easy way to "weld" filaments together?

[korneel 169]

So i have a lot of different filaments, and i want to "weld" them together to make sure i not only use as much as i can of the filaments and not let anything go to waste, but also to have some interesting color blends.

right now, my method is holding both ends into a fire, then pressing them together, melting them, and using a file to get it all nice and smooth. i feel there should be an easier way...

what methods do you use?

 

[DidierKlein 651]

I saw this thing on youmagine:

https://www.youmagine.com/designs/filament-joiner-for-multicoloured-printed-3d-objects

Didn't try it my self but if you can build it seems like a good alternative. I know there was a kickstarter also for such a device but i don't have the link it should be quite easy to find though.

Does it hold well with your method? I guess you do PLA?

 

[ignace-de-keyser 0]

I use a soldering iron

[korneel 169]

Hi Ignace;

how do you use the soldering iron in that way? do you have a youtube video or some pictures?

 

[ignace-de-keyser 0]

I use the same method as your fire technique, only I just melt the tips of the filament (make sure they are really nice and flat) and push them together while they are molten. afterwards you can use a file to get it nice and smooth, alternatively you can make your soldering iron hotter and burn the excess material away.

edit: typos².

 

[solid-print-3d 30]

I assume you're talking about welding PLA together.

I can't speak to that, but I do have a nice trick for welding ABS together.

Get a couple of empty bottles of finger nail polish from the misses. You know, the ones with the brushes built on to the lids.

Chop up some small ABS pieces from a scrap of filament. Add to bottle

Add Acetone to bottle... enough to completely dissolve pieces. You want the consistency to be on the thin side, think fresh motor oil (5W30)...maybe a little thinner.

I have one bottle made up for each color. When storing for periods of time, I wrap a piece of electrical tap around the cap/bottle seam. Add acetone from time to time to thin mixture up.

To use, you simply brush on to both surfaces of the parts you want to weld. It's basically like gluing both sides together, with a glue that dissolves the 2 mating surfaces, and dries as a single part. Let dry for a couple of hours.

Anyways, that's my little tip of the day.

 

[korneel 169]

that's a great strategy! unfortunately, i am mostly trying to "weld" PLA and XT together....