1 Topic by lboucher26

  • lboucher26
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2015-05-03
  • Posts: 22

Topic: Brittle ABS Filament After Transfering Spools

Hi All

Maybe everybody already knows this, maybe not, but I didn't see anything pop up in google when searching it.
Anyways, I have a limited amount of spools that fit on the filawinder, but I can get free old spools used or wire at work.
So when I buy a roll of filament for whatever reason, I transfer it to one of the spools for work and use the "typical" spool on the filawinder. I have noticed that after transferring the filament and leaving it for a few weeks to a month, I go to use the spool and its super brittle and falls apart in my hand. At first I thought moisture, but all the other filament in the same container is fine, and I think my setup is pretty good against moisture.

Thinking about the issue, I think the reason is that the filament I buy, has been on the spool for a relatively long time. Thus i think it has a memory. Then when i transfer it to a new spool, the filament that was on the inner radius part of the old spool, is now on the outer radius part of the new spool. In this state, the filament is left under a certain amount of stress. Over the course of weeks, this stress results in lots of micro cracks. Couple that with the ultra cold weather, and the filaments just keeps falling apart in my hand.

To remedy the situation I put the whole spool in the over at about 150F for about 45 minutes. Now I am printing and it seems to be working fine.

I am willing to bet, if I put it in the oven immediately after transferring the filament to a new spool, I will avoid the problem entirely.

Anyone else run into this?

2 Reply by IanJohnson

  • IanJohnson
  • Moderator
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2012-08-07
  • Posts: 2,815

Re: Brittle ABS Filament After Transfering Spools

In testing the Filawinder, I often wind filament back and forth a bunch of times.  I think it depends somewhat on the filament, but every time it gets respooled, it gets weaker.  Maybe there is some fatigue from getting bent in the opposite direction.  It certainly doesn't need to sit for a long period of time for it to happen, and it doesn't happen for every filament.  I think the problem is worse for PLA.

3 Reply by 3Dex

  • 3Dex
  • 3Dex
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: United Kingdom
  • Registered: 2016-01-11
  • Posts: 56

Re: Brittle ABS Filament After Transfering Spools

Yes there could be a number of reasons for this happening such as the winding process you use, the filament memory from being sat on the previous spool for a while etc...

It happens to ABS to some extent but is most prevalent in PLA.

The idea about putting the newly wound spool in the oven is a good one and we would be interested to know if it works?

3Dex - Suppliers of the best filament.
http://www.3dexfilament.co.uk

3Dex's Website

4 Reply by cmcc

  • cmcc
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2015-10-09
  • Posts: 61

Re: Brittle ABS Filament After Transfering Spools

What is the core outer diameter of the spools you are getting from work? If the OD is too small you can put a lot of stress on filament.

5 Reply by cmcc (edited by cmcc 2016-01-30 18:19:17)

  • cmcc
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2015-10-09
  • Posts: 61

Re: Brittle ABS Filament After Transfering Spools

What is the core outer diameter of the spools you are getting from work? If the OD is too small you can put a lot of stress on filament.

Does it look like this?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DBv2W3n1sfg/U … _spool.jpg

6 Reply by lboucher26

  • lboucher26
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2015-05-03
  • Posts: 22

Re: Brittle ABS Filament After Transfering Spools

Hi All

I can report the oven treatment definitely worked for me, been printing all afternoon.
None of the filament I have extruded has shown this issue, just filament I get from Hatchbox.
The core of the spools I get from work is about the same diameter as the regular spools.