worry.

One of the truly great things about Ultimaker is that they're open, you're never locked into a particular filament manufacturer.

 

[nick-s 0]

Many thanks for your quick reply. I will be looking into Faberdashery.

As I am wanting to print products for a commercial purpose I originally considered the Mojo and uPrint SE machines. I was quite prepared to pay the higher capital cost. Fortunately I discovered that the on going material costs would be HUGE and much too expensive to make my project viable. A Stratasys agent provided some material usage costs on trial prints that I gave them. They were five times the cost of ABS filament on the Ultimaker 2. Since these machines can only use their own material from chipped metal containers it is such a rip off, just like regular ink printers.

I hope this will be my first of a number of Ultimaker printers - and with twin heads soon I hope.

Many thanks again.

 

[jameshs 42]

Hi Nick - Faberdashery gets a good write up for those that use them. I also use lots of Colorfabb materials. (yes they have to come from Holland)

It is worth noting that PLA is much easier to print than ABS and has smell advantages etc - but for strength I hear ABS is superior. I use Colorfabb XT for strong stuff and get good results - I am about to upgrade to a heated bed for my UM1 as XT does warp a bit - but prints more like PLA

So have a go with a few different filaments - if your machine is mission critical then use filaments like woodfill with caution as these are more prone to block nozzles - on the UM1 I have lots of spares so a quick swap out is possible - not sure if this trick works on a UM2

I may well be at TCT!

James

 

[nick-s 0]

Hello James.

Thank you for your information.

I had been looking at Colorfabb with their great range of material. It is good to know you have used it on a UM1. I assume it will work as well on the UM2. As you suggest, I will try a variaty and get some of their "Wrap" packs to try out before buying whole reels.

I need the strength of ABS so will also try the XT as an alternative. It is most usefull to know what you have experianced. Though the bio degrading property of PLA is often shown as an advantage, it concernes me that I could be supplying PLA products that disintigrate within a couple of years. As well as the strength, this is another reason for me to stay away from PLA.

Thanks again.

Nick

 

[stu_le_brew 42]

......

I need the strength of ABS so will also try the XT as an alternative. It is most usefull to know what you have experianced. Though the bio degrading property of PLA is often shown as an advantage, it concernes me that I could be supplying PLA products that disintigrate within a couple of years. As well as the strength, this is another reason for me to stay away from PLA.

Thanks again.

Nick

 

Hi Nick,

one of my first prints with my UM2 was a pool skimmer in clear PLA (from Ultimaker) I have since re printed with clear ColorFabb XT. The first skimmer was in the pool for about three month and I can see no sign of any degradation

so I do not know how long it takes for it to degrade - hope that helps you a bit

S

 

[duesentrieb 0]

I don´t know what you are actually planning to print and sell, but Ultimaker is a very good choice when it comes to high quality prints. To get the best results, you need experience, but this forum will help you. I started printing with PLA on my UM1. Which is easiert than ABS for the beginning. For most purposes PLA is fine, but if the temperature is higher than 50°C, it starts getting soft. ABS is fine until up to 110°C, if I remember correctly. XT is more stable and can be used for higher temperatures than PLA. It´s an alternative to ABS. Nylon is another one. Colorfabb and Faberdashery are great, but especially for Nylon Taulmann is a good alternative.

 

[nick-s 0]

Many thanks Duesentrieb and Stu.

It' s helpful to know that the Colorfabb filament works on the UM. I will start by working with PLA for fun prints, as you say it is easier, and then progress onto ABS and XT for my work projects.

This forum is just great. All you people are so helpful. Looking at the other strings, I can see there is so much help out there. It is very reasurring. Perhaps one of my first prints will be the boden cable support that has been widely discussed on another help topic. I look forward to becoming more experianced and hopefully being able to provide advice instead of seeking it.

Thanks again for your advice.

Nick