You can get multicolor filaments but probably not “mixed” in the way you’re imagining, like multicolor toothpaste as soon as you start using that, it would just mush into one combined color (and you probably could’ve just bought a nicer version of whatever color it combined into anyway).
Instead color is usually mixed along the length of the filament, gradually shifting color as layer after layer comes out, creating a multi-color gradient effect in the print. So-called “fast change” filaments change color quite quickly, transitioning to a new color as quickly as every few layers resulting in a “striped” appearance. “Slow change” filaments change more gradually, usually resulting in at most a two-tone or three-tone gradient except across very large/tall prints.
Filament changing for multi-color prints is also an option but requires either a complex and somewhat unwieldy filament unloading, switching and feeding apparatus or a tool-switcher or dual-extruders or other similarly advanced printer features.
I have a purple blue filament that is two colors side by side. It stays 2 colors after printing. It’s a different color depending on the angle you look at it.
Just to add to this, you can do poor mans multi color by just telling the printer to pause at the exact later required, then change the filament by hand, and hit resume. It’s tedious, but it works, if you need it in a pinch 🤷♂️
You can also go full caveman and setup magic markers to “paint” a single color filament as it passes by heading into the extruder. I did that a time or two back in the day before multi color filaments and it works OK.
Yes. Stringy.
Some filament types such as TPU are more sensitive to moisture.
Dryers take around 7 hours to dry a role. If you had a way to know the moisture content I assume you could shorten that time.
Again different filament types dry at different rates.
As someone who happened upon this and doesn’t know anything about 3D printing, why? Does the moisture make the ink(?) print poorly?
When the filament goes through the hotend, any moisture in the filament will boil and make the filament all bubbly and not extrude well.
Do you ever mix two filaments for color fun? If so, do they have to have same moisture content
You can get multicolor filaments but probably not “mixed” in the way you’re imagining, like multicolor toothpaste as soon as you start using that, it would just mush into one combined color (and you probably could’ve just bought a nicer version of whatever color it combined into anyway).
Instead color is usually mixed along the length of the filament, gradually shifting color as layer after layer comes out, creating a multi-color gradient effect in the print. So-called “fast change” filaments change color quite quickly, transitioning to a new color as quickly as every few layers resulting in a “striped” appearance. “Slow change” filaments change more gradually, usually resulting in at most a two-tone or three-tone gradient except across very large/tall prints.
Filament changing for multi-color prints is also an option but requires either a complex and somewhat unwieldy filament unloading, switching and feeding apparatus or a tool-switcher or dual-extruders or other similarly advanced printer features.
I have a purple blue filament that is two colors side by side. It stays 2 colors after printing. It’s a different color depending on the angle you look at it.
https://store.anycubic.com/products/silk-pla-dual-tri-color-filament?currency=USD
That’s wild, I’ll have to give that a try. Thanks for the link.
Just to add to this, you can do poor mans multi color by just telling the printer to pause at the exact later required, then change the filament by hand, and hit resume. It’s tedious, but it works, if you need it in a pinch 🤷♂️
You can also go full caveman and setup magic markers to “paint” a single color filament as it passes by heading into the extruder. I did that a time or two back in the day before multi color filaments and it works OK.
Never thought of that haha, sounds rough, but I like it
You get kind of a pastel looking results. It really wasn’t worth the effort in the long run.
Yes. Stringy. Some filament types such as TPU are more sensitive to moisture. Dryers take around 7 hours to dry a role. If you had a way to know the moisture content I assume you could shorten that time. Again different filament types dry at different rates.
You can weigh it before you start drying it and weigh it again every few hours until it stops getting lighter.
I mean, it’s quite obvious from the pic.
The colors are totally different.
/s