3D Printing Printing safety

[maddmaxx11]

Where does everyone have their printers? I read that breathing the fumes is very bad for you even with PLA and worse with ABS etc. I only run 1 printer and it is in a large room in the house. When printing ABS I put it in the garage so I would not be around it while printing but it is cold out there this time of year.

Anyone have any problems printing in the house? I noticed that when printing even PLA it seems to give me a slight headache.

 

[cwbullet]

Currently, they are in two locations. The living room on an apartment and a workshop on my farm. I would recommend a room that is less used and not your bedroom.

 

[SwingWing]

Any concerns about fire? I've seen pictures of clogged nozzles and huge blobs around a very hot extruder. Long prints running un-attended worry me a bit...

 

[cwbullet]

Any concerns about fire? I've seen pictures of clogged nozzles and huge blobs around a very hot extruder. Long prints running un-attended worry me a bit...

Fires are a huge issue if you do not do regular maintenance. You must make sure all wires are in good condition and clean your hotend. Some printers do not have Thermal Runaway protection so it is higher in those printers.

I have mostly Prusas and they have very safe, but even a Prusa can have a fire if a terminal is loose or wire breaks.

 

[manixFan]

Good food for thought. Currently I have my printer in an unused bedroom, but I think I'll move it into the adjoining bathroom so I can run the fan while it prints. The bedroom has a smoke detector in it that is wired into house alarm, so that is some measure of safety against fire, but the bathroom does not. But it's easy enough to add a battery powered unit to that room while I'm printing. I really should make a heated enclosure so I can put it in the garage, that's the safest from a fumes and nanoparticle standpoint. I don't exactly understand where the nanoparticles come from, but everyone (online sources) says they are produced during printing. That would be another plus to an enclosure, keeping the particles contained.

Another project for the new year.


Tony

 

[cwbullet]

This is a good product that will turn off the electricity to the printer when the smoke alarm goes off.

https://www.tindie.com/products/niujl123/smoke-alarm-for-3d-printer/
This might also reduce your risk of fire:

Fire Resistant enclosure.

 

[SwingWing]

This is a good product that will turn off the electricity to the printer when the smoke alarm goes off.

https://www.tindie.com/products/niujl123/smoke-alarm-for-3d-printer/
This might also reduce your risk of fire:

Fire Resistant enclosure.

that's clever

 

[SwingWing]

Here's something designed for microwave ovens that is domestically available. spendy, though...

https://www.homedepot.com/p/PIONEER...for-Microwave-Ovens-PTI-STS/304318130#overlay

 

[John Cummings]

This company makes a device that will extingish a fire if you're not around to hear the alarm. Would be easy to mount if you're using an enclosure.

Hobbyists and Home Use – Blazecut

 

[cwbullet]

This company makes a device that will extingish a fire if you're not around to hear the alarm. Would be easy to mount if you're using an enclosure.

Hobbyists and Home Use – Blazecut

Those work pretty well. I will tell you that I have had one near fire in the past. It only takes one loose terminal on the hotbed. I check every terminal monthly as a part of my maintenance to make sure they have not vibrated loose.