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SoliForum - 3D Printing Community → Filastruder → new person looking for info from long term filastruder users
just wondering what the breakeven point is for extruding your own PLA for printing, with prices of filament wandering around $15-$9/k
I see sources of pla between 5-8/k so that would be a breakeven of 50-60 kilos?
I'd like to pull the trigger on a filastruder unit, to help recycle plastic and reuse all my empty spools, since it looks like masterspool isn't taking off
Recycling old plastic is nice but you always have to add virgin material. All plastic has a life span where it becomes unusable. Im not sure about the break even point. But like reloading ammo, you don't really save on .223 or standard material types. You'll save on the not so common uses .You'll also get a higher quality product. More choices like colors. I have a filastruder and filwinder. It's a nice addition to the shop
I agree with Kronikabuse - you do save some on lower end stuff, but the real benefit to Filastruder is saving on the more exotic materials and/or using better quality raw materials. Eg - that $9-15 per KG PLA filament you mention is almost certainly NOT using Natureworks 3D850 or 3D870, yet for $11 you can buy 1KG of 3D870 pellets. Or another example - say you suddenly decide you want to see what happens when you make wood filled PETG (instead of the traditional wood filled PLA) - you can (just make sure you don't have the filter in on Filastruder and use a larger nozzle on printer). Wonder what happens when you mix in two different colors? You can.
Recently I saw some filament called 'marble' filament - it's mostly white with black specks. I threw some extra fine glitter in and made sure that it would print fine still. Now I just need to get some black colorant, throw that white glitter in, and see what the opposite looks like (I'm hoping less marble, and more granite).
It also depends on available shop space and the need aka how much filament do you use. I have had a printer for about 4 years and have actually emptied about 4 filament rolls and do not have a lot of space so no filasruder for me.
My favorite thing about the filastruder is multi color parts that's gradually change colors
SoliForum - 3D Printing Community → Filastruder → new person looking for info from long term filastruder users
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