As I have been getting further and further into 3d printing, I have been experimenting with a number of different colors and brands of filament. In general, I have not found much significant different in quality for PLA between options, but for consistency, I have been tending towards the same ones each time. If curious, here is the options I currently use or have used, and my thoughts.
- Hatchbox PLA (Grey) – This is my go-to PLA for general printing, and the one I have used the most. The material is very reliable and consistent – I have experienced no issues in 6 rolls that I can attribute to the quality of the filament. My only issue is that the color is rather boring, though for most of my projects the neutrality helps. Strongly recommend this for all users.
- Hatchbox PLA (Gold) – This PLA is virtually identical to the Grey (and I expect other colors), but note that it does not actually contain gold particles – it is instead an approximately of a yellow gold. Printed color is a warm brownish yellow. I use this for specialized projects, most recently around printing key chains for my son’s Boy Scouts. Reliable and consistent quality, would certainly recommend it if the color is what you are looking for.
- Gizmo Dorks PLA (Blue/White Color Changing by Temperature) – This PLA was one of my first “speciality” filaments, I used it to print a near life size scale skull for my son, for use as an RPG gaming prop (he is playing a necromancer). Our main concern was the strength of the color change itself, and the temperature of the transition – turns out that was not a concern. The color change is very noticeable, and the shift occurs at slightly lower than body temperature. The goal was to show the shift when held, so it accomplished the goal. I can’t speak as to how well the transition has held up however, I honestly have not seen the model in several months, although my son still brings it to each game. The print itself is very solid, it has survived without damage after several drops. Again, I would strongly recommend the material if you need the color shift quality.
- Gizmo Dorks PLA (Metal Copper Fill) – Another speciality filament, this PLA actually does have particulars of Copper in the plastic. This gives a nice warm reflective glow to the final print, but I understand it also causes additional wear on your hotend tip (I have not noticed any issues). As for printing, there really is no major differences, except that I needed to drop my print temperature by approximately 10-20 degrees Celsius. Higher than that, and I was dealing with jams and heat creep. Supposedly this filament is able to be polished, though I have not given that any tries. I do like the color, and when available (seems to be hard for Amazon to keep in stock), it is a good choice if you are looking for a steampunk or metallic look.
- NinjaFlex TPU (Fire Red) – This is the only non-PLA filament I have tried, and really had some challenges. Admittedly, I acquired this shortly after I bought the printer itself, so I did not have much experience when I was attempting my prints. However, TPU is very challenging due to its properties – once finished and cooled, it maintains its flexibility. The intent was to print re-usable stamps for the wife, which she could use in her crafting projects. However, due to the flexibility, it adheres overly well to the print bed, and was very difficult to separate. I never really figured out the best approach or bed surface, but I did end up scratching and destroying my bed’s factory surface fighting the material. As for flexibility, that certainly worked – the model was very pliable. My particular design though I think was overly optimistic with the detail, and it simply was not usable as a reliable stamp. I may try again at some point, with a more low quality image, but until then the excess filament is stored away. Not sure I can recommend this, until you really need flexible filament – it did exactly what was advertised, except my skill was not up to the requirements.
