What to do with short lengths of filament?

[coofercat 3]

I've been using up some length of filament to make a few things, and so now have a few lengths of different coloured filaments of about 1-2 metres (or a bit longer).

Obviously, once the length gets down to about 75cm the extruder can't push it up the bowden, so these lengths don't seem especially useful. I can't think of anything productive to do with the short lengths. There's a filament welder project (http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/topic/6688-filament-welding-clamp/) in the works, but no word on when it might go into production.

What do other people do with random short lengths of filament? What cool uses to people have for such things?

 

[Daid 304]

I snap them to 50cm pieces or smaller, and put them in the bowden tube before other filament. (If the print has no retraction)

 

[ultiarjan 1,222]

I use it for nozzle cleaning, using the 'atomic method'

 

[ignace-de-keyser 1]

I make them stick together with a soldering iron and cut of the excess material at the soldering point. this way you can also do some multicolored prints if you calculate how much meters of filament each part of a specific color needs.

Thinking of it , I might try to mix PLA and ABS this way.

 

[cleven 4]

Ive done the same, was more of a test, worked ok I made a 2.9mm metal tube and heated the tube connected to a solder-iron. pushed them together worked rather well pulled it out. Voila.

 

I make them stick together with a soldering iron and cut of the excess material at the soldering point. this way you can also do some multicolored prints if you calculate how much meters of filament each part of a specific color needs.

Thinking of it , I might try to mix PLA and ABS this way.

 

[peggyb 169]

or make them even shorter...

 

[coofercat 3]

Oh wow - I love that muli-coloured bowl - what a great idea!

I also like the heated tube idea - that sounds a bit like the filament clamp project, home-made style. It's such a simple solution, I think I'll have a go at making it myself. In the meantime, I'll try some of the multi-coloured idea.

Thanks all :-)