DRY FILMENT STORAGE

DRY FILMENT STORAGE
Why wouldn’t the refrigerator be a good dry environment to store filament in? I know, from my pilot training, that cool air has less capacity for water vapor so, why not?

maybe because of cost and space? I keep mine in a large plastic container ($8) and some bags with rice, salt and a dehydrator.

Cold PLA will be quite stiff.

One problem would be when you take the filament out of the refrigerator into a warm room - you would immediately get a load of condensation all over it.

I would need a huge fridge for all the stuff i have for testing and use. It was way easier for me to put a thick layer of silica gel in some containers with lids. You can get the stuff as citty litter in sacks for little money.

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I've been using an air-tight box with some silica desiccant, but recently realized that I have a vacuum food saver sitting around doing nothing. I'll think I'll start vacuum packing the filament with a little desiccant, the same way it comes from the manufacturer. If there's no air, there's no moisture except what comes out of the filament in a vacuum.

I'll bet those vacuum clothes storage bags would be good too, and reusable, unlike the food sealer option.

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Ultra MegaMax Dominator 3D printer: [drmrehorst.blogspot.com]

Once removed from the cold environment before printing it will act as a magnet for condensation. This is a really bad idea. Use a 10$ container and a bucket of closet dehumidifier (5$)

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yoUmake-3d
a bucket of closet dehumidifier (5$)

The closet dehimidifier - if it is the bags with the flakes that absorb moisture that drips in to a tray or container, we found that the flakes are cheap industrial grade Calcium Chloride Flakes. Our local chemical supplier stocks them, and also the pool shops keep Calcium Chloride flakes. It is a lot cheaper than buying the closet packs from the hardware store.

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the_digital_dentist

I'll bet those vacuum clothes storage bags would be good too, and reusable, unlike the food sealer option.

I can say from experience that they are! Don't get massive big ones, I found the best size to be about 70cm x 50cm and you can can get 4 to 6 reels of filament in each. Buy thick ones (min 110 micron). I also put some colour changing silica gel in a mesh bag inside each one. When it changes colour, you can regenerate it by putting it in an oven at 120degC.

Vacuum storage
you are going to get PLA jerky.
Filament will be too dry -- breaking while un-coiling

Don't know what the outgassing product is
but let too much of it out can't be good.

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cozmicray
Vacuum storage
you are going to get PLA jerky.
Filament will be too dry -- breaking while un-coiling

Don't know what the outgassing product is
but let too much of it out can't be good.

Every spool of PLA I've ever seen came vacuum packed from the manufacturer.

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Ultra MegaMax Dominator 3D printer: [drmrehorst.blogspot.com]