Which filament for a newbie..

I realize this question is up for debate and there are plenty of personal opinions but I'm looking for a good filament to learn with. PET and PLA in 1.75 I think are the best choices but maybe that goes without saying...

Are there some manufacturers to avoid and others to gravitate towards?

What about bed adhesion, are some better than others or is this more dictated by the material type?

Is it better to buy from the manufacturers?

Are there any good sites with reviews to help us newbies?

Just trying to make the right choices here and looking for a little guidance.

Thanks for any input.

ampapa,

I think PLA is definitely the easiest, much easier than even PETG. Just buy a roll of plain hatchbox PLA(No glow in the dark or other fillings) off Amazon to start with.

I started with Blue Tape, which works ok but needs to be changed often. PEI is the best overall build surface material IMO

I was somewhat leaning towards PET... but I'm certainly open.

So with an .250 heated aluminum build plate what is the recommended procedure for getting the first layer to stick?

- glass on the plate
- kapton tape
- blue tape
- glue stick
- hairspray
- etc.etc.

With pla practically anything works. Try a few things see what works for you.

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Simon Khoury

Co-founder of [www.precisionpiezo.co.uk] Accurate, repeatable, versatile Z-Probes
Published:Inventions

For the money I prefer Hatchbox PLA.

Hatchbox PLA or a newcomer with great prices that's working well for me == Zyltech.com

Mirror tile and extra hold hair spray has worked great for me for 2 years. When you print, make the first layer 0.3mm no matter what the rest of your layer heights are, cut your speed in half for the first layer, set your width for 125% and MOST IMPORTANTLY adjust your Z clearance so your 'skirt' that you print first is 0.25 to 0.35mm thick if you have a 0.4mm nozzle. That will ensure you have good contact and a good first layer IMHO.

---

Folger Tech 2020 i3 and FT-5 as well as modified JGAurora A5 with direct drive E3D/Titan. All running the BLTOUCH.
Great kits. Having fun and running the heck out of them.
Running Marlin 1.1.0 RC8 on the i3 and FT5. Custom firmware on A5.
Folger Tech Wiki board >[folgertech.wikia.com]

I've picked up some Hatchbox PLA.

Thanks for the guidance tjnamtiw I'll add that information to my 1st print log.. lots going on in my head at the moment.

ampapa,