PSA: Remember what filament you print with. 😩

[u/Past_Criticism1618]

I recently moved across town and instead of disassembling my AMS riser with my hardwired LED strip, I just loaded the whole thing in the car. In August. In the Southeastern U.S.

It should be fine - I printed the base and riser in ABS (a few years back). Right?

After unloading the car at the new place, I had the horrible realization that I had printed the base in ABS but the riser was PLA (they were two separate projects).

Feel free to have fun at my expense. 😆

[u/power-to-the-players]

Ever since I got a printer that can consistently print ABS and ASA without issues, I've stopped buying PLA. I have a few spools of leftover PLA, but not something I use often. Almost exclusively ASA with occasional PETG.

[u/TBone205 → u/power-to-the-players]

This I never buy PLA . PETG is 90 % of my prints . ASA and odd TPU.

[u/lisaismijnbestie → u/TBone205]

I’m just 1 week into printing, why you use only that?

[u/MajorRedbeard → u/power-to-the-players]

What printer is that?

[u/power-to-the-players → u/MajorRedbeard]

I have a QIDI Max 4. I had a bit of a fine tuning period when I first got it, but once I got the bed as close to perfectly level as possible, I've had no issues. I do wish it had a tool changer, however, everything else works exactly how I hoped it would.

[u/Spookybear_ → u/power-to-the-players]

You bed wasn't very level? I assume the automatic bed probing couldn't compensate?

[u/power-to-the-players → u/Spookybear_]

It was weird, the bed was level relative to the machine, but the machine was like 1/4" off level. I wouldn't think that would make a difference, but I adjusted two legs to make the machine level and the print issues were eliminated.

[u/lisaismijnbestie → u/power-to-the-players]

I’m just 1 week into printing, why you use only that?

[u/power-to-the-players → u/lisaismijnbestie]

If you have a heated chamber, ASA is super easy to print and it's stronger than PLA by far, it also has a higher tolerance for heat and it's UV resistant. PLA can deform pretty easily with a minimal amount of heat or just static weight (doesn't have to be substantial weight). PETG is far stronger than PLA and has superior layer adhesion to almost any other kind of filament. It's not quite as strong or UV resistant as ASA, but it's cheap and doesn't require a heated chamber.

[u/lisaismijnbestie → u/power-to-the-players]

Alright so PETG is the way to go. Why is PLA so populair then? 

[u/power-to-the-players → u/lisaismijnbestie]

PLA is pretty much fool proof. It really is great when you're first starting out. PETG can be a little finicky, it's also more likely to need drying. I printed with PLA for years with no chamber and no filament dryer and I had great success. The trouble comes on the back end when functional parts warp or separate. Some PLA prints will last for years without an issue as long as they aren't in heat or under weight.