3D Printing Amazon Basic PLA?

[Bravo52]

Is anyone printed or tried printing with Amazon Basic PLA? If you have, what temps do you print with? I’ve tried several combinations and can’t seem to get it dialed in… won’t stick, does stick but warps, rough finish etc…

I’m working on a model of the LGM-118 Peacekeeper for a friend and have a whole spool of this stuff for prototyping.

This isn’t my first rodeo so I know my printer is well calibrated and prints everything else very well…it’s just this AB PLA. If you have some thoughts, I’d love to hear them.

 

[Egoldee]

I have used the AB PETG. I think for that filament, keeping as dry as possible is important. I am not sure if that applies to the PLA.

 

[jderimig]

Is anyone printer or tried printing with Amazon Basic PLA? If you have, what temps do you print with? I’ve tried several combinations and can’t seem to get it dialed in… won’t stick, does stick but warps, rough finish etc…

I’m working on a model of the LGM-118 Peacekeeper for a friend and have a whole spool of this stuff for prototyping.

This isn’t my first rodeo so I know my printer is well calibrated and prints everything else very well…it’s just this AB PLA. If you have some thoughts, I’d love to hear them.

I had a reel of dura something from Amazon that was crap as you described, other reels were good. High variability with this stuff. I'll stick with solutech pla from now on.

 

[Banzai88]

Is anyone printer or tried printing with Amazon Basic PLA? If you have, what temps do you print with? I’ve tried several combinations and can’t seem to get it dialed in… won’t stick, does stick but warps, rough finish etc…

I’m working on a model of the LGM-118 Peacekeeper for a friend and have a whole spool of this stuff for prototyping.

This isn’t my first rodeo so I know my printer is well calibrated and prints everything else very well…it’s just this AB PLA. If you have some thoughts, I’d love to hear them.

This has been my experience with it as well. No matter the color, no matter WHAT I do......even took some to my brother (who is a 3D print expert with about a dozen different machines) and some other local in-the-know 3D print folks.

Consensus in my circle is that it's crap.

 

[Tobor]

I've always steered clear of Amazon's filament. Never seemed worth the risk. On the other hand, I have never had problems with Hatchbox PLA and PETG filaments.

 

[cwbullet]

I had a reel of dura something from Amazon that was crap as you described, other reels were good. High variability with this stuff. I'll stick with solutech pla from now on.

You are referring to Duramic Filament. There is some variability over 10-20 roles, but it is not bad. I have found that if I dry the rolls, the variability in printing goes away. Their PETG is at two rolls for $35-36 is a deal.

Solutech is not bad either, but it is a more premium at about $27 a roll. In my opinion, it can't touch the quality of California Filament.

From Amazon, I prefer Paramount, Polymaker, or Overture. The last two are very precise in their quality and around $20 a roll. Paramount is a premium filament.

The benefit to Paramount and California is they are US-owned companies.

 

[cwbullet]

Is anyone printer or tried printing with Amazon Basic PLA?

I avoid it. It is too variable. I get a good roll every 3-5. The PETG is ok if you dry it.

 

[wsume99]

I've had good luck with Inland (Microcenter brand). I won't buy Soultech. I had rolls in the past that were brittle and some that ran perfectly fine. After the third roll with issues I stopped buying it and switched to Inland and have had no problems since.

I think the one constant among filament brands is that you will always be able to find someone that has had issues with a particular brand.

 

[cwbullet]

I think the one constant among filament brands is that you will always be able to find someone that has had issues with a particular brand.

That is 100% true.

 

[BigMacDaddy]

I've had good luck with Inland (Microcenter brand). I won't buy Soultech. I had rolls in the past that were brittle and some that ran perfectly fine. After the third roll with issues I stopped buying it and switched to Inland and have had no problems since.

I think the one constant among filament brands is that you will always be able to find someone that has had issues with a particular brand.

I have also had good luck with Microcenters brand but I always print ABS (and at $16.99 per roll it is a good price).

I used to buy Matterhackers cheaper brand and half the time the plastic bags would not be vacuum sealed when I got them (I guess damaged) and sometimes it would need to be dried out to work better.

 

[Bravo52]

I think the one constant among filament brands is that you will always be able to find someone that has had issues with a particular brand.

That is 100% true.

Life seems to be that way... The part that makes me lazy I guess is that I can swap the spool with a spool from Hatchbox or Overeture and poof...prints perfectly. I've even sliced some Overture PETG with a PLA profile (not on purpose) and it printed beautifully!

 

[cwbullet]

The bad experiences with budget filament make me really love the quality of Prusament. Then again, That is a luxury item.